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Fitlandia | Fitness for Your Mind

It’s time to get over self-sabotage, negative thoughts, and obstacles to getting fit again and staying fit for life. Christa is a certified hypnotherapist, life coach, nutritional therapist, and founder of Fitlandia on a mission to end the vicious yo-yo dieting cycle. Join her each week as she sits down with top fitness and wellness experts to discuss nutrition, exercise, and mental health. Loaded with quick healthy tips and Fitlandia’s signature Mind Zoning® meditations, The Fitlandia Podcast gives you all the tools you need to commit to a permanent lifestyle change.
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Fitlandia | Fitness for Your Mind
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Apr 16, 2019

In this exciting episode, we are talking with Marni Wasserman. There is so much importance of self care and forgiveness in our health and wellness journeys.

Now on to the show!

Highlights

05:20

So it started slowly, organically. We put out a show a week and we just kinda kept going and we did a couple shows ourselves, we interviewed some guests, we started to kind of get a feel for what our audience was looking for. It took us about 50 episodes to get our first sponsor and then slowly we started to realize this is becoming a business.

06:14

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's and the way I was eating and living wasn't conducive to my wellbeing anymore and I drastically changed everything. I went from being vegetarian to eating more of a Paleo and animal based diet, of course with lots of good fats and lots of veggies still, but I, I really turn things around so I could no longer teach that in my cooking classes.

08:21

For me it was just this organic unraveling of love and wanting to learn everything I could about food and teaching. So it's, it's kind of funny that, you know, seven years or whatever it was into my career teaching and educating about health, I had this little wake up call that was showing me that the path I was on wasn't necessarily the right one for me at the time.

15:31

But it took about, I'd say six months to a year before Jesse, my husband and I decided to work with a functional medicine team to go a bit deeper, to get some gut testing done, to go on different protocols to find out what's at the root cause, what's going on in my body, in my blood, in my urine with my hormones, all that stuff to see what's at the core of this or where can we start to clean up shop from the inside out.

21:44

Everyone can eat more vegetables. And it always starts there. And I know it always sounds Cliche, you know, I feel like nutrition 10 years ago saying, eat your veggies. But it's so foundational because so many people can raise their hands in a room and say they are not even having a serving a day.

27:16

Whether it's just raw veggies cut up or whether it's a couple of soups done or a dip or a couple of prepared meats or proteins that are ready to go. You don't have to put everything together. You can just have different components and then every night of the week you can even build each one. It's just something different.

Listen more at https://www.myfitlandia.com/podcasts/.

Apr 8, 2019

In this exciting episode, we are talking with Anxiety Life Coach Ryan Light. Ryan is back and he is putting a spin on how to live a successful lifestyle while managing anxiety with a positive mindset.

Highlights

01:46

I try to drink it out of me. I tried to fight it out in me. I tried to run from make, ignore it. I tried to do all the thing is I I could do to get rid of it. Um, and then the last 10 years I've changed my perspective of it and I got to the root of the matter.

04:40

It became, I became the anxiety. It was interesting for me and most people do this a lot. As I became the one thing I hated, right. I the anxiety, but my whole identity was caught up in the anxiety.

07:55

And what I found, um, in that journey was everybody wanted to show me how to treat the anxiety for me. It was only maintaining it, right? That was only, I was only treating the symptoms. I was only treating the manifestations.

09:38

That's when things really start to get real. And you know, to be honest with you, I didn't want to forgive the people in my life, right? I didn't want to eat.

11:21

You just deal with it and look at it differently. And as you do that, you know, start to heal, right?

14:59

Yes. And that's what she did for me. She allowed me and gave me tools and techniques that I needed not only to be sit within the moment, right. Cause I was still having panic attacks and I was still having those manifestations even more because I started digging up this stuff. Right?

 

Listen more at https://www.myfitlandia.com/podcasts/.

 

 

 

Mar 18, 2019

In this exciting episode, we are talking with Alison Ashley.We are talking about the importance of self care and forgiveness is with our health and wellness.

Highlights

00:00

Like we're always, we always talk about all we have to forgive others. So I'm really excited to talk about self forgiveness and I'm super intrigued about what that means from a perspective of creating a forgiveness journal.

02:36

So, but the frigging forgiveness is huge and it's such a stress reliever and just like sometimes it's, you know, you're thinking that you're forgiving and you have to go deeper, deeper, deeper. There's deeper levels. There's not just one level of forgiveness.

06:30

And then finally they come to it themselves. And that's the best is, is that you're not giving the advice. You're letting them get it themselves. So that's the best.

10:17

You know, the forgiveness part, it gives you more power, just individual power and it just gives you that extra energy where you could use it in a forceful way instead of in a negative way. Um, and forgiveness is just so deep rooted that it leads into a lot of different things.

15:44

The weight thing is the hardest thing to lose because everybody's doing the diet, everybody's doing it the right way and they're just like, I can't lose this weight. What is going on?

16:36

... it's complicated part of the whole thing that's happening. So mind, body emotions on how it all works. Emotions are a big part that we haven't quite figured it out. Yeah. So like that. So how do you guide people through self forgiveness?

23:08

It's really about free writing, free letting things go. What are some questions you could ask themselves that would like if they're feeling stuck around how to do it, what are some questions that might help them get that writing process going?

Listen more at https://www.myfitlandia.com/podcasts/.

Mar 17, 2019

In this exciting episode, we are talking with Sean Harvey.  Sean Harvey is here to continue sharing his story of transformation and what it looks like for him.

Now onto the show!

 

Highlights

01:27

It's changed my life this last, this last 13 months has changed my life for myself as a father, as a husband, as a friend. It's certainly changed my waistline's sides and the type of jeans that I can wear.

05:43

It sounds like it was your mindset that's really allowing you to fully become yourself, but also it's that mindset that's helping you change your health habits.

07:57

Oh, that's beautiful. Like, I talk about this a lot, this idea of leaning into the pain and really the human work that we have to do in order to make a lifestyle change. Like those emotions, those feelings, those wounds of the past, whatever it is, those beliefs and perceptions that we grew up with, all of those, like it's in our mind.

15:12

I remember scarlet and grace and looking at each other going, oh, daddy can run now. That was a moment that I will not forget because it was massively important to me to be able to play with my kids...

25:15

I think it's natural for you to feel frustrated when you reach a point of Plateau because, you sort of have to begin to find your value in your ability to lose weight and to transform.

30:07

I think it's available for anyone and everyone, you know, to have to have their own tribe.

 

Resources & Links

Instagram:
@start.persevere.hope

Brene Brown videos he references:
 
https://bit.ly/2uLtc3h
https://bit.ly/2ocOraJ

Listen more at https://www.myfitlandia.com/podcasts/.

Feb 18, 2019

In this exciting episode, we are cracking the code to a healthy lifestyle with Christa King. Christa talks about how retreats have been a key part in her transformation with unlocking this code.

 

Highlights

01:43

Hi, I'm Christa King and I've cracked the code to making healthy habits stick by learning how to rewire my mind through my recovery is a burned out corporate exec to becoming a certified hypnotherapist and nutritional therapist.

02:20

I was 50 pounds overweight, drinking a bottle or two of wine every night, working 70 hours a week, traveling three to four weeks out of the month, all while my mother was suffering from severe mental illness 3000 miles away.

06:37

Once I unlock the secret, I started with myself losing and now maintaining 30 pounds of weight, but weight loss aside, it was my mind that had change. Weight loss was a byproduct.

12:18

I asked myself, how do I share the stories of people who have made massive changes in their lives by merely stepping out of their day to day for a few days?

14:49

Doesn't matter if you failed before, what your struggles have been, how chaotic things are right now. If you can step out of your life for a few days, you can experience a transformation and I invite you to do that now.

Listen more at https://www.myfitlandia.com/podcasts/.

Feb 11, 2019

In this exciting episode we are talking with David Skolnik PT, DPT, CSCS.  The Power of Retreats to Transform is not measurable after you sit down and listen to this powerful podcasts on retreat transformation.

The Fitlandia Whole-Life Reset Retreat is now accepting reservations! Only 15 spots. VIP options available. Get in now and let's give you an escape and the reset you need to start (and finish) your transformation.

Now onto the show!

 

Highlights

00:56

about six months ago left Portland and moved down to Sonoma County, California for a job opportunity to kind of step up what I'm doing in the rehab world going from part-time as a physical therapist to the director of Rehab at a clinic that focuses on kind of acute care, geriatrics.

05:07

How, you know, problems aren't usually formed in isolation or solved in isolation. So, it takes people with different perspectives coming together to, to, to either solve problems or even to figure out what the problem is.

08:13

And over the course of the last six years, I can't believe it's been six years almost since I went on that retreat. I've really started to not only embody the power of, you know, what that five days away did for my entire life.

13:25

You know, I talk all the time about the four cornerstones of fitness, these principles, if you will, of what it takes to truly make a lifestyle change, to get off that Yoyo dieting cycle, to actually change the neuro pathways in your brain.

16:00

Well, there's a quote I love and it's really simple. It's happiness is reality minus expectations. So how can you enjoy where you are and what you're doing? And I think part of that is, you know, no one's ever going to be able to stop thinking about the future and thinking about the past.

 

Jan 21, 2019

In this exciting episode the best addiction specialists, Dr. Adi Jaffe and I are digging our heals into ending the shame and embarrassment related to reliance on sugar, refined carbs and alcohol.

The Fitlandia Whole-Life Reset Retreat is now accepting reservations! Only 15 spots. VIP options available. Get in now and let's give you an escape and the reset you need to start (and finish) your transformation.

Now onto the show!

  

Highlights

6:43

I went and got my masters at Cal State in Long Beach and then my Phd at UCLA and psychology and neuroscience and psychology and not in statistics and you know, continued to the point where I am now where I started a company called ignited that has sensory self help and addiction specific courses and workshops.

7:38

It's going to be more work for others, for some than others, might be more complex, might be more healing work from some of our traumas that we experienced, you know, certainly the move that you made, a new culture, new school system, all those things, right? Those are, those are going to have a big impact on the brain.

17:17

The tool that you found was now causing you problems, but you can't remove the tool because it's still helping deal with that core initial issue that you had.

18:12

So, I created an online program. I call it Ignited Hero and Ignited because that's the name of the company, but also our goal is to ignite people's passion and get people motivated and driven to a new kind of life just like what happened in my own life.

22:37

I love that and I want to get into kind of the nuances of the program a little bit more, but I want to get in the head of my listener right now. That is, that's actually asking themselves, okay, we've got the thought patterns, right? We've got those beliefs that have been ingrained in us and I talked a lot about that.

To Learn more about Dr. Adi Jaffe:

Click for my TEDx Talk 
 
My book, The Abstinence Myth
 
And subscribe to the IGNTD podcast!
 
Find me on twitter-instagram-facebook

Listen more at https://www.myfitlandia.com/podcasts/.

Jan 15, 2019

Happy New Year to you all and welcome to the show! Before we dive into Getting Off Grains with CEO and Founder of Miracle Noodle, Dr. Jonathan Carp, I have some exciting news!

