My new obsession

I wanted to let you in on my latest obsession. In the beginning of my pregnancy I was struggling with making time to move my body. If you’ve been with me for a while, you know how important this is for me and believe it’s important to do daily.

But the things I used to love to do felt forced and uncomfortable in my new body. During this time I ran into my friend Erin Stutland at a party in New York and everything fell into place.

Erin is the creator of Shrink Session, an amazing workout that combines cardio with sexy, soulful, inspiring affirmations.  It’s like therapy in sneakers.

Since doing Shrink Sessions (I watch her videos and shake my booty at home) my energy is higher, I feel sexier and I’m finding the drive to get to other classes like yoga and dance.

With the holidays coming up I wanted to make sure you were completely taken care of when it comes to getting guidance around moving your body in fun, easy ways that don’t involve a gym membership or that push, push, push we’re all used.  I it’s one thing I’ve learned, doing workouts we hate never last, especially through the holidays and we end up feeling defeated, fat and miserable.

I knew that there was no better person to help you create your ideal body movement routine than Erin.

Erin is the first segment in my new project: The Blog Babysitter!

Once a month you’ll be hearing from my favorite coaches and thought leaders who can teach you something I can’t. It’s also going to give me the space I need for my family over the next year. I am a broken record when it comes to telling my clients to ask for help with their childcare, housework and business. And this is a great example of it being a win win – more support for you, more time for me.

And here’s your first Blog Babysitter, Erin:

I want to ask you a personal question. It’s about your body and exercise. So stay with me.

Have you ever felt like you were trying SO hard to get your body to change?

Whether you wanted to lose weight, gain more energy or just feel more confident in your skin, have you felt like you were doing EVERYTHING you could possibly think of, including going to extremes, and still not seeing results?

Maybe you have been at the point where the thought exercise feels just so overwhelming slash boring slash pointless.

Plus, you’re busy. Who wants to spend precious time doing something you hate?

I want to share a personal story with you about my body, how incredibly frustrated I was with it and the ONE thing I realized I was doing wrong.

I am also going to share how you can move your body in a way that doesn’t put you under scrutiny or pressure every time you slip on a pair of lulu lemon wonderunders.

Growing up, I danced. A lot.

I did it every day after school, I majored in it in college in a conservatory type program and I did it professionally for a few years after college. I loved it.

But starting in my late teen years into my twenties, things went sideways.

I started doing everything I could to get my body to look and behave a certain way. I restricted my diet to the minimal amount of food I needed to survive (an orange and a small carton of milk for lunch) and when I wasn’t in dance class, I pushed myself to go to the gym and workout.

And while it didn’t appear that I had a whole lot of weight to lose, it felt like I was carrying hundreds of extra pounds around because of the pressure. To say that I was hard on myself was an understatement.

But, when I was 19 years old, my mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  I watched her go through chemo, lose her hair and experience the dips that come along with it all.

However, I also watched her rise up like a warrior princess.

She incorporated meditation, tai chi, and a healthier diet into her regime.

What was most incredible was how she treated herself.  She would allow herself days of rest, even a pity party or two. But shortly after, she would paint on her eyebrows, throw on her hat and head out into the world with conviction.

When asked how she was doing, she would say, “I’m doing great. And getting better every day.” And she meant it.

My mom’s healthy vibrant cells won out over ovarian cancer. (They won again over breast cancer six years later! Can I get an AMEN!?) I learned that she did not win because she beat, prodded, forced, or made herself do anything. She worked WITH her body and was kind to herself, every step of the way.

When I finally took on this approach in my own life, not only did my body change, but my whole life changed. The extra pounds I hung onto melted away. The self-criticism that spilled into other areas of my life was transformed to a sweet, steady voice reminding that I am doing pretty damn good.

If you’re looking to make radical changes with your body, whether it’s to heal, lose weight or even train for a marathon, it starts with radical kindness and compassion.

You can’t beat yourself into submission.
You can’t beg your body to cooperate.
You can’t look in the mirror and say, “I hate you thighs!” and then expect your thighs to want to work with you.

But there are a few things you CAN do. Things that will support not just your body, but your entire being.

Here are a few ways to MOVE your body that will have a dramatic effect on how you feel, but do not include a 6 mile run, Insanity, or 30 days of Bikram yoga. (All of these things can be great, but let’s face it, they can also be hell.)

1.Take yourself for a SOUL STROLL.

A Soul Stroll (the name I gave it), is a walk with no definitive direction, no set time frame and no destination. There is only one intention of a SOUL STROLL and that is to CONNECT.

When I say connect, it can mean to Yourself, your Soul, God, the Universe, Life. You name it and it is yours to connect to.

Part of the reason weight stays on our body is because we are not actually connected to how we feel, our longings, or even our sadness.  The intention of the Soul Stroll is to set out and spend 30 minutes or so asking yourself questions like, “What do I really want?” “Where do I feel stuck?” “Is there any new action I could take.” You will be amazed at how this kind of walk will produce some freedom and answers.

2. Act like a stripper.

Alright, I realize this sounds a little risqué, but hear me out. Try turning down the lights in your room and putting on the sexiest music you can find. (I am a huge fan of Miguel. Songs 1-5 is plenty to do the job.)

Do your best Showgirls impression and start with all your clothes on. One by one, slowly, remove a piece at a time. Let your mind relax. Let yourself get turned on. If you like the idea, go ahead and act as if you have full control over whoever is watching.  This kind of movement can feel empowering, freeing and help you connect to that divine feminine energy.

3. Set a new intention with an old workout.

Instead of jumping on the treadmill or into a class with the intention that you have to burn off the calories you ate the day before, try something different.

Try sweating with the intention that you are going to access your power. Intend that you are going to open your heart. You are going to heal. You are going to shine. You are going to become more of who you are meant to be.

This philosophy can be applied to any kind of physical activity you’re doing. The more you sweat with love, the easier it becomes to be loving even when you are not exercising. This new behavior changes your brain chemistry, which, without doubt, spills into all areas of your life.

4. Join me in the Say it, Sweat it, Get it Shrink Session FREE Challenge.

Here is my plug and my promise to you. Over the course of a week, I am going to be giving you super short video workouts that incorporate mantras, music and movement. The mantras are designed to inspire you and lift you up, mind, body and spirit.

I will show you how a little sweat every day goes a long way and if you make it FUN and MEANINGFUL, your results will come even faster. No dear friend, you don’t have to go to extremes.

Check out the video I made for you. I would LOVE to have you join me and hundreds of other women in this MOVEMENT.

And one thing I want you to always remember: Movement in your body WILL CREATE movement in your life.

Love

Erin