August 2007 Newsletter

An Inspirational Quote

"Nothing is more powerful than a great network of support. In fact, you will not be able to break out of the grip of automatic living without the help of other people."

Nicholas Lore

Making Change Permanent, Part 1
by James Williams, James@totalfitness.net

The process of change is a huge field of study. There are countless methods and techniques available for forming new, more healthful habits. Some of the most effective solutions have common variables and over the next three newsletters, we'll explore the mindset required for change and discuss practical tips you can adopt.

To change or not to change is a decision, often made in a moment and broken later despite earlier efforts. The implications of each choice may last moments or decades.

Healthy choices become permanent habits when you use both sides of your brain. When you think with both sides of your brain, you see the long-term implications of your choices with your right brain and the details of how to make the change with your left brain. You feel enough emotional commitment and are clear about what steps to take.

One important thing to bear in mind is that when you perceive an experience as stressful, whether it is an argument about what to eat, or the pressure of a large workload, the stress switches you into what??s called a homo-lateral brain state where you use only one side of your brain at a time.

Many people experience this state on a regular basis. For example, one side of your brain may want to lose weight - the practical side that wants to fit into a new outfit. The other side of your brain forgets your lofty goal as soon as the dessert tray appears. This is a state called psychological reversal - when one side of your brain wants one thing and the other side of the brain wants something else.

Under stress, your non-dominant brain hemisphere becomes 75-85 percent shut down. You use only one side of your brain at a time. If you're making decisions when you're stressed, the decision-making process becomes harder and you're more likely to revert to old and possibly unsuccessful programming. It may feel like the two sides of your brain are fighting over your goals rather than moving you forward towards what's really important.

Let's cut to the chase - how can you be in a whole brain state? The answer is simple - you can perform a simple activity called repatterning. By doing this simple exercise for three minutes, twice a day - morning and evening - for 10 weeks, research shows you can turn on both sides of your brain. You achieve equal electrical activity in both the right and left hemispheres and can integrate your emotions and your logic to achieve any goal more easily.

You can download the repatterning instructions at our website: Repatterning.

Listening to certain types of music can also help you stay in a whole brain state. Baroque, most classical compositions, 1950's American rock, and the Beatles have all been shown in scientific studies to keep people in an optimal mind-set for learning - which is also a whole-brain state. Music with fast beats, aggressive lyrics or thrashing heavy rock songs inhibit learning and move you closer to a homo-lateral brain state. They can, in some cases, initiate a physiological stress response!

Since repatterning can put you back into a whole brain state, it is the perfect tool to use when you're stressed. It's also helpful if you are procrastinating about taking an action or are unsure about which decision to make. Twice a day is the baseline - if you're stressed during the day, you can also perform it additional times.

What about the emotional component? It sounds all very well to say that we have to feel emotional commitment, intensity and clarity - but what does that feel like? You will feel sure, free of doubt, guilt-free, and comfortable making decisions. You may also be quietly confident that all will work out right whatever happens. Depending on the exact situation, you might also experience different levels of intensity such as a tingle of excitement, joy, happiness or calmness. Each person's experience is subjective and may be comprised of several emotions.

Sadly, Western societies tend to focus on the intellect, analysis and the acquisition of knowledge. This has conditioned many people, especially men, to overlook the importance of our emotions. When we ignore our feelings, as Sigmund Freud noted, the result is emotional suppression, denial and other defence mechanisms.

If emotions are unimportant, why do we experience them? Two of my favorite authors about the growth process, Stephen and Donna Be, answer this question by likening emotions to an internal guidance system that let's us know when we need to pay attention and be in the moment.

To help you notice what it feels like to experience emotional commitment, intensity and clarity, you first have to feel and observe your emotions - and yes...all of them! Many people have a limited emotional vocabulary. I recommend visiting the following website to expand your understanding of the depth of your feelings:Feeling Words.

Pick a few words from the lists and when they seem to be a close match to how you're feeling, start using them in your conversations with others, or write them in a journal. Journaling is the best thing you can do to explore your emotions safely without the risk of saying things you may later regret.

Action point: During the next month, repattern twice a day and add a few new words to your emotional vocabulary each week. Remember to look out for part 2 next month in the September edition of the Total Fitness newsletter!

Recommended Radio Shows. Listening to these radio shows will help you to understand the process of change at a deeper level and learn how you can take the steps necessary to achieve your goals. From now until the end of August, get 10 percent off these and other shows by entering the coupon code SAVE10AUG07. You can buy and download these now from: Healing Shows.

• #2 Willingness: The Key To Motivation. How to Become Willing to Make Changes in Your Life.
• #14 Thriving Families - How To Get Along With Family Members.
• #23 Genius Body, Genius Mind. An Interview with Paul Scheele.
• #25 Free Yourself From The Prison of Limiting Beliefs. An Interview with Rob Williams.
• #26 How To Make Your Good Brain Great!
• #35 The Seven Keys To Self-Esteem. An Interview with Dr. Christiane Northrup.
• #60 Experiencing Inner Peace. An interview with Donna Be.
• #84 Being A Peaceful Warrior In Your Everyday Life. An interview with Dan Millman.
• # #96 Living Transformation. An interview with Joy Drake and Kathy Tyler.
• #97 How To Break Your Bad Habits. An interview with Judith Wright.