The Fitlandia Whole-Life Reset Retreat is now accepting reservations! Only 15 spots. VIP options available. Get in now and let's give you an escape and the reset you need to start (and finish) your transformation.

Now onto the show!

 

 

Highlights

6:07

I'm a doctor, a medical doctor specializing in dermatology and I have always had an interest in nutrition. my passion is people who have autoimmune diseases of the skin. So we're talking psoriasis and Lupus especially. And my interest is in how to help them from a lifestyle and nutritional perspective.

7:08

I was on a trip to Japan and friend of mine took me to a restaurant, a Buddhist Vegan restaurant outside of the city of Kyoto and I was served this bowl of noodles and they told me that it had virtually no calories and no carbohydrates and I just immediately thought, my goodness, you know, I couldn't believe it at first.

10:44

So what's amazing about that is that you're getting mostly water when you when you eat the noodles. It's 97 percent water but you're getting a really potent soluble fiber that also acts as a prebiotic fiber. It's ground into a flour and then mixed with water.

17:41

I'll start just by saying that people have intolerances to all kinds of different foods and we could spend hours going on why that may be, but I think everyone owes it to themselves even if they don't have an autoimmune disease to go on some sort of elimination diet because a lot of times people are in a situation where they, they feel fine, you know, but they don't know that they're missing out on another level of feeling good. They just have accepted that this is sort of, I feel good. They sleep decently,  everything about their lives in terms of how they feel about their own health seems fine, but often times when you get someone with just some minor complaints about something and you put them on an elimination diet, you know, no wheat, no grains, no sugar, no dairy, especially the dairy component, they start to feel so much better.

22:29

So pressure cooking gets rid of the lectins as well as the lectins that are found in nightshade plants. So nightshades are tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, so if you pressure cook them, it gets rid of this chemical that can irritate your gut and that can lead to some autoimmune types of things that, that can happen.

28:34

It's one of the most empowering things I've ever seen because they realize that they become their own authority in their own health, which is really what we are. We're born to be our own authorities in health. Yes, doctors are important and health advice is important, but those are just experts that people should be consulting. When it comes to making those decisions for yourself, you, you're responsible for those decisions.

32:26

These perceptions that we have about challenges or obstacles are really these beautiful opportunities to just show up as the authority on our health. I absolutely love that quote. How empowering is that?

Dec 31, 2018

Oh my goodness! It's the 100th episode of the Fitlandia Podcast and we have none other than Steph Gaudreau with us to help you break negative self-talk and excuse making. I just know 2019 will be your healthiest yet with the tips Steph and I have for you.

Highlights

1:28

I've always been a very wear my heart on my sleeve kind of person. I'm very empathic. I can't hide my emotions or my feelings for anyone. And the more I do this work, the more I think that that's what I'm called to do. Like, I always want to make sure there's something teachable and I don't want to just dump my problems on people, but at the same time I feel like we have to get better  not only a fitness community, but a wellness community and as a human community with talking about the things that we have stuffed away for so long.

3:55

I feel like everybody sort of has their story of where they came from and what their transformation was. And for me, I battled negative body image and negative self talk. It still happens. It's changed quite a bit and it's much more fewer and far between than it used to be.

7:31

Humans being human is about belonging and so we want to fit in, we want to belong. But I always just find that very interesting that the thing that I grew up my whole life hating as the thing that people remember about me.

9:16

For me, endurance sports ended up becoming a way to literally kind of run away from my problems and numb myself to the pain of what I was going through.

11:53

Being able to focus not exclusively on the size of my body, but what my body could do physically in the gym, feeling better, getting more sleep. I mean, these sound like such basic things, but you know, as somebody who basically relied on sugar to get through the day and caffeine all hours of the day. That made a huge difference in how I felt.

20:05

I think we believe that in order to make progress, lose the weight, get fitter, get the new job, whatever it is, we have to beat ourselves up to make it happen. And this concept of kindness to self and self compassion is very foreign to people.

26:44

I love this idea of being present and learning to love the process. Because if you can love the process than the outcome becomes much less important because all you really care about is that, that beautiful boost of energy and strength and confidence that you get anytime you're fueling your body properly or exercising and moving and connecting with community and catching your negative thoughts and reframing them them when you can for sure.

34:54

If you're not clear as to what your values are, what's very important to you, it's much easier to let those other things that don't necessarily matter come up and get in your way.

Nov 26, 2018

Welcome to episode #99 of the Fitlandia Podcast. Today my guest is Evelyn DeDominicus from Connecticut where she believes by practicing in collaboration with other professionals they can develop a stronger connection with their clients. We are going to talk about exploring ways to moderate alcohol; why it is important to understand our behaviors and habits associated with alcohol.

 

 

 

Highlights

11:56

I have to be perfect when really the intention is to help figure out what foods work best for your body and doing a clean elimination and then at the end adding foods back in one at a time. And it is, it's the same whether it's any kind of reliance...

18:06

I started off saying, I'm the type of person that's on or off, right? I'm like a light switch. And so if I start to say to myself, I'm the type of person that can take it or leave it. And that's empowering. That's an empowering statement, right?

34:48

You're figuring out what works for you and your life, but I just want to encourage everyone to do that.

37:33

It is about ending the shame. It is about understanding that our brain is actually working perfectly to keep us in this state of safety and survival. Like that's even the things that we think are negative are brain is leaving us to those because it wants to feel safe.

 

Nov 5, 2018

Welcome to episode #98 of the Fitlandia Podcast. Today my guest is Frank Gjata from Conscious Ink founded in Bend, Oregon. Today, we are going to talk about why manifesting your dream life by aligning your true self is important for your building a positive mindset.

Highlights

8:28

It's one of the things I say when we do this practice of reframing negative thoughts into positive is that you don't have to believe the statement, but imagine what it would feel like the emotions that would come up if you believed it fully and completely.

15:02

And so the invitation again is just to allow those feelings to breathe and allow them to go through. Now you're making a big shift right then and there and it will open up space for the new thought pattern to be put in.

20:27

Take three deep breaths and just literally imagine like this elevator coming out of your mind and but down below your throw and literally into other parts of your body and just start to notice what you feel like.

30:44

It's just setting you up to have you listen and make a choice that is a much more enjoyable choice, which is living in alignment of your true self, not your false self, not the one that is made up of these old behaviors and habitual patterns and you know, negative identities.

Oct 29, 2018

Welcome to episode #97 of the Fitlandia Podcast. Today my guests are Erin Moone and Dionne Del Carlo from Starcycle, founded right here in Portland, Oregon. Today, the three of us are going to talk about why taking a break from tech is so important for your mind.

Highlights:

10:17

…this sense of urgency that we all have that is really inflated and exaggerated and not real. So it’s giving ourselves permission to say that’s going to wait. We’re not brain surgeons.

12:24

I know for myself I will eat quickly and not really taste what I’m eating and just getting it down and onto the next thing, but if I put my phone away, engage in conversation, listen to the laughter, then I’m taking in all those senses and actually tasting my food. It does taste better because I’m paying attention.

13:30

So related to the classes we run, our bodies are physically moving quickly and we’re working really hard and our heart rates are up. But because we’re disconnecting from any distractions, we’re able to have that meditative state where you really can acknowledge your thoughts and acknowledge how you’re feeling. You can feel your body where we’re working, what we’re doing and you’re just so much more present, rather than just looking at a number on the bike and trying to beat this number that somebody programmed into the bike. That really doesn’t mean anything to you personally, right?

28:04

I know for me I have two kids and we try to have dinner together every night. And then we put our phones away and close down technology and engage in conversation.  So it’s easier now for us to put our phones away at night and we’re also empowering them to make these positive choices. We’re teaching them how to run a business, teaching them how to manage people, teaching them how to show up and be responsible.

Oct 15, 2018

Welcome to episode number 96 of Fitlandia Podcast. I'm super excited because today we have another story of transformation. My guest today is Sean Harvey and I just know he's going to inspire you and give you insights that are going to keep you moving forward on your own journey. I met him a few months back at Leanne Vogel's Ketogenic Diet Cookbook tour here in Portland and he and I were waiting in line to meet our idle and after talking with him for just a few minutes, I knew I had to have him on the show. So after he listened to this episode, please head over to iTunes and give a rating and review and let Sean know what you got out of today's episode.

Highlights:

5:35 

There were a number of things that had been put in front of me to help with my wellness. And then a really good friend who is a holistic nutritionist just one day - and I don't know what it was about this day or what it was about these words that she said to me, but she just said, "Hey Sean, let's do keto together."

I've only ever heard of it in a couple of fitness communities, so I had no idea. It might as well have been a martial arts or something like that for me. But I was like, oh sure, let's do it. I had no plan. And this was a plan and I had someone who was going to do it with me. And so I just said yes. And uh, it's been almost 22 weeks this tomorrow we 22 weeks and that's changed my life. 

11:39 

I lost a good friend to cancer and that was very difficult. It hit me in a different way too because he was a healthy guy. He'd made a lot of the right choices. He's very athletic, very active, and he got taken super young from cancer, which something he couldn't control. And then here's me tempting fate with all the things I can control. So it kind of shook me awake in, into action.

16:43

I looked at what I could gain from it and it seems like such a simple thing. But like you mentioned, the brain is super powerful. And when you speak words of positivity and words of affirmation as opposed to the negative side, it causes a reaction in your body that moves you forward in the direction you want to go.

22:31

I'm starting to feel like I'm stepping out of that prison cell that I've been in for so long and understanding what freedom looks like for me. And I think my heart is opening up to more possibilities and more ways in which I can affect change for others and let them know that it's not hopeless.

Oct 1, 2018

Hey everyone, this is episode number 95 of the Fitlandia podcast and today we're going to teach you how to liberate your inner hero to keep moving forward on your health journey. My guest today is Dr. Chris Zaino and I just know he's going to inspire you with some really awesome tips and techniques help you deeply connect with that amazing superhero that’s in each of us!  

Jul 9, 2018

Welcome to the Fitlandia Summer Series. Christa is prioritizing her self-care and taking a bit of a twist on the show by gathering the greatest insights and wisdom from her week in Fitlandia, delivering it to you as you continue your health, wellness and weight loss journey.

On your journey to creating a healthy lifestyle, you’ve got to know when to understand and reframe excuse-making, self-sabotaging behavior versus when to honor your body. In this episode of the Fitlandia Week in Review, I’m sharing a wall I hit with a flare up of my Hashimoto’s and how I allowed more rest to get through it quickly and easily.

Here’s what else you’ll learn from the show:

  • Where I’m at on my journey to become fitter by 46 than I was at 26
  • How to honor your body
  • The importance of enjoying the process to your vitality
  • My amazing power-sessions at Portland startup, Ruby Receptionists
  • How to reframe negative thoughts, turning them into positive ones that support your goals – the TWO-WEEK challenge to change your life
  • My incredible podcast show with Chris Zaino, due out Fall 2018
  • Another incredible story of transformation with Sean Harvey and his powerful loss of over 100lbs in 22 weeks using the ketogenic diet

If you missed signing up for the July 30 Days to Thriving program, never fear! Our next one starts on August 1st and listeners of the show get 25% off. Use FRIEND25 at checkout.

