What should you include in your diet to improve your body's ability to recover from and avoid illness? HMS Fitness Magazine breaks it down.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Just Breathe
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As a client stepped foot in the gym yesterday, I felt his energy before a word was spoken between us. Unlike his typical timely arrival, he was running a few minutes behind and carrying the weight of the day in his body and mind. His posture and facial expression radiated a sense of stress and worry. We started the workout and I noticed his frustration build as he had difficulty completing basic movement patterns correctly, an easy task for him on any other day. His A-type personality would not allow these mistakes and I saw him getting frustrated for being frustrated.
“My boss pissed me off, today’s been a mess and only getting worse and now I don’t have enough time for my full workout!” he mumbled as he lackadaisically moved through the warm-up. I knew I needed to say something, do something to bring him back to center.
The last seven weeks of my yoga teacher-training program kicked in almost as if on autopilot. I instructed him to come to balasana (child’s pose) on a mat. In this resting posture of yoga intended to reconnect an individual with their breath, I walked him through breathing and calming exercises for the next few minutes. The words flowed from my heart and a part of my brain was in shock at how naturally prepared I felt for this moment.
Reminding him to focus solely on breath, he began to take increasingly longer inhales and exhales. I encouraged him to release any thoughts that did not serve him at that moment and simply dedicate the next hour to himself and the workout. I felt a sense of ease arrive as he relaxed deeper into his posture through my guided meditation. Moments later, the shift in energy was incredible. When he stood up, the transformation was visible in his smile and relaxed, confident posture. He looked at me in awe, unsure of what had just happened.
“I’m not sure what happened just there, but whatever it was… was amazing,” he noted. What I didn’t tell him at that moment is that I wasn’t quite sure what had occurred either. I don’t mean to say I have no memory of the experience whatsoever, but I cannot recall the words that I used through the meditation. The words were coming from a genuine, caring place that truly wanted to lift the stress of his day away and bring him to peace.
He finished the workout at a record pace with intensity and focus. He thanked me for the time and departed, smiling with a slight sense of astonishment. He still couldn’t believe the power and intent he was able to cultivate through breathing. The text he sent later in the evening is pictured above.
A simple breathing exercise that can be used on or off the mat to calm the mind, lower the heart rate and circulate highly oxygenated blood is what we call Ujaayi breathing in our yoga practice. In a comfortable posture with eyes closed and lips sealed, inhale and exhale through the nose. With each inhale focus only on the breath and audible oceanic sound created. With each exhale relax the body and find stillness. Unwanted thoughts will arrive; acknowledge them and return back to the intention. After 10 progressively longer inhale/exhales, slowly reawaken the body and take note of how different you may feel.
If you have never taken control of your breath for a specific purpose or intent, you are missing out on the single most incredible, innate gift you have been given. Our breath is our life force. Pranayama, the ability to guide breath with intention, has served those who practice it for thousands of years. Releasing non-serving thoughts or energy, meditation, or simply a way to press the reset button, the process always begins with the breath. Control the breath and you control the mind.
-Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow-
Mike Sherbakov, CSCS, CPT
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Can't Help But Smile
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Today was an amazing day! I received a parking ticket and the odd part was… I couldn’t help but smile. Life has an amazing way of keeping you on track.
Let me rewind a little bit. I am a firm believer in paying it forward. If you’ve never heard the phrase, it can be summarized by anonymous acts of kindness… with the right intention. I’ll get back to this in a moment. There is a commercial that aired some time ago that puts a huge smile on my face every time I watch it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5ya8J-jyK4). It begins with a lady kindly stopping a distracted man from walking into oncoming traffic. An onlooker in a coffee shop sees this act and later helps a woman unload her stroller off a public bus. Another gentleman sitting at the bus stop notices this act and continues the cycle, which eventually leads back to the original woman stopping the distracted man. Imagine a world where this commercial becomes reality; people being kind to others in every situation, for no other reason than compassion in their hearts.