Support The Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends
by Catherine Carrigan, catherine@totalfitness.net

Total Fitness is dedicating the month of August to help the Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends, a non-profit organization and no-kill shelter for homeless animals that almost went out of business last month due to lack of funds.

We invite you to join us in supporting this important organization in three ways:

• Sign up for Total Fitness yoga class for the month of August. All monthly class fees for yoga were donated to AARF. Together with the sale of jewelry and donations from yoga class participants, Total Fitness raised more than $1,200 for AARF in August alone.
  
  As we practice yoga and become more aware of the intimate relationship between our body, mind and spirit, we begin to realize our connection to all living beings everywhere. Our loving kindness expands.
• Purchase jewelry made by Catherine Carrigan. One hundred percent of the profits will go to AARF. Ask Catherine for your favorite colors and gemstones. Give presents to your friends and relatives that have a deeper meaning, knowing that just one necklace can feed a sheltered animal for a month.
• Join AARF on Total Fitness radio show Aug. 24 as we talk about how owning a cat or dog can have profound benefits for your mental, emotional and physical health and fitness.

In addition to giving you a great excuse for going out for a walk or having an unconditional friend to love for life, adopting a pet from AARF is even better than getting a free pet.

If you adopt from AARF, your new pet will have received all their shots and been neutered or spayed - a savings of up to $500 - and your friendly AARF representative will be able to tell you all about your pet's personality, since AARF animals are kept as long as two years until a new owner is found.

For more information, we invite you to visit AARF.

The two contrasting approaches to animals taken by AARF and the dogfighting underworld represented by the scandal surrounding Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick could not be more stark.

AARF rescues dogs and cats. A single donation of $5 can insure the continued survival for someone's future best friend for a week. $15 pays for de-worming. $25 pays for toys. $50 pays for a full set of vaccinations. $75 pays for a spay/neuter for a new foster cat.

Media reports describe alleged bets on a single dogfight at the Virginia home of Michael Vick as high as $23,000 to $26,000, enough to have bought food for 88 to 100 animals for a year at AARF.

AARF representatives report that they see more abandoned animals from dog fighting in Atlanta than other shelters do throughout the Southeast, even in other areas of Georgia.

"We as rescue workers go into the shelters and see some of the pit bulls who weren't good fighters," says Brooke Martin, vice president of operations for AARF. "Dogfighters don't tend to hang on to the dogs who can't make them money. They do away with them in all sorts of ways. The lucky ones end up at shelters."

Over 200 animals are put to death every day in the Metro Atlanta area. We encourage you to neuter your pets and to turn to organizations like AARF when you are looking to expand your spiritual family.

Both the cat and the dog at Total Fitness are rescue animals. Their sweet, gentle and playful spirits bring joy to all and they are an important part of our spiritual family.

On behalf of Robbie the Rescue Dog, who showed up on the doorstep of our client Elissa Lorenzen, and Munchkin the orange pussycat, a survivor of a Virginia pet shelter, we are asking everyone to remember the sacredness of animals and the contributions of the volunteers at AARF.

A Word About Fish Oils
by Catherine Carrigan, catherine@totalfitness.net

Recently, I had an Individualized Optimal Nutrition test through Metametrix Labs , a service we now offer all our clients here at Total Fitness. After I got my results, a doctor at the lab asked me where I got my fish oils. I was proud to say that for years, I have taken Omega Plus, which is now available at our webstore.

Usually, the doctor explained, most people she sees who are going through the trouble of taking fish oil supplements also have high levels of mercury.

In my case, I had significantly low levels of mercury, which impressed the doctor so much she wanted some for herself.

Mistakes you can make taking fish oils:

1. Not taking any fish oil. Omega 3's are essential fatty acids. You can't get enough from even the most carefully planned organic, whole-food based diet. A maintenance dose would be about 3 capsules of our Omega Plus every day. One sign you are not getting enough fish oil is simple aches and pains.
2. Trying to take flax oil instead of fish oil. As Dr. Barry Sears, author of the Zone diet books, said on a recent edition of Total Fitness radio show, you would have to take 1 pint of flax oil per day to equal the amount of Omega 3's you would need. In addition, many people over 40 lack the enzymes to digest flax oil.
3. Taking cheap fish oils. As they say, you get what you pay for. Clients, organic farmers, and other professionals are continually impressed by the high quality of the products that we at Total Fitness recommend. If you take cheap fish oil, you'll probably need about 15 capsules per day to get the amount of Omega 3's your body really needs to prevent inflammation and maintain good brain health. Ultimately, when you consider what you actually need and that you are also probably taking in high levels of mercury from cheap fish oil pills, you are really not saving yourself much of anything. Because mercury is a neurotoxin, taking cheap fish