Also, if you are struggling to set healthy boundaries and make your health and wellness a priority, enroll in the Mind Zoning® Academy today and get scheduled for the July 11th workshop on SETTING HEALTHY BOUNDARIES TO PUT YOU FIRST. Just $17/mo. No contract. Cancel anytime. Keep your bonuses!

 

Jul 2, 2018

Welcome to the Fitlandia Summer Series. Christa is prioritizing her self-care and taking a bit of a twist on the show by gathering the greatest insights and wisdom from her week in Fitlandia, delivering it to you as you continue your health, wellness and weight loss journey.

Looking for some inspiration to keep on truckin’ with your quest to get healthy and make it stick? In this week’s episode, Christa continues her Summer Series with a week in review in Fitlandia. She’s announcing the next Mind Zoning®®® Academy topic, a special offer for the July 30 Days to Thriving program, and an update on her journey to get fitter by 46 than she was at 26. Everything you need to create a mindset toward fitness is in this episode!  Highlight’s from today’s show are below:

 

Christa King:                          00:00                       If you're new to the Mind Zoning® Academy I have a monthly membership where I do an online webinar / workshop where you're live with me and we pick a mental obstacle and I teach you the reason behind that obstacle, the source of it, if you will, as well as I lead you through a guided meditation to help you break through that obstacle.

Christa King:                          01:13                       So July’s Mind Zoning® Academy is on setting healthy boundaries to put you first and if you're anything like me, you know, you give to others before you give to yourself.

Christa King:                          02:09                       While I focus on fitness and nutrition, these mental tools can apply to any area of life. You also get a Q&A session with me in that webinar. Once we finish the meditation, then I help you break through any remaining obstacles. So that is on July 11th from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM Pacific Time. Great for all time zones. But even if you can't make it, I want you to enroll in the Mind Zoning® Academy anyway because everyone gets a playback of the recorded webinar as well as a professionally mixed Mind Zoning® meditation. The one that I lead you through gets mixed with beautiful spa music so you can listen to it again and again and again, creating new neural pathways to make setting healthy boundaries stick.

Christa King:                          03:07                       Okay. So that's the first update. The second update is the July 30 days to thriving is shaping up to be I, I would say the best session this year so far. And the reason why is because we already have 10 people signed up for the program that starts on July fifth. The best part about July is I'm also teaching you how to modify the protocol so that if you are going on vacation in the month of July, you’ll still want to join because I'm going to teach you how to enjoy your vacation without overindulging and without having a major, major setback.

Christa King:                          04:30                       We want more MEN in Fitlandia so we’re inviting you to join and bring your male buddies along. You can save 50% by using YES50 at checkout.

Christa King:                          05:36                       Now for the last update about the 30 Days to Thriving program for July. I am formally introducing accountability buddies, so on the first night when we get into first group coaching call, you will get partnered up with a buddy that you're going to do some easy accountability work between our sessions, so you're going to get meal plans, recipes, weekly group coaching with me. You get seven Mind Zoning® meditations that are specifically designed to go with the 30 Days to Thriving program. You're going to get daily inspiration and motivation from me and lifetime access to the Facebook group. Now here's the other thing, once you go through one round of the program, any future program is only $75, so we have a great repeat program as well. All right, enough about who I got to take a deep breath and tell you all why AJ is joining us here today.

Christa King:                          06:54                       Hey there. So as you all know, I'm working on getting fitter by the time I turned 46 than I was at 26 years old when I ran my first marathon and I was at my healthiest weight, which yes, I weighed 135 pounds. I'm five six, but I ran my first marathon and weighed that much as a smoker so I certainly wasn't my healthiest. So I am working on being my fittest by 46, which is August 13th. And I'm sharing every week that journey with you and recording it for the Fitlandia and via podcast as well. So without. Oh, I love this. Thank you for that. Shout out. Hi. So what we're gonna do now is give you an update on better by 46,000. It was 26. So again, ha. Welcome to the Fitlandia podcast. Thank you. So one of the things that Ha and I sat out in the beginning of the year was to take our fitness to the next level, but one of the intentions that we wrote down, because as you all know when it comes to me, I'm all about goal setting, achievable goals, but we wanted to run three half marathons this year.

Christa King:                          08:14                       So today we're talking about our half marathon number two. AJ, share with our listeners what was the half marathon that we did and why did we choose it?

Christa King:                          09:34                       Yes, so that's what we did was an interval, which is great for recovery. It's great for endurance and certainly injury prevention, but it's also good if you're training hasn't been spot on. It's pro tip for you. So we would run a mile, walk a half mile, run a mile, walk a half mile, and we had the intention to do that pace the entire half marathon. And we were pretty damn close. Right?

Christa King:                          10:26                       We got a little mentally derailed though, and I want to talk about that a little bit because I think that's really important. It's a great, um, example of what happened during our half marathon of what not to do in life, right. So I still have growth opportunities and my own fitness routine and it's really, it's also what inspired the July Mind Zoning® Academy, setting healthy boundaries. I broke a boundary on our run, but there's a reason for it…

AJ Dexter:                               15:37                       Yeah. And I'll say, you know, one thing that's sticking out for me as Christa's really quick about processing her emotions and I take a lot longer to like dig into the fully experience them all. And so I think that was part of the reason why it took me the rest of the day, well beyond the run to just step into the mall and let them kind of unwind from me.

Christa King:                          19:24                       You push yourself a little bit but not to this crazy place where you're going into injury or you just hate it. It's really about enjoying the process and I'm giving a shout out to Steph Gaudreau during our interview. She's the mastermind behind Stupid Easy Paleo and I interviewed her last week and she's like, it's about enjoying the process. If you can't find the joy in an elimination diet, don't do it, but there's a lot of abundance to be gained from it.

Christa King:                          20:21                       If you don't get the joy and examining your thoughts and reframing them, then don't do it. Allow yourself that space to get to a place, step by step so that you can start to imagine that things that seem hard are actually really a lot of fun.

AJ Dexter:                                23:40                       A pro tip is just keep on moving,

Christa King:                          23:43                       Reframing negative thoughts. I can't stress this enough. I believe this. There's science behind it. The thought leaders are talking about it. Whatever you think that is your reality. So if you think you can't do it, if you think it's too hard, if you think I'll never, I don't have enough time, I should all those negatives than that is your reality and you are cementing that in every action that you do.

Christa King:                          24:55                       So my invitation to you all's for the next week is to catch yourself in the negative thought pattern and reframe it…

 

Jun 25, 2018

Welcome to the Fitlandia Summer Series. Christa is prioritizing her self-care and taking a bit of a twist on the show by gathering the greatest insights and wisdom from her week in Fitlandia, delivering it to you as you continue your health, wellness and weight loss journey.

                                                      02:52                       I'm calling it my summer series, the week in review and Fitlandia. But the second part to that, I'm working to get fitter by the time I turned 46 than I was at 26. So, my healthiest that I ever was, was it 26 years old…

                                                      04:51                       I can't believe we're already coming up on 100 episodes, but I wanted Steph Gaudreau to be my guest. She said yes. And through our discussion we focus on talking about breaking negative self-talk and excuses…

                                                      05:51                       You've got to love the process, you've got to find a way to enjoy things in your day to day so that as you reach your goals, you're in love with the journey and you're not so fixated on the outcome and that kind of like ties to another experience that I have…

                                                      07:40                       The last lesson that came up through all my workshops this week was this idea of vulnerability. So, if any of you know me, um, especially in my transformation in the last six years, the more I do this work and Fitlandia, the more vulnerable I become, the more of an open book I am…

                                                      08:40                       And I was already an open book. You know, that, you know, I wear my heart on my sleeve. I've gotten a lot better at managing my emotions and my reactions. But this idea of being vulnerable, right? We are all stumbling through life. We are all learning lessons. We are all coming to this with the reality that we're human beings and figuring it all out together…

                                                      12:35                       Start with taking a video of your why. Why is it important that you reach that goal? You've got to tap into that why, but record it because then you can go back to it and watch it and just reconnect with all that delicious energy of what comes when you can manifest something special in your life that means something to you.

                                                      17:13                       I'm so proud of the protocol that I've put together. I'm proud of the community that we've built. We have such an amazing safe community and I love that people are smashing through their craving cycle. They're healing a damaged relationship with food and alcohol and finding the strength through the power of mindset to move forward and not just food and nutrition, but all areas of their life… 

                                                      19:13                       That's really my desire with the Mind Zoning® Academy, is to help you unlock the power of your mind to keep moving forward and all areas of life. Yes, I talk a lot about health and fitness, but certainly these techniques show up whether it's career, relationship, finance, all of it…

Jun 18, 2018

Background

When Jessica was introduced to tapping by her brother, Nick Ortner, she was absolutely blown away by its effectiveness. An “over-thinker” since childhood, Jessica describes how she struggled to use positive affirmations and other techniques to shift her brain’s way of thinking. Like many of us, the anxiety and worry that clouded her mind not only affected her brain but she felt it throughout her whole body. Since tapping helps to relieve the physical symptoms associated with anxiety, Jessica found that it worked to quiet her mind but also to calm her body and reduce the corresponding physical stress. She and her brother became proficient in using tapping and eventually filmed a documentary where they brought in experts and followed ten people to chronicle their success using this technique. This video documentary has been widely used by tapping followers to demonstrate how it is done and to teach and inspire others.

Jessica explains, “Tapping is a stress relieving technique to do while focusing on what’s causing you anxiety while tapping on acupuncture points”.

Our ancestors needed to have that flight or fight response to stay alive; producing physical strength and increased cortisol. Then we evolved, and although our fears are normal everyday things like our jobs and family life, our bodies continue to react in the same way as our ancestors did – with a physical reaction. Our heart begins to race, we start sweating, our stomach might start to turn and our whole body will be in a stressed state. Although our mind will usually start to rationalize with a positive outlook, it is the body’s natural reaction is to keep us safe, so the physical symptoms remain. “We are wired to have a negative bias to keep us safe”, Jessica explains. We need to train both our body and our mind that it’s safe to relax, but first we must get clear on what is causing the stress and access the pressure points at the same time to help us relax.

When we tap on these acupressure points, it calms us physically. Naturally, we do things with our hands when we’re anxious anyways. For example, when we’re tense and press our fingers in between the eyes at the top of the nose or on our temples, we do this to comfort ourselves. Now we’re using these points and stimulating them by tapping and while doing so, we focus on a thought, it sends a calming signal to our brain that tells us it’s okay to relax.

From the age of 14, Jessica struggled with her weight. She was “brainwashed” by believing the only way to lose weight was by diet and exercise. She was caught in an endless cycle of Yo-Yo Dieting and what she calls a “Pattern of Panic”. The panic state would be caused by an unflattering photograph or an upcoming event that would propel her to start another fad diet or exercise program. She would follow a strict set of rules about what to eat and actions to follow but this structure was exhausting and Jessica would always find herself resorting back to her old self-sabotaging and rebellious behavior. She explains, “The panic does make us take action but it is never sustainable. You don’t have to be in a state of panic to make changes like many of us have been taught to believe. It’s when we completely accept ourselves that change becomes sustainable.”