I consciously make an effort to live a genuine life full of love and gratitude. One of my life mantras is a quote most of you have heard, “be the change you wish to see in the world.” The world I envision is similar to the commercial; egos placed aside with love radiating through all. The change described cannot stem from ego-driven intentions. Acts of kindness must be pure and emanate from the heart. The intention is paramount. Don’t do something kind because you believe it will benefit you somehow in the long run, do something because you sincerely care about the happiness of another human being.
The easiest way of expressing love is kindness, which we are all capable of sharing. I have discovered that something as simple as eye contact and a smile can completely shift an individual’s energy. Throughout my daily routine, I try to engage in conversation whenever possible. Not the, “How’s your day? Good, how’s yours?” type of conversation but rather a conversation with genuine interest. If you don’t feel like talking to someone… smile! It will change someone’s day maybe encouraging them to share their smile and positive energy. Best part about a smile? It’s free!
Tying it all back together… I revisit my parking ticket. Whenever I use a parking meter I purposely add more time than I know I need. As a result, upon my departure the person arriving to the parking spot now has time on the meter. I started this practice after I was on the receiving end and noticed how good it made me feel; the smallest sign of kindness (even if the person before me realized they did it or not.)
Well today I parked by a meter and placed the exact change for how long I knew I would be staying. I had one more quarter (the actual quarter from today so eloquently pictured at the top of this blog) and opted not to place it in the meter. I specifically remember the hesitation as I held up the quarter and placed it back in my pocket, convincing myself I would need it for laundry later in the day. You probably know where this is going. I walked out a short while later and attached to my windshield was a beautiful parking ticket from the City of San Diego. I checked the meter to see how long it had been expired… 3 minutes. I picked up the ticket, pulled the quarter out from my pocket and smiled. Sharing my gifts and expressing love in kindness is in line with the path that I lead. I steered off for a moment but life has a crazy way of reminding you to stay on track.
Have you ever picked up the tab for the person behind you in the Starbucks line… just because? Ever helped an elderly person with his or her groceries when no one was watching? What was the last random act of kindness you displayed? Try it on, even if it’s just a smile, and watch the ripples of your action unfold. Your life will change and the world will too.
-Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow-
Mike Sherbakov
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Breaking the Fast
If you’ve ever had me as your coach or attended one of my wellness presentations, this may sound all too familiar. For everyone else, grab your to do list and make a slight addition… in big capital letters above all your tasks, write the word “BREAKFAST.”
We’ve heard it all of our lives; breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Yet how often do you find yourself running out the door only to chug down a coffee and have your first bite of real food at noon? Unfortunately this has turned out to be quite typical as I have discovered from the majority of my clients. Let me break it down for you as simply as possible.
In case you didn't realize this yet, your body is pretty dang smart. When we get too hot, our body has a mechanism for cooling us off. When we hurt ourselves, our body’s natural pharmacy releases chemicals to relieve the pain. And when we starve our body, it clicks into “survival mode” and begins to store fat wherever it finds room.
Ever wondered why it’s called breakfast? Yes all of you that are saying it out loud… it is a meal to break the fast. You had dinner at 8 pm, went to bed at midnight, and woke up at 8 am. You’ve gone 12 hours without any fuel for your metabolic engine to effectively operate your body. Granted, you have been sleeping so your metabolic demands are significantly less than if you were running a race the entire 12 hours, but you get the point. 12 hours!
At this point, your body is pretty much begging you for something… anything! Yet you still skip breakfast because "you’re not hungry in the mornings.” Go another four hours until lunch and combine that for a grand total 16 hour fast! You can have the healthiest lunch in the world, a seared ahi spinach salad with fresh vegetables, and it won’t make any difference to your body. It needs fuel and it doesn’t like you very much right now. Being that it’s in survival mode, the entire meal you just ate gets converted into stored fat and finds a great place to hang out, typically the abdomen area in men and the gluteal/upper thigh area for women. We know our bodies adapt; do this long enough and it becomes increasingly difficult to turn our “metabolic switch” back to efficient mode.
