Listening for better health

As a personal trainer, group fitness instructor and yoga teacher, you might assume that I eat, breathe and sleep all things health. Of course I take my job seriously and do my best to stay informed on the latest research and trends so that I can best guide my clients and students. At the same time, I recognize that a lot of what is going on in the magazines and on the internet is just noise. While online platforms are a wonderful tool to share knowledge, it also is easy to feel overwhelmed and confused by the abundance of ideas, methods and philosophies. Health has become a giant industry, and while there is a ton of advances in the evolution of exercise and nutrition, we have been ignoring the most valuable information of all for far too long.

Have you noticed that the current fitness trend is headed back to restoring primal movement strength and patterns? I'm so happy to see this but it is also a reminder and example of how far we got off track from just the basics. I never want to see another leg extension machine again!

I take notice of the magazine stand on my way out of the grocery store and every time I'm surprised to see ads like '5 Exercises to get your bikini booty ready' or 'How so-and-so lost her baby weight in 3 months'. Are we still being convinced that there is a formulaic way to look like someone else or that changing your body shape is that simple? This is the most destructive noise that we must learn to block out. Even if you don't buy into it, it probably has caught your eye once or twice, and has snuck it's way into your subconscious. We are tempted by quick and seemingly simple solutions even when we know deep down that good health cannot be swallowed in a pill or acquired in a donkey kick.

While there is plenty to learn from one another through the power of testimonials and shared experiences, and of course educational literature, there is also an abundance of information much more powerful that only you have access to.

Only you know what it's like to be in YOUR body. Your body is your lifelong buddy. Your body is along for the ride every day; through your ups and downs, mishaps and adventures, jobs and parties, and everything we put in it. Our bodies do their best to offer us feedback when things aren't working, or when it didn't like that third glass of wine, or that bowl of sugar the night before. Unfortunately the practice of listening to our bodies has become more challenging as we are sorting through all the noise and the masses of information at our fingertips. We are so eager for someone to come tell us what to eat, how to move and what to do to feel better. In the meantime, we are ignoring the feedback our body is giving us, which is the majority of the knowledge we need to dispel our confusion and adjust our behaviors.

Eventually, we can get so off track that we hardly notice our aches and pains, and all the ways our bodies have strayed off the path of good health. I've had many clients before, whom when asked if they have any aches or pains, they answer with 'I have no idea, or I don't think so... '.  As I assess their movement patterns, it alarms me that they have little awareness of their poor posture or immobile shoulders which has caused their new normal to include a chronic state of discomfort. Another example is dehydration, Some of us have been dehydrated for so long, that we don't know what if feels like to be hydrated. We have completely tuned out to the signals that our body offers to us in an effort to communicate that we need more water... like dry skin, dry eyes, puffiness, headaches, hunger, the bloat and of course thirst! You don't need a medical journal to tell you how much water you need. Your body will tell you.

     When we workout too much we may have very low energy. 

     When we have a food allergy, our stomach hurts or we break out in a rash. 

     When we didn't sleep well, we may have brain fog or dark circles under our eyes. 

     When we have too much to drink, our head hurts the next day. 

All too often, we repeat the same mistakes and worse, we literally have the nerve to get upset when we feel icky again! Why are we so willing to listen to silly magazines while ignoring the clear messages our body offers to us when something is wrong?

Our body is our number one feedback system and resource to figure out what works and what doesn't, and it is just for us! The differences from one individual to the next are too great, making any mass prescribed program utterly irrelevant.

My hope for my friends, family and clients, is that they embrace their bodies as a source of wisdom and knowledge. We have been tricked into thinking that our bodies are the enemy and that we must learn to tame or control them. We try to manipulate and barter with our bodies to get what we want from them. This breaks my heart.

Sometimes, I imagine the things my body would say to me, like "Jamie, thank you so much for that yoga practice today, I really needed that. You are so good to me and I love you girl!".  I mean, maybe I'm a huge geek, but it's so much better than being the bully I once was. I spent a lot of time angry with my body for breaking, for hurting or for just not being good enough. I duct taped it's voice shut and continued to bombard my body with demands and expectations. Those days are long gone. I finally stopped shouting at my body, and started listening to what it had to say to me. This is why I love the end of a yoga class. It's an opportunity to scan the body and observe.

When something hurts or breaks, listening is the fastest way to heal. My disc herniations and degenerated lumbar spine have been a struggle of mine for more than 10 years. Rather than falling apart every time my back goes out, I have learned to respond with compassion and gratitude. Compassion because nobody and no body is perfect. Gratitude because my body is a soldier and I know it's doing its best. I also respond with patience and engage in activities that will give back to my body in an offering of space to heal. Did you know that your body can only heal and repair when your nervous system is in a state of rest? This is when we shift from Fight or Flight, to the Rest and Digest mode. We cannot be one foot in and one foot out. It's either-or. If I'm angry or frustrated, my body feels threatened. When I trust and listen, my body feels loved and cared for and can begin the healing and repairing process. I was stuck for too long, in a battle against my spine. Doesn't my body deserve the same compassion I would offer to others? It's trying so damn hard, every single damn day! Now I just want to give it a hug and say thank you, and promise to also do my best to take care of it.

This is what we've got to work with. Once we can accept the cards that we have been dealt, then we can move on into a higher state of performance and experience. The acceptance piece is HUGE! Acceptance doesn't mean giving up on a vision or a goal. Acceptance is the first step to elevating our perceptions and our attitudes. When we accept, we break through the paralyzing chains of wishful thinking that things could be suddenly and magically different. 

Let's accept our bodies and embrace them with love, compassion and grace. This is the attitude and mindset of a winner. Let's pursue our own unique beauty and our highest expression of health. Be a boss in your own skin!

Let's remember to shut out the noise and listen. What is your body telling you today? What sensations are you missing and what signals are you receiving? This is how we learn to take care of ourselves. No one can say anything more profound or more wise than what your body and your heart have to say. Close your eyes and take a listen. This is more powerful than any workout, any nutrition plan or any juice cleanse you can ever do!

Listen to the song here in my heart
A melody I start but can't complete

Listen to the sound from deep within

It's only beginning to find release

Oh, the time has come for my dreams to be heard

They will not be pushed aside and turned

Into your own all 'cause you won't listen

-More words form Bey 

And a special thanks to Jessie, Charlotte, Joy and Sarah for letting me take pictures of them after our workout today! xoxo