Jessica had an epiphany when she realized that she had achieved success with her tapping education and her books, but this success did not carry over to her struggle with her weight. It was then she realized that she had been using tapping for everything except weight loss.

“When you make weight the excuse to not be happy, sometimes we don’t want to let go of that excuse. Doing new things is still scary, expansion doesn’t have to be so terrifying that you freeze but there’s a level of vulnerability when you do something new. When you hold onto an excuse your whole life there comes a moment when you begin to sabotage yourself because success becomes scarier than failure”.

Jessica concluded that her weight was not the boundary but more importantly it was her self-loathing and condemnation she had about her body image. She shares two important concepts:

  1. It’s easy to take care of something you value. The more you hate on your body the more stuck you are in that. Many times, we think of food as a reward but when you value yourself, you’ll pay a lot more attention to what your body needs. It’s okay to indulge in wine or chocolate on occasion but to do it in a loving nurturing way and not to escape an emotion.
  2. Diets have a time frame – 30 days for example, but what happens on day 31? It makes much more sense to be on an “experiment”. The difference between a diet and an experiment is that an experiment is continual and flexible, but a diet has an end date or an “I’m exhausted date”. It takes experimentation to get your body adjusted off the inflammatory foods while working on the mind so that you can make healthy choices moving forward. Our bodies are continually aging and changing, and we need to adapt and learn what works for our bodies every single day. Every body is different; what works for one person may not work for someone else.

“If you’re waiting for someone to give you the answer for your perfect body, you’re never going to get there”. Jessica says, “You have to go within.”

Jessica points out it's important to know that foods are designed to be addictive so we need not blame ourselves entirely. There’s a physical component of course but we’re sometimes looking for comfort or a familiar connection that makes us think we need to eat or have that daily glass or bottle of wine. Our brains are wired to have a positive outcome – to take care of us now; that is why we sometimes act in ways that bring a negative outcome even when that was not our intention. These acts which we think are going to be enjoyable, often create the opposite result.

Jessica offers a great quote by fellow tapping practitioner, Brad Yates, “Self-sabotage is simply misguided self-love”.

When people understand where they’re at and can be present in that stress, they can use techniques like tapping to free themselves of their negative behaviors. “It’s easy to focus on what’s not working but when we make it fun we can make it last; happiness is an adventure”, Jessica exclaims. We must intentionally reverse our brain’s natural reactions to make positive, sustainable changes.

Christa recommends an awesome book on this subject, Presence-Process-Healing-Journey-Awareness, by Michael Brown.

Steps to Transform with Tapping

Jessica leads us in a tapping demonstration (view the video for a visual instruction).

  • Tap on a craving
  • Think about what makes your mouth water (salty chips, sugary chocolate, wine?)
  • Let the craving intensify and notice where you feel the craving (mouth, chest, stomach?)
  • Rate the craving level from 1-10, with 10 being the highest most intense level
  • Set-up Statement: helps neutralize judgement. “This is how I feel and it’s okay”

 The Tapping Points

Side of the hand (doesn’t matter what side of hand)

Eyebrow (right on the bone on the inside where the hair begins)

Side of the eye (on bone)

Under eye (follow bone underneath eye)

Underneath nose

Underneath lip (at crease between lip and chin)

U-shaped bone on collarbone (tapping with whole hand on your chest also stimulates that point)

Underneath the arm (hand with underneath the armpit, at bra strap for ladies)

Top of the head

Begin with the side of the hand and make an affirmation statement like:

“Even though I’m craving this wine, I accept myself and how I feel. Even though I really want this wine because it’s been a long day, I accept myself and how I feel. Even though I’m really craving this wine, that is okay.”

Continue to give a voice to the craving.

Eyebrow – This craving for this wine.

Side of the eye – This craving in my chest.

Underneath the eye – This intense desire for wine.

Nose – I really want it right now.

Chin – I’m craving this wine.

Collar bone – My whole body wants this wine.

Underneath the arm – This intense craving is so strong.

Head – I’m fighting this craving I feel like I am losing, I really want this wine. It’s been a long day and I really want this wine.

Repeat and affirm reasoning

Side of hand – It’s been a long day.

Eyebrow – I have a lot to think about and have a lot on my plate right now.

Side of the eye – I give myself permission to relax.

Nose – With or without the wine.

Chin – I give myself permission to relax.

Collarbone- Even though it’s been a long day.

Head – I give Permission to relax now and to take a break.

Take a deep breath in and while tuning in to your solar plexus notice has this craving shifted and do you feel still the same tension? Most often, the craving is reduced or lifted completely!

When you’re in a relaxed, focused state, that’s when you can access all the wisdom you already possess. Through tapping you can access that connection you have with foods or alcohol which many of us are usually just not aware of those patterns. From where you are you can’t see it, but when you’re relaxed and not in a panic state you’ll recognize and understand what drives your cravings and learn how to not allow them to control your behavior.

What an informative and exciting interview! Be sure to check out Jessica’s website (including guided tapping meditations for morning and night) her book, Tapping-Solution-Weight-Loss-Confidence and also her Adventures in Happiness podcast on iTunes.

Jun 11, 2018

If you have been contemplating a switch from carb-loading to fat-fueling, today's repeat of an interview with guest Leanne Vogel is for you! Join Christa and Leanne as they discuss overcoming the fears and getting in touch with your core desired feelings along the way to permanent lifestyle change. They also address important distinctions between healthy and unhealthy approaches to a keto diet.

Leanne started studying nutrition in 2007 to help her better understand her body and how it worked with the foods she was putting into it. Originally going to school to help herself, she discovered after graduation that she had learned too much not to help other people and that’s when her blog, “Healthful Pursuit” was born.

Being a super athlete, Leanne noticed after years of not having her menstrual cycle that she wasn’t performing at her best and was continually struggling to put on muscle. This sparked her interest in regulating her cycle, but after starting hormone replacement therapy she discovered it was stunting her training even more. She went to a naturopath begging for help and that’s where she was introduced to a ketogenic diet.

Desperate for a change, Leanne who was a vegan and whole-foods fanatic made it her mission to eat avocados, mayo and bacon for 30 days! She did it and found she could finally get off her ADHD medicine she had been taking since she was 11, her anxiety dropped, her mood improved, she lost 12 pounds, was at 8% body fat and was finally back to training like a beast in the gym.

This was a huge transition for Leanne and her body, but also for her business which included many “vegan health-nut” followers who previously looked to her as a mentor, was now eating bacon on daily basis. Now, three years into keto, Leanne says they’ve been the best years of her life.

Healthy Keto vs. Unhealthy Keto

When Leanne first heard about the ketogenic diet from her naturopath, she found herself scrolling through Instagram that evening and clicking on #Keto. She saw tons of images of processed meats, cheeses, creams and Diet Coke. Many of us dream of a diet like this but Leanne wondered: "How are you supposed to lose weight?" and "How could this be healthy?"

Leanne explains that the problem isn't with the ketogenic diet, or really with any dietary style of eating. This issue is that we often have the mindset that if it fits within your macros (meaning it meets your protein, fats and carb ratios), it’s good to go, regardless of the quality of food. In our culture, we connect weight so closely with our health that if we’re losing weight by eating this way, we rarely consider the micronutrients we’re missing out on. It's simply not true that weight loss alone equates to health so the quality of food is important too.

Afraid to Eat Fat?

Moving from the old paradigms of the low-fat movement can be tough, but we now know that healthy fats have so many important health benefits, including weight loss, balanced hormones, elevated mood, and greater focus. Healthy fat intake also contributes to improved health markers such as resting heart rate, fasting blood sugar and HDL levels through a high-fat, low carb diet. For more info and inspiration for getting over the fear of fat, check out Leanne’s 10 Reasons Why I’m Not Afraid of Eating Fat (and why you shouldn’t be either).

Alcohol and Keto

When we eat a standard American diet, we burn sugar for energy. This is extremely inefficient and causes us to feel hungry soon after meals. When we burn fat as our main energy source, we don’t have to eat as much, or as often, which is much more metabolically efficient. Your body will use its own stored fat during fasting periods. But when alcohol is consumed, your body will burn that before anything else, making results harder to see in the beginning. After your first 30 days, Leanne says, “If you must have a drink, stick to dry wines, clear hard alcohols and mix them with low-sugar mixers like tonic or soda water. “

When you are keto-adapted, having a piece of cake at a birthday party or glass of wine won’t make you have to start over again. After burning the carbs and alcohol, your body will jump back into fat burning mode - just don’t let that one celebration turn back into an old habit.

Leanne says, “The cyclical practice is really helpful in being able to live your life and not feel deprived.”

Core Desired Feelings

Leanne shares that her natural desire when told not to do something is to DO it full force. A rebel at heart, she now looks for ways to break rules, but not at her health’s expense. She recently died her hair purple, sold her house and moved into an RV with her partner!

Danielle LaPorte’s Core Desired Feeling Practice supports this notion. It’s not the certain things in life we’re chasing after that make us feel free or supported or spontaneous, it’s the feeling itself. When you’re aware of your core desired feelings you can start to design a life that says ‘yes’ to those emotions and ‘no’ to the ones that don’t work for you. Leanne’s three core desire feelings are spontaneity, exploration, and connection.

What are your core desired feelings?

“When your life is aligned that way and you’re saying yes to the feelings that you want, and no when that doesn’t align to your feelings, then all of a sudden you’ve created this life that means so much more to you than, 'Did I have too many carbs today?' ” Leanne states.

Leanne’s Programs to Help You Start a Ketogenic Program

  • The Keto Beginning - This 30-day guide is designed to help you learn how to transition from overloading on carbs to stocking up on healthy fats. She explains what fat is, what protein is, why and how we need them in the body and how different carbs are better for blood sugar than others. This also includes a 30-day meal plan for beginners!
  • Fat Fueled - Playing off the Keto Beginning, Fat Fueled helps you take it a step further as you dive into how to heal your body from various diseases and dysfunctions.
  • Keto Diet - the book! Leanne’s goal was to design a strategic, easy way for anyone to start a Ketogenic diet with budget-friendly tips, quick meal prepping and affordable substitutions you can make at home.

“It’s your birthright to take care of yourself and your body”

Access Leanne’s digital programs, helpful holiday recipes, meal plans, podcast episodes and so much more on her website and follow her on Instagram @HealthfulPursuit. You can find her book, Keto Diet at Barnes and Noble, Costco, Amazon, Ebay.

Jun 4, 2018

 

Does your nutrition dogma get in the way of the wisdom of your body?  Do you rationalize your commitment to a food paradigm instead of honoring when change is called for? Do you have unresolved emotional pain that expresses as self-sabotage when it comes to your wellness? Harness the power of your mind to re-evaluate your perspective with a sense of humor, common sense, and a great deal of gentleness.

Today, enjoy a reboot of an honest, compassionate, and funny conversation between host Christa King of Fitlandia, and guest celebrity JP Sears.

Here’s what JP had to say:

“From the bottom of my heart, I would dare say, virtually anything the American Heart Association says deserves to be flushed down the toilet.”

Because of the corporate agenda and funding into research, these studies aren’t for the greater good of people, but instead putting dollars into their pockets. Christa concurs. She points out that there is conflicting info in the industry and JP uses the example of the days when margarine was touted as being healthy.

The Power of Meditation

Christa reminds newcomers to the show that Fitlandia is on a mission to end dieting by first helping people change their thought-patterns using Mind Zoning®. Because these are like guided meditations, she explores the power of meditation with JP.

JP provides an amazing suggestion for those short on time or starting out. Personally, he does 10 minutes per day and focuses on a practice he learned from Thích Nhất Hạnh, which is a simple breathing meditation. As you breathe in, say to yourself, “I’m breathing in.” As you exhale, say to yourself, “I’m breathing out.” This is easy and approachable for anyone to try.

“Meditation is a great service we can give ourselves.”

Christa & JP discuss the challenges with life and busy schedules and that we don’t have to be perfect in our health practices. In fact, being aware and open about our triggers can help us keep moving forward.

“I used to shame the living crap out of myself. How I’m shaming myself is probably more toxic than the cookie I ate.”

End the Shaming Cycle

The shaming cycle can take someone back into an old, viscous addictive pattern, but Mind Zoning® can help, as well as being thoughtful about the benefits of that pattern. Looking at things that feel unhealthy always has an element of comfort and provides a sense of feeling in control.

Christa & JP speak on the power of planning for travel and staying healthy on the road and rely on Whole Foods to help stay healthy during travel and even search AirBnB listings to ensure access to being able to cook their own meals.

So what do Christa & JP eat? It’s similar: focus on veggies, higher on the side of healthy fats, and high-quality protein…and most importantly, don’t follow a dogma and instead focus on growing intuitively with what to eat and learning what’s best from how the body feels.

Christa shares a cautionary tale and that if you’re struggling with sugar, refined carb and/or alcohol addictions then tuning into your body could be challenging and her #1 tip: FOOD JOURNAL.

Self-Sabotage and Unresolved Wounds

Together they get heavy with regards to self-sabotage and looking at the root of self-sabotage. JP speaks to childhood experiences and how we reaffirm disempowering beliefs due to unresolved emotional pain.

Christa adds it’s connected to a lack of self-worth and the need to become aware of traumas. She gets inspired to create a Mind Zoning called “The Journey of Courage.” Doing inner child work can be an incredibly powerful process of healing and moving forward.

JP and Christa wrap up the show speaking to the power of vulnerability and community and/or tribe to help guide you through your transition. Also, working with a coach or therapist can have a powerful impact. He mentions Brene Brown’s TEDTalk on the Power of Vulnerability where she talks about connection and its power in our lives.

“Embrace discomfort. Nobody has ever excelled at anything by avoiding discomfort.”

Connect with all of JP’s awesomeness here:

Awaken with JP website

Awaken with JP YouTube channel

Buy the book: How to Be Ultra Spiritual with JP

Follow on InstagramTwitter and Facebook

Gratitude for today’s sponsor!

Portland Community College Functional Nutrition Program Check out their 100% online functional nutritional program today.

If you’re looking for a holistic nutrition program to connect with others, learn how to connect with your body and overcome addiction for the next 30-day program with Fitlandia.

 

May 28, 2018

Today’s guest on the Fitlandia Podcast is AJ Dexter, husband of host Christa King. Join them as they partner up to talk (and laugh!) about the recent half marathon they participated in together.

The Power of Partnership to Thrive

After five years of marriage, AJ and Christa decided to take their fitness to the next level together in 2018.

AJ is a rock climber, so some of his fitness goals centered around that, like climbing a steeper grade. He also set a goal to complete three half-marathons. Also, he had body recomposition goals that would involve weight-training, etc. Christa also has body recomposition goals, focusing on greater lean muscle mass. Reading a book by Timothy Ferriss, “The 4-Hour Body” motivated AJ to look into dexa scans. He and Christa jump-started their recomposition goals by getting scanned at Dexa PDX, body composition experts in Portland.

Christa’s recomposition goal is to move from 29% body fat to 25% by her 46th birthday. She aims to be more fit at forty-six than she was at twenty-six, when she ran her first marathon.  She invites you to stop right now, go to the Fitlandia Fitness Members Only Facebook Forum page, and request to join the closed group, so that you can cheer her on and follow her journey towards this goal as she reports on it each week.

While AJ and Christa are on the same page as a couple, Christa acknowledges that often people, including many she works with in her 30 Days to Thriving community, do not have the support of a partner when it comes to fitness goals.  She encourages listeners of this podcast to share this episode with a reluctant partner or with someone who struggles with a resistant partner, because it is a great blessing to find the power to shift and thrive together.  And for those who have to travel the road to change alone, Christa is proud to recommend her Fitlandia family as a place of acceptance and motivation.

AJ finds that even if their goals are not identical, he can still show up to be supportive for Christa in her journey and she feels likewise. Each individual in the accountability partnership still has to connect to their own personal “why”. So individually, and as a couple, they mentally and physically prepared for their first 2018 half-marathon.

 

Spring Training Struggle

Christa is not a newcomer to running half-marathons and marathons. She felt like starting out in the new year, there was plenty of time to prepare for their half-marathon event in May. They started out with walk-run pacing and strength-training. But Christa quickly realized that she was struggling. Even though it was slowing down their training goals, Christa needed to respect her body. She checked in with Portland naturopath Dr. Jerome Craig, a former podcast guest. Testing revealed she was dealing with a serious vitamin B-12 deficiency and some anemia.

This explained why she was so easily fatigued only a mile into her training runs. Combine this with the fact that AJ had never even run more than nine miles at a stretch, and they realized that their plan to compete in (or just complete!) a half-marathon two months down the road was on thin ice. Still, they pressed forward. They absolutely knew that if nothing else, they could walk the distance.

Digging Deep

When the struggle was real, they dug down deep and recalled their personal “Why”. Why was it important to complete this half marathon? Why was it important they complete it together, no matter what? Defining the why is critical to success.

Priming with Ketosis

They also wanted to approach training with a non-conventional nutrition approach. It was important for Christa to do the run in a state of ketosis, so there would be no carb-loading for her. Christa has learned that her body feels best when she is getting 60-70 percent of her calories from protein. In her past experience, being in ketosis has helped her endurance. So, about 10 days before the event, she restricted her carbs to 50 grams per day. She expected she could rely on ketosis to prime her body, yet it was the first time that she would do a big run in a such a state.

Husband AJ was in a bit of a panic one week out. Because it had been so long since he’d run consistently, and because he had never run a half-marathon, he was having self-doubts. Also, his past reliance on carbohydrates made him wonder if he could make it in ketosis. He was questioning his dietary needs.

Trouble at Terrebonne

Their half-marathon event was held outside of Bend, Oregon in Terrebonne near Smith Rock State Park, a beautiful place that they knew and they loved. They arrived on a Friday evening, and settled in for sleep, knowing they had to be up at 5 a.m. for the run. They awoke refreshed at the crack of dawn, excited for the challenge ahead. When they got on the shuttle bus to the location, there was only one other rider. This seemed unusual for a popular event. They became a bit suspicious when they arrived at the parking lot to find only a few cars.

At the check-in booths, the attendants could not find their names on the participant list. AJ looked around and noticed that the few others who had arrived were extremely fit individuals! Christa insisted they check the list again, as she scrolled her email for her confirmation. “You know, the half-marathon!”, she said with exasperation. The attendant responded, “That’s tomorrow! Today is the 50K trail run.”

Mindset Reset

Christa shares that in this moment she realized how much transformation she has truly undergone. She says that her former self would have spun out into a complete meltdown over her mistake. Now, instead of losing it, she was able to laugh about it. She and AJ went on to just let the day unfold “magically”, enjoying a spontaneous free day in Bend.

Later, however, Christa, who suffers from insomnia, realized that she did not have her sleep supplement for the night. To make things worse, their overnight neighbor had a barking dog! Again, she made a decision to hold on to a positive mindset. She was grateful for her time rooted in Fitlandia’s Four Cornerstones of Fitness, one of which is Mindset Mastery.  

Back on Track

Next morning, they made the decision to avoid sugary energy snacks and liquids, choosing instead to power up with coffee and coconut oil. This combination gave them a boost of energy and a source of clean-burning fuel. They stuck with a run-walk strategy for pacing in order to simply to complete the half-marathon. Things got off to an excellent start.

A Tale of Happy Endurance

However, around Mile Eight the “moral of the story” kicked in. AJ admits that around mile seven his mind really started pulling up negative thoughts. He could identify this as a pattern of his and reminded himself that these thoughts serve no purpose but to discourage. So he made an effort to actively reframe those thoughts and sailed through until mile ten. At that point, the distractions became as much physical suffering as mental.

Christa says that she is really motivated when people around her are relying on her to keep her head together. So she began drawing on the little strategies that she and AJ use regularly to keep each other in a positive mindset. One of these is daily Gratitude Surge; sharing eleven things back and forth that they are grateful for. As they grew wearier mentally and physically, this exercise served as a distraction from discomfort and also a means of shifting internal dialogue. They also really started marveling about the majesty and resilience of the human body.

Because they were not approaching the event from a conventional performance perspective, but with a spirit of just getting out and doing their best, they had no choice but to succeed.  AJ didn’t feel this way, however, at mile 12. He calls this his “shut-down” phase. He has experienced this on long hikes or rock climbing ventures. It feels as if his mind just shuts down and all he can do is put one foot in front of the other He admits he became a little “surly” when Christa offers him encouragement at this phase, even though he knows she kept him going.  

Bringing Up the Rear With Cheer

They laugh together as they tell about being dead last in the event at this point. The race coordinators at each station were just waiting for them to pass so they could break the station down. They felt the need to give the paramedic a “thumbs-up” so he would know they were all right! Though they appeared to be “The Bad News Bears” of the race, they felt like winners. They were determined not to beat themselves up, but instead to finish joyfully together.

 

Coming last could have been hard for Christa, who has been super competitive in the past. But no shame. Just a sense of pride in themselves, their bodies, their mindsets, and each other. And Christa was thrilled that they finished within the time frame that she had hoped they would. They also basked in the camaraderie of the running community...everyone there to move, to run, to challenge themselves and to support each other.

Nutrition Headstart and Mindset Mastery

Christa King reminds podcast listeners that no matter whether you are running a marathon or moving purposely for five minutes at a time, if that is your goal, then celebrate that! It should be about honoring your body and pushing to the next level in a way that keeps you feeling safe, but also gets you motivated. AJ feels that celebration of whatever activity you’re doing will reinforce that positive energy.

This was the first time that Christa ran with nutrition education under her belt. She knew to prepare with smaller portions, focus on protein, start with coconut oil, and snack around mile seven. She said she has never felt that good, physically, during an endurance event.  Afterward, they took advantage of still-warm bodies to stretch thoroughly before getting food and driving home. The only immediate discomfort was 

some nausea at that recovery meal. But in spite of expecting to be stiff and sore for days after the event, AJ and Christa felt fine.

Christa says she has never recovered so quickly. And she was also pleasantly surprised that she didn’t get worn out and crash afterward, even though she had so little sleep.   She attributes one hundred percent of her endurance and recovery success to her nutrition. That also has an effect on mindset. If we are feeling physically good, properly fueled, we aren’t going to get as mentally fatigued. AJ agrees completely. He says he has done much less and felt much worse. He attributes his better recovery to keto nutrition and kettlebell exercises during training.