You’ve heard the problem, now what’s the solution? Eat breakfast! It seems drastic but even an unhealthy breakfast is better than no breakfast at all. Remind your body when you wake up that it doesn’t need to be in starvation mode. A great book that I encourage everyone to read, The 4 Hour Body by Tim Ferriss, gives the recommendation to eat breakfast and drink a glass of cold water within 30 minutes of waking to increase metabolic engine activity. Not only will you see a decrease in stored fat (as your body no longer has a need for it), you will also find significantly increased energy levels throughout the day eventually eliminating any need for caffeine.
Keep the concept of fasting in mind not only for breakfast but also throughout the day. An upcoming blog will cover specific food recommendations for meals but for now just follow these 3 action steps:
- Eat breakfast! Eat breakfast! Eat breakfast!
- Make sure you’re putting something into your body every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolic engine running efficiently. You should be eating 4-6 meals/day.
- A little extra credit if you can keep up: Eat a complete, lean protein and vegetables with each of your 4-6 meals.
I would love to hear feedback about your experiences. If you are able to complete the 3x3 challenge (3 rules for 3 weeks) with proof in a food journal, breakfast on me at any location you choose. You can even opt to have me cook. Until then, stay healthy honoring your bodies and minds.
-Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow-
Mike Sherbakov
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Hit the Brakes
Wake up, rush to work, quick lunch, speedy workout and a hurried dinner later, we finally lay our head on a pillow preparing to do it all over again. Coupled with a book I recently read, an article entitled “Put Food Back in its Place” written by friend Cassandra Jella (rootedtransformation.com) elicited awareness to just how fast our lives pass us by. We as a society feel overwhelmed attempting to keep up with the daily demands of work, school and family obligations. With lives set on “fast forward”, we mindlessly go through the motions in such a way that we simply don't take the time to stop and smell the roses. We miss the beauty that surrounds us on a daily basis. Life is amazing and it is meant to be experienced. When you feel like the world is spinning faster than you can handle, hit the brakes and remember that you never have to deal with more than one moment at a time.
The organization through which I obtained my Nutritional Coach certification had us take part in the following challenge (it was called eating meditation): We were given 10 raisins and asked to hold the raisins in our hands, first examining each one - its color, size, texture, the way it rolled or didn't roll in our palms as we moved them. Then we smelled them, seeing whether they made us salivate. Then we were asked to place one raisin on our tongue and swish it around, noticing the texture and how the flavor bursts on the tongue. Then we were asked to chew the raisin, tasting it. The task was to spend 10 minutes eating these 10 raisins.
For most of us who live life on “fast forward”, these 10 minutes feel like an eternity!
In the middle of the chew, we were asked to think about where the raisin came from. Imagining the grape on the vine, imagining its color, the way it was allowed to dry in the sun. We were asked to imagine the farmer who planted the grape seed, imagine the farmer picking it and placing it in his basket. We were asked to give gratitude to everyone who had been involved with that raisin. Imagine all the thoughts that came up.
I recently read a book titled Buddhism for Busy People (no pun intended) and found signiciant similiarity amidst a conversation between a novice monk and an old experienced yogi. The novice asked, “What do you do, as an enlightened being?” to which the older yogi replied after a pause, “I walk, I eat, and I sleep.” The young monk was taken aback and hastily responded, “But I also walk, eat and sleep.” “Yes,” the wise yogi smiled. “But when I walk, I walk. When I eat, I eat. And when I sleep, I sleep.”
There is a lot to be learned from the conversation above. How often do we find ourselves turning on the television as we sit down to eat for a few moments? Why do we distract ourselves by wearing headphones as we walk along the beach? How often do we actually stop and watch a sunset?
I urge you to experience life. When you eat, try to just eat. Notice the flavor and texture of food rather than mindlessly shoving it into your mouth while catching up on TV reruns. When you walk along the beach, notice the smell of the ocean and feel the water as it kisses your feet. Watch a sunset, admire its beauty and know that this beauty can be found in all things. Hit the brakes, invite awareness in and enjoy the ride.
-Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow-
Mike Sherbakov
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Grab a Pen and Paper
A few months ago I had the opportunity to lead a seminar educating college freshmen and sophomores on the importance of setting goals. It came as a shock to me when I asked how many of them were ever introduced to "SMART" goals or a vision board; less than 5% even knew what they were. I had only an hour with each group of 20 individuals so I needed my information to be relevant and compelling. I wanted each participant to walk away with an action plan. After all, knowledge without action is just the passage of time.
I focused on how it is essential for a purposeful life to maintain goals (written goals specifically), develop a strategic plan for these goals, and always strive for self-improvement.
I introduced the topic with a study done at Yale University in 1953 that polled undergraduate students. At that time, 3% of the students had written goals, the other 97% did not. When these same individuals were polled 30 years later, the net worth of the 3% with the written goals was greater than that of the other 97% combined. It needs to be stated that money does not necessarily indicate success and happiness; this is far from the message I was illustrating. However, having a good relationship with money and allowing it to be a vehicle for freedom is perfectly healthy.
There have been numerous studies like the one above that validate the importance of written goals. There is something to be said for taking a thought and bringing it to existence by writing it down. When this occurs:
- It makes you define clearly what your goals are. It encourages you to state what you want in greater detail.
- It frees your mind of perpetually thinking and “remembering” your goals.
- It stimulates creativity and motivates you to think about the next step.
- Most importantly, it becomes a written contract to yourself, which usually sparks a personal motivation to achieve them.
-Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow-
Mike Sherbakov
www.HMSfitness.com
You Are What You Eat
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A conversation with a fellow yogi provoked the following thoughts. Nearing the latter end of our teacher training, we discussed how we feel significantly more in tune with our bodies than ever before. The conversation got us thinking how unfortunate it is that most people live a life out of sync. Unable to tune in to what their body is trying to tell them, they are debilitated from reaching their full physical, mental, or spiritual potential.
Energy. Everything around us has it... the chair you’re sitting in, our bodies, and yes… the food we eat. If energy doesn’t do it for you, you must at least agree that everything around us moves on an atomic and subatomic level. This movement causes all objects to vibrate at a certain frequency. Have you ever been instantly attracted to someone before a word was even spoken… drawn to his or her energy? What about finding that someone who resonates with you on a similar frequency… doesn't it just feel right?
Just like the relationships in our lives, food can either resonate well with us or do harm to our bodies. The energy of the food we eat reacts with our body. The unfortunate truth is that too many people have maintained a diet fueled by harmful food (energy) for so long it has become normal to them. They walk around sick and they don’t even know it.
How many machines does it take to process a TV dinner before it gets to your mouth? Ever wonder why foods have to be “enriched” or “fortified”? I eat vegetables so this doesn't apply to me right?
In case you weren’t aware, the minerals and nutrients (ultimately energy once again) are denatured in the development of "fortified" and "enriched" foods. In order to compensate for this lack of nutritional benefit, they are artificially re-inserted later via chemical processes. Are you aware that the produce in grocery stores is sprayed with “quick ripening” chemicals after being shipped from who knows where?
We as humans are designed to fuel our bodies with good, healthy energy. We are designed to live off the land, not ingest chemicals created in a laboratory. We are what we eat.
Fuel your body with toxins and your body will resonate that energy. Fuel your body with what it’s been asking for and you will see the benefits translate to not only your physical, but certainly your emotional and spiritual health.
Invite awareness and consciousness in, listen to your body, live a healthy life.
-Every day, do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow-
Mike Sherbakov
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