Friendly Advice for Success

If you are facing your next goal feeling overwhelmed and stuck, AJ advises:  Take a single step toward the simplest version of that goal.

Christa recommends the following practical steps for getting over the hump and advancing toward your goal:

  • Get a hold of her book Strategic Vitality: 11 Small Steps to a Big Transformation
  • Break your goal into small steps that keep you moving forward--the brain loves checking things off a list
  • Connect solidly with your WHY
  • Create a pros and cons list
  • Surround yourself with community
  • Get an accountability partner
  • Draw inspiration from Christa’s Facebook Live updates each Sunday at 4pm Pacific on the Fitlandia closed community page (request to join!)

If you found yourself soothed by the sound of guest AJ Dexter's voice in today's podcast, you are in for an extra treat. He is the mystery voice behind the motivational meditation Mind Zoning® Healthy Suggestion Surge. Download it here for free.

For more on the topic of goal-setting from host Christa King and guests, check out the previous Fitlandia podcast, Radical Goal-Setting. And now that you are half-way around the calendar from your New Year's resolutions, get on board for the live event or webinar, New Year's Resolution Revival.

May 21, 2018

Today, along with CEO of Cardsmith, Monica Burrell, experience a live, unedited transformational coaching session similar to those led by Christa King each week in the Fitlandia Fitness 30 Days to Thriving Program. There, host Christa King helps participants navigate those really tough challenges they are confronted with while making amazing lifestyle changes.  You can hop on board for the June 30 Days To Thriving.  For a 25 percent discount, enter code:  friend25 at checkout.

Now, join Monica Borrell and host Christa King as they get real with each other and today’s listeners. It’s a little scary to expose your inner self during a live coaching session, but there is so much power in vulnerability. Stories of transformation need to be told; they offer courage to the next person.

Who are You, Monica Borrell?

Monica calls herself a “serial entrepreneur”; she has started several businesses. Cardsmith is definitely her “child”...it is her most exciting and most challenging business venture. It is software as a service. She describes it as a virtual sticky notes brainstorming wall that can help individuals or teams engage in visual problem- solving.

Host Christa King admits that like many of her program participants, she is a “planner junkie”, overwhelmed with thoughts, ideas, projects. “Anything that we can do to simplify things, and streamline things is just awesome.” That’s why she recommends tools like Monica’s Cardsmith software and her own Strategic Vitality planner.

Intersecting Journeys

Christa entered the “start-up scene” a few years ago, first joining Woman Led, where she crossed paths with Monica.  Christa admits that since then, she has been caught up in the culture of “do more, do more”. She knows how hard it is, whether you are a start-up exec or a busy mother, to make yourself and your health a priority.  Fortunately for Christa, her business, Fitlandia Fitness, has become her own health journey along the way.

At about the same time, Monica started her journey with her own woman led start-up, Cardsmith.  She survived a lot of financial stress and hard times, as well as the excitement of a thriving relationship. However, the combination of stress-eating and happy-eating, lots of travel, and long working hours led to a physical gain of thirty pounds.

Christa remarks that many people are not aware of the time, money, resources, and sacrifice of going all-in for a new start-up business. And nothing is more important during such a stressful venture as a sense of community connection.

Monica Meets Fitlandia

Monica was involved in one of the first programs that Christa King offered a few years ago. She continued to take part in a Keto program, as well as Fitlandia’s 30 Days to Thriving elimination diet program, most recently. 30 Days to Thriving provides a structure for overcoming addiction to sugar, refined carbs, and alcohol while healing the gut and reducing inflammation. It’s about taking a break from certain foods, getting healthy, and then adding things back slowly in moderation, while you carefully observe the effect they have on your body.

Keep Moving Forward

Monica admits that she struggles with consistency in working toward health goals, and has been in and out of various Fitlandia programs. Host Christa King reminds us that whether you are feeling successfully “all-in” to a program or not, what’s important is the evolution of your journey. Christa defines success in the program as getting out of your head and into your body. Success is when you really start making mental connections about your food triggers and your relationship with food. And replacing unhealthy habits with things that better serve your goals.

Monica agrees, offering that she knows that Fitlandia has helped her to move forward. For one thing, it has helped her zero in on what kind of food life makes her feel the best and she has a new awareness of what happens when she wanders away from that.  As a bonus, she is happy to report that in spite of ups and downs, she has lost almost ten pounds since joining the Fitlandia community.  

Coach Christa Asks Monica to Share Her Discoveries

Some of Monica’s discoveries about food that works for her:

  • emphasizing plenty of healthy fats with lots of vegetables...
  • especially power greens!
  • two eggs for breakfast with greens and home-made sambal
  • Basic approach:  Keto minus dairy
  • Some of her discoveries about what gets her off track:
  • feeling crunched for time
  • temptations of on-the-go food
  • watching others enjoy their food choices
  • relying on alcohol to relax and reward
  • staying up or out late at night

Getting Honest

Christa asks if Monica finds herself back in a carb-craving cycle “the next day” after late night wine leads to a Taco-Bell binge, for instance. Monica says she feels horrible the next day, but since participating in 30 Days to Thriving, she can usually get back into her Keto food life within a day. However that first day she thinks: “Well, I blew it and I gotta get back on Keto because I know that I’m going to feel better…” and then adds, laughing, “but while I’m here why don’t I just have a little snack!”  Host Christa King admits that this is the honest reality for most of us!

Reframing Negative Thoughts

Christa is excited today to help Monica learn more about herself and about overcoming obstacles that keep her “stuck.” She points out that in the time she has known her, Monica has become a master something critical to lifestyle change: reframing negative thoughts.

An essential component of Fitlandia is Mind Zoning® meditation. Monica has learned to create her own Mind Zoning® mantras and incorporate them into her daily mindset. They are positive affirmations or reframes of negative thoughts.  An example might be: “I’m too busy to cook my own healthy meals,” reframed as “It’s easy for me to make some time to cook my own healthy meals.” What we tell our mind is what our bodies will execute! When we reinforce positive thoughts, we create strong new neural pathways and our decision-making begins to support those positive thoughts.

Time to Deep Dive

Christa probes Monica a little deeper, asking her why in those challenging moments, like making choices at a restaurant, does she NOT make decisions that will support her health goals? What keeps her from choosing the best possible options from the menu?  Monica sighs, “That’s a good question!” For one, she admits to tiring of sticking to that ONE best option every time she visits a favorite restaurant. She misses variety in those situations. Christa empathizes, noting how important it is to acknowledge that it has to be about incorporating a dietary strategy with a target of 80-90 percent compliance. We all need to have some flexibility. However, she points out that in those situations we should become mindful, asking, “Is there something triggering this decision or am I simply just tired of the same old thing?” In the latter case, we need to allow ourselves to choose the next best thing, without any shame. The consciousness of the decision is ultimately what is important.

I’m Taking a Break From ________.

Monica shares that alcohol is her toughest challenge when it comes to sticking to her healthy lifestyle changes. Evening card games with friends are a great way to have fun and enjoy a sense of community, but often lead to late night drinking. Alcohol contributes a lot of sabotaging sugar load and triggers craving cycles that can really get her off track quickly.  Christa relates to that, adding that working hard and finishing projects...that sense of needing to celebrate...is a known trigger for her own indulgence. But she has learned how to step back when she forgets what moderation looks like. She creates a new Mind Zoning® mantra that soon leads to decisions for changed behavior.

Coach Christa encourages Monica and podcast listeners to experiment with what it looks and feels like to simply “take a break” from sugar, or processed food, or alcohol. Set a period of time to explore moderation or refrain completely.  Use that time wisely. Without pressure, observe how easy it can actually be, how good it makes you feel down the road. Become curious about your connection to things in your food life. What triggers set you off? What traditions automatically set you up?

Contemplating the Million Dollar Question

How have your social encounters come to depend on your food (or drink) life? There is great power of revelation in this question. Christa urges Monica and all to contemplate when and how this first became your social pattern. In Monica’s case, she remembers that cocktail hour was the daily construct for her parents to unwind with conversation together before dinner. It was just a familiar pattern for the occurrence of comfortable connection that seemed to work...her elderly parents have been married a long time, so it seemed like a recipe for success. So she and her husband carry on similar rituals.

What Would it Look Like If…

The next step is to make an opportunity to really get curious about what the same social scenario would look like without alcohol (or sugar, or fast food, or junk food, etc.) The Fitlandia 30 Days to Thriving Program is a perfect way for anyone to take a month to explore just that kind of possibility!

Identify the Tipping Point and Remember the WHY

Going even deeper, Coach Christa asks Monica to consider what it is in the moment that makes her finally give in. What makes her decide that what she is choosing to cave in to is more important than the well-being that comes from not caving. This is a very critical question for all to get real about. A way to be strong in that moment is to have a well established “WHY” that you can clearly recall. Why is this (break from alcohol, sugar, etc) important? What is going to be your greater thing to remember in those make-or-break moments?  That is a foundational element in Christa King’s 30 Days to Thriving Program weekly motivational coaching.

Beware the Tiger

Even a well defined personal WHY cannot escape the tiger chasing you all day. Christa uses this metaphor to describe how compounded stress, good and bad stressors throughout the day, wear us down. The prefrontal cortex of the brain carries around our goals and holds up the WHY I AM TAKING A BREAK FROM (fill in the blank) card. But the primal brain is exhausted from being “chased by the tiger” all day and it says to the prefrontal cortex, “Shut up! I’m surviving here!” Basically when we are over-stressed, over-tired, under-fueled, our judgment lapses.  The prefrontal cortex pulls out the lists of dos and donts, but the primal brain says, “Nope! We are DOING this (indulging)”. This is why it is so important to do our daily movement (exercise) in the morning before we are burned out. And to do our food prep and batch cooking on a restful day off, so that we are not confronted at the end of a busy weekday with no safe plan for dinner.

A Hard-Wire Re-Wire

The challenge is really to put all these self-evaluation considerations together in a way that allows you space to re-wire all those hard-wired patterns. It takes time, but with reframed thoughts, weekly coaching, and community connection, it can be easier than you ever thought possible. Start on your own by looking at your event calendar or conjuring up the next opportunity to test a re-wire. Imagine yourself in that trigger moment or challenging scenario and picture what you could do differently. In your mind, walk through the situation. What would it look like to see yourself choosing to serve your highest goals in that setting?  

Monica walks through this mental exercise and determines that she is going to have to figure out a way to tell her primal brain, “You are not in charge!” That is what resonates with her and imagining herself empowered with that in the future is impacting her view of the achievable nature of real change. But she still isn’t sure how she will feel about it “on Friday night.”

Accept the Invitation

While Monica wonders if she can actually override her primitive brain on Friday night, Coach Christa invites her to commit to a goal, an action. She reminds her the choice is all hers. Christa asks, “Monica, it’s Friday night. What would you LIKE to do?” Monica responds, “I think I would like to have one drink” with the intention of observing what that decision and action feels like and what the results are.

Set Yourself Up for Success

Now that Monica has committed to a goal, Christa challenges her to determine what will set her up for success. These are the actions Monica thinks will help her:

  • I can take my prepared WHY with me.
  • I can ask my husband (friend, etc) for support.
  • I can ask the server ahead of time to only serve me one drink.
  • My “morning-after self” can write a letter to my “Friday-night self” and I can keep that with me.
  • I can start with a non-alcoholic drink and see how that goes.
  • I can repeat a mantra such as “moderation is easy for me”, “moderation looks like one drink”, “I am stronger than any craving”, etc.
  • I can calendar my commitment

Christa suggests more:

  • Get your work out in during that day to boost endorphins
  • Before going out, do even just one minute of deep breathwork to support serotonin levels
  • Find an accountability partner in your support community

As the live coaching session ends, Christa is encouraged about how much we can inspire each other through our vulnerability and willingness to connect and share accountability. Monica feels like she has a full toolbox to face her primal brain on Friday night!   

To experience transformational coaching with host Christa King, join the next 30 Days to Thriving Event, or register for the Mind Zoning® Academy, visit the Fitlandia Fitness website.   

And take a look at guest Monica Borrell’s innovative Cardsmith visual problem-solving software.

May 14, 2018

Today on the Fitlandia Podcast, guest Helene Byrne, prenatal and postpartum exercise specialist, author, and founder of BeFit- Mom™,  joins host Christa King of Fitlandia to discuss post-partum ab recovery.

How Did Helen Become a Prenatal and Postpartum Exercise Specialist?

After the birth of her son, Helene Byrne was dismayed that pregnancy had seemingly erased her prior fitness state, especially her ab tone and stability, in spite of the fact that she had continued to exercise throughout her pregnancy.  She also discovered that no one was promoting postpartum exercise correctly! There had to be something beyond crunches for a new mom’s body recovery?! So she pulled from her experiences with pilates, yoga, and standard fitness training to create a postpartum rehab system that worked for her. And she was confident it would help others.

The Body Mechanics

During Pregnancy

  • Your center of gravity moves forward
  • Your pelvis tips
  • Shoulders hunch and round and head moves forward

         Resulting in:

           * too much curvature in both lower and upper back

           * some muscle groups get too tight, while their opposing muscle groups become weak

  • The hormones relaxin and elastin are activated

         Resulting in:  

*  slight widening of pelvis opening

*  changes to connective tissue (ie: ligaments), throughout the body

Following Birth

  • Without the mass of a baby to support those stretched ab muscles, your belly feels like mush!
  • You have a weak core
  • Ligament laxity throughout your body up to 6 months postpartum

         Resulting in:

           * potential misalignment in joints

           * potential for bladder or uterus prolapse

What Exercises are Best During Pregnancy (Prenatal)?

Those that lengthen the muscles that tend to tighten up and those that strengthen the muscles which are prone to weakness.

What Exercises are Less Appropriate Postpartum?

Due to ligament laxity and weak abs, it can be uncomfortable and even unsafe to return immediately to high-impact exercises. Running, HIIT, CrossFit, weight-training, may put early postpartum women at risk for injury. Once your core is re-established, you can begin to return to your normal fitness routines more safely.

Why Traditional Ab Exercises Don’t Work Well Postpartum

After the birth of your baby, you may desire a return to flat, strong, well-functioning abs. But a weak transverse abdominis muscle means that a “crunch”- type exercise will allow for the bulging of muscle without the countering effect of compression. Also, midline tissue down the center of our body is composed of connective tissue, which has become lax and can stretch out too wide (diastasis recti). It needs to be closed, or things don’t return to normal.

In fitness, what you practice, is what you get! So trying to do traditional ab exercises, without having rehabbed your transverse abdominis is not a recipe for success. It will never close that midline, will never flatten your abs, and may promote the bulge that causes people years later to inquire, “When’s the baby due?”

Two Interrelated Steps to Proper Postpartum Fitness Recovery

[1] Rebuild Transverse Abdominis (deepest abdominal muscle, which compresses belly)

    Using Abdominal Compression Exercises

[2] Rehab Pelvic Floor

    Using Kegel Exercises

It is critical to rebuild the TVA and Pelvic Floor together because it is their job to function together in the body. In the beginning, during rebuild exercises like ab compressions or kegels, you may not sense successful contraction in either the abdominal muscles or pelvic floor muscles. Be patient; strength will slowly return.

How to Find Your Pelvic Floor

Sit near the corner edge of a hard chair, legs straddled. That will put your body weight right on your pelvic floor so that when you squeeze during kegel exercises, you sense engagement of the proper muscles.

How to Compress Your TVA

Sit on the edge of a chair and place your hands in the crease of your thighs at hip level. Now pull in your belly, away from your fingertips so that your hands have a little space. This is what you are going for with abdominal compression exercises.

Re-establish Good Alignment

After carrying and delivering a baby, many women end up with functional muscular imbalances, such as really tight hips, lower back, or chest. Such conditions may create unstable joints, making them more prone to injury. Part of re-establishing a strong core is to re-establish good alignment.

How Will I Know I’m Ready to Return to My Regular Fitness Routine?

Body Cues of Functional Stability:

  • Ability to do a crunch while maintaining a flat abdominal wall (no bulge)
  • Pelvis doesn’t rock back and forth at all during toe tap test (see below)
  • You no longer struggle to create stabilization

How to Perform Toe Tap Test:

  1. Lay down on back in “dead bug” position, with legs pulled up and tucked
  2. Extend one leg out so that toe can gently tap the floor
  3. Bring leg back up to tuck position
  4. To strengthen, continue steps 1-3 as repeated exercise

What if I Didn’t Have a Regular Fitness Routine Prior to Pregnancy?

Often following the birth of a child, something triggers in a woman the desire to get healthy.

Guest Helene Byrne of BeFit- Mom™ reminds us that “everyone has a mommy body following birth, everyone!”. It’s a phase; it’s transitional. And everyone can create positive fitness from that square one, forward.

Helene recommends:

Create a mindset that is healthy

Don’t compare yourself to others or social media images

DO her core rehab workout DAILY, after baby’s morning feeding

Take a daily fitness walk with baby

Create a fun schedule that includes Mommy and Me or Stroller Fitness classes with community!

Host Christa King of Fitlandia agrees with Helene’s recommendations, especially when it comes to community. She reminds listeners that Fitlandia is built on the Four Cornerstones of Fitness, of which Community Connection is one.  We need community for both accountability and also validation and affirmation. So it is so important to choose a community group that is really positive. Fitlandia’s 30 Days to Thrive Program is a perfect opportunity.

Also, whether you’re a new mom wanting to get your healthy lifestyle back on track, or you’re just a busy individual needing to create some healthy habits, it all starts with your Mind. Christa King’s Mind Zoning® Academy may be just what you need to mentally prepare for any fitness rehab! And don’t forget to boost your strategic vitality!

Get Your Rest

Certainly, sleep is also crucial to postpartum fitness recovery. Anyone who has been an insomniac or worked a seventy hour week can relate to the desperation that comes from the sleep deprivation mothers of newborns experience. Ladies, sleep whenever you can!

Be Gentle With Yourself

Any change or transition comes with a big adjustment period. Your world has been flipped upside down, requiring you to respond by creating an adapted lifestyle and an adjusted identity around something new...whether it is a job, a move, a loss, or a BABY! Transition into motherhood in a mindful, gentle way. Being a new mom can trigger some psychological challenges, perhaps connected to your own relationship with your mother, or some body image issues going back to childhood. Be kind to yourself. Be really positive, really patient, and really dig into community connection. And give yourself permission to ask for help. Also, practice self-care with the mindset that as you put yourself together, you are setting an example for those you love and care for, including your new baby.

May 7, 2018

Today on the Fitlandia podcast #85, guests Mike McCastle and David Skolnik of Evolution Healthcare and Fitness (Portland, OR) join host Christa King of Fitlandia Fitness to help those struggling with reaching their goals by providing clarity about the process of successful goal-setting and goal achievement.

Why Set Goals?

Anyone can set mere goals. The importance lies in clarity. Setting CLEAR goals and considering WHY we are setting the goal will:

  • limit our mind’s wandering space
  • draw us into the moment, creating immediacy and focus which allows us to create a rich environment in service to our goals
  • provide structure for immediate feedback that will tell whether we are on track

SMART and SMART(ER)

Fitlandia’s 30 Days to Thrive Program members are encouraged to use SMART goal strategy, to bring clarity and focus to their journey.

The SMART(ER) acronym reminds that we should set goals for ourselves which are Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented/Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound PLUS:  we must regularly Evaluate, and Revise our goals.

Many of us have really demanding, high expectations; we launch into things without understanding what’s really “under the hood”. Members often want to lose weight FAST. No, no, no...slow down!  First things first. Focus on the Four Cornerstones of Fitness: Change behaviors around food, get moving, think positively, connect with your community. Jumping into a goal can be disillusioning, especially for perfectionists!

That is why the EVALUATE and REVISE aspects of the SMART(ER) strategy is so important. We need to be gentle with ourselves, observing our journey as it unfolds. Today’s guests add to that: Be gentle; yet analytical. Recording and tracking progressions daily, weekly gives us a tool to review and adjust our goal and/or the actions that are getting us to that goal.

Process Goals Lead to Successful Outcomes

Mike and David also point out that a goal with no steps is very unlikely to be met.  There is a difference between outcome goals and process goals. An “outcome goal” is something like “lose 20 pounds”. A “process goal” is what you need to do to move along toward a clear outcome goal. For example, in order to reach an outcome goal of losing 20 pounds, you may incorporate process goals of  2 days strength training, 3 days cardio workout; tailored diet meal plan.

If we create process goals but only focus mindset on outcome goal, we lose sight of the process and ultimately, the goal is unmet.  The outcome goal doesn’t ground us in the present. Instead, it’s always looking into the future. Remember, an initial requirement for a clear goal is that it draws us into the MOMENT. So in order to have success, we must be mindful our process goals, constantly evaluating and revising.

What is a Secret Goal?

David and Mike describe a secret goal like this: an athlete may say, “My goal is to compete in an Iron Man and I just want to finish with the pack”. But secretly, that person may be desiring a Top -20 finish and would be upset if they didn’t achieve at that level--then those feelings will get in the way of any positive feelings about the stated goal… and that disappointment will affect the next training cycle. Many are afraid to articulate their secret goal--afraid of the pressure that will come or the level of commitment it will take to get there

Christa King suggests that’s where Mind Zoning® comes in! The Mind Zoning® Academy helps us learn to set boundaries and give ourselves permission to make ourselves and our health-related goals a priority. This strengthens our ability to commit to the process goals that move us forward toward meeting our treasured secret outcome goals!

Why is Community Important to Success?

One of the secrets to making fitness easier is to work out or train with a group! Especially one with the same goal.  Your tribe will:

  • Generate competition/motivation
  • Impact brain chemistry
  • Provide mental checks that provoke us to keep up, push harder, stay accountable
  • Provide comfort in knowing others are suffering on their journey to the goal, too
  • Give positive feedback from others, especially when we are our own worst critic
  • Share personal experiences that empathize, motivate, validate.

Lack of engagement in the community is the biggest indicator that a person may not meet with success. Christa King reminds us that Community Connection is often the sustaining factor for process goals. That is why the community is at the heart of her 30 Days to Thrive program.

Say No to Shame...and Yes to Tribe

Guests from Evolution Fitness warn us about “fitness shaming”: the accusatory tones friends use when probing about your habits, ie: “Why do you go to the gym six days a week?” or the funny looks you get when you order your burger with a lettuce wrap. People become uncomfortable when seeing someone take action toward a goal. There’s a cognitive “spotlight” effect that seems for them to highlight areas of performance in their own life that they know need work. It makes people feel vulnerable and defensive.

However, the act of suffering together IN A GROUP for the sake of a goal seems to shut down that pre-frontal cortex, so the defensiveness gives way to unity with the group and for the good of the group. Functioning in a community literally helps us get out of our own way.

Christa expounds on this idea: We are wired to show up for our tribe. Use that as a motivator. Also, remember not to take personally others’ reactions to your goal-reaching processes and lifestyle changes. The subconscious really just wants to protect us from change. Knowledge helps us to override that. For example: Unless someone was a real jerk, he/she would never encourage an alcoholic friend to “have just one drink”.  And yet, if someone is trying to take a break from sugar, friends tempt relentlessly. It is this pervasive lack of knowledge about sugar addiction along with the subconscious fear of change, rather than maliciousness, that causes people to react negatively to our attempts to set and reach our health and fitness goals. 

What About FAILURE?

Evolution Fitness points out that any high achiever has failed many, many times. We should ascribe to the school of “Fail often; fail forward”. The more you fail, the more feedback you get. Immediate feedback is healthy; each failure is part of the process: a sort of report card of “where I was and where I am now”. When you fail, don’t make an immediate concession of your goal! Take that as positive feedback--quantifiable data-- with which to evaluate and revise your process goals. How you perceive failure is more important than the failure itself. The only real failure is quitting.

Christa King adds that there is no need for shame; no room for shame! Look on “failure” as if you were an observer in the room. What was going on that led up to it? Gather the information you need to be successful in the long run.

Consider Your Locus of Control

Those who complain and blame rely on external locus of control. Learn to shift from an external locus of control to an internal one. Taking responsibility and coming up with solutions shifts to internal and allows us more sense of power over our choices. This allows us an ability to view failure more productively, leading to better choices in the future. Turning to external factors is “failing backward”, not forward. Eliminate excuses, become the warrior, get the results you want! Our guest expounds: One of the Four Buddhist Noble Truths is that life begins with struggle...to exist is to struggle. What matters for success is what people do in that struggle to endure: Do you fight/flight/give up?...or do you find a moment to transcend and elevate? 

Apr 30, 2018

Hey everyone! Welcome back to episode number 84 of the Fitlandia Podcast. We are rounding out the month with the announcement of The Mind Zoning Academy. If you are having ANY challenges with mental obstacles, then this is the place for you. Every single month I am doing a LIVE webinar with me that is one part focusing on a mental obstacle, one part guided meditation, and one part group coaching so you can learn how to apply these principle and strategies to your life and keep moving forward on your fitness journey.

To sign up, you can head over to fitlandiafitness.com/mind-zoning and you will be able to register for either the webinar version or the in person version with me held in Portland, Oregon. Everyone that registers will get a playback of the webinar itself, as well as professionally mixed Mind Zoning session so you can listen to it over and over again whenever you need it. TODAY, I am going to talk to you about Ending Body-shaming and Fat-shaming so that we aren’t hating and self loathing anymore, which really prevents us from getting all the health benefits we are looking for. With that, on to the show!

My goal with today’s episode is that I give you enough education and insight to start intellectualizing more what is happening in your body with food and movement and mood and end the body and fat-shaming cycle that is NOT serving your fitness goals...it is really holding you back.

When people come to 30 Days to Thriving Program, I would say that every single one of them have the intention of weight-loss. I like to make sure that they leave the program more focused on health and vitality and improvement in all areas of their life. Whether that is their resting heart rate or their blood pressure or their blood sugar levels, whatever it is that is also going to support them, rather than simply focusing on weight loss. But inevitably, we still live in a culture that is very much focused on body image and the shape that we are in and having ripped abs and being cut...and even I myself find that I am pinching and poking at myself. It is not something to hide from, but something to explore and understand what is really going on.

More importantly, I hope that you can start to end body and fat-shaming today because really, our bodies are miraculous and beautiful and incredible and we come in ALL shapes and sizes! And part of our journey is accepting that.

What I first want to start out with is a little bit of understanding about when we fat-shame someone. We’ve all heard it or done it. Whether it is something like, “Hey, put the cookie down,” or “Go for a walk,” or “Quit being so lazy.” I just want to say this first and foremost: to anyone who has been fat shamed, I am SO sorry that that has happened to you. I know that it is a very painful experience, I’ve experienced it myself, even people yelling out on the street to me, and I just have to say this: they are ignorant...they are completely ignorant. Not only is that a cruel thing to say something but they also lack the knowledge to understand what is happening in the body.

So let’s back up a little bit first and talk about out of control eating, emotional eating, and what leads us to a lot of weight gain. We have this beautiful part of our brain, our reptilian brain, that is always trying to keep us safe. Then we have the prefrontal cortex that says, “Hey, I know I need to be moving everyday and I know I need to be cooking healthy meals.” But then there is that part of us that just can’t execute on it, right?! All of our good intentions, at the end of the day, is to cook a healthy meal and we are grabbing a cupcake or grabbing a bottle of wine, whatever it is! And that is because our primal brain is literally just trying to keep us safe. We have a lot of stress in our day, we have a lot of emotions that many of us haven’t dealt with, traumas and triggers from childhood that haven’t yet healed, and so our primal brain is kicking in to make us feel safe. And the ways that it knows to do that is to fire up the pleasure center in our brain and that usually comes in the form of sugar, refined carbs and alcohol. Whatever kind of addictive behavior that means. For some people, it’s drug abuse, for some people, it’s gambling or a sex addiction...but our brain is trying to find a way to serve us.

But bringing it back to Fitlandia and my audience, most of us are struggling with an emotional connection to food. What we also don’t realize is that a lot of the processed foods that we consume are actually geared to make us addicted to it...and we might not even know that! For some of you, this might be the first time that you’re hearing that processed foods are made to be addictive and make us crave more of them. So when I say that it isn’t your fault, it truly isn’t your fault if you lack that knowledge and don’t know how to get out of it, then you can’t blame yourself for it, you can’t shame yourself for it, you can’t hate on yourself for it when your brain is designed to keep you safe.

So, that’s just one tip of the iceberg, we could do a LOT of education in food addiction alone to help support you, but now it’s the “What’s Next?” right? What do I need to do to move forward on my journey? If I have this one little sprinkle of knowledge today that my brain is trying to keep me safe so I’m craving and firing up that rewards center in my brain and oh, by the way, what I’m eating is keeping me in an addictive pattern...now what? And that’s where my 30 Days to Thriving program comes in. We actually do a food elimination program of the commonly addictive foods, the inflammatory foods, that are going to help you do a body reset. But I also call it a nutrition and mindset program because we also help you reshape your thoughts around craving a lifestyle of health that is sustainable.

So during that process, and the program while you’re learning how food is processed in the body, how to make good choices, how to break that craving cycle, that addiction cycle, learning how to starve the bad bacteria in the gut so you get out of this incessant craving need. Also comes this opportunity to really love on your body as it is TODAY...and I know for a lot of you, that’s a really tough one to swallow. We are programmed to hate on ourselves...we motivate ourselves through this shaming process and I want to get us out of that because when we shame our body, we actually keep it in this same state that it’s in. Many of you have heard the quote, “What we resist, persists. And where our attention flows, that’s what we create.” So if we are constantly looking at our body, looking at what we don’t like, we are actually feeding our brain to maintain that.

So what I’m going to be teaching in the Mind Zoning Academy for July, is actually how to end that shaming cycle. It doesn’t matter what weight you are at, what your shape is, where your goals are and what you want to achieve, I’m going to walk you through a beautiful meditation that teaches you how to really appreciate your body as it is today. And I can’t stress this enough...it is a critical component in long-term weight loss, health, and vitality. Being able to accept your body today, while at the same time, lovingly release the weight, the guilt, the shame, the triggers, the trauma, everything, that got you to this point.

So, I’m going to speak to the exercise that you can do at home BUT I hope you’ll all join me for this Mind Zoning Academy, because when we are in that relaxed, focused, meditative state, our brain slows down and we are actually able to access our subconscious mind much more readily so that we CAN start to change these thought patterns. So YES, do this exercise everyday, but also sign up for the Mind Zoning Academy at fitlandiafitness.com/mind-zoning so that you can also experience the meditation BUT you will also get a professionally mixed version of the recording too so you can play it over and over again.

Okay, so here’s how it works:

Stand in front of a mirror every morning, make it a habit, let’s say, when you are brushing your teeth. Usually, we are in the bathroom brushing our teeth, most of us have a mirror in front of us, it’s a great time to look yourself in the mirror, look at yourself in the eyes and say, “I love you today, as you are, while we are making these changes. I accept every part of you, today, while we make these changes.” And then do a scan from head to toe, focusing on gratitude, and being mindful of everything you love about yourself and your body. And it goes something like this…

“Oh, I LOVE my forehead, and the wrinkles that are there just show the joy that I’ve experienced in my life. I like the color of my eyes. I am grateful that I had braces in my teenage years for a straight smile. I love the development I am getting in my shoulders for the strength that I have. I love that my arms are getting stronger everyday to lift more and feel muscle tone and strength, but I accept where it is today. I love my core and my torso, even with my rolls and the extra fat and tissue that I have, I love that my body is still moving everyday, that I have growing flexibility and strength. I love my hips, that I can get out on a dance floor and shake it! I love my quads, that are SO strong. They are the strongest part of my body. That get me out of bed everyday, that get me moving, that walk me to every task that I do. I love my calves that are also getting stronger and connect my quds to my ankles and my feet. And my feet, ah my feet! That bear the load of my entire body and still keep me moving forward. I thank you body, I honor you body, as you are today and as we are moving forward to grow our strength and vitality.”

So that is how the exercise goes. Like I said, when we are doing this in the Mind Zoning Academy, we will take time to get really relaxed. We will do a progressive relaxation technique that helps us loosen the muscles in our body and really get into it and FOCUS on this wonder that our bodies are! That we get to move everyday! That we get to celebrate what IS good about our body and end the fat-shaming and the, “I wish I was this, I need to be that, I hate that I’m this.” We need to END that and make a practice of it, so that it isn’t holding us back to getting to our ideals and goals and dreams that we have for ourselves. Because really, we are a walking miracle everyday. OUr heart is beating, our brain is thinking, we are seeking new opportunities and we are executing action in our lives and THAT is something to celebrate in our lives.

So, I will leave you with that positive energy. I can’t wait to see you all in either the webinar or live in Portland for ANY of the Mind Zonings because we are going to be doing this every single month so head over to fitlandiafitness.com/mind-zoning, sign up for the the next Mind Zoning Academy and I will see you all soon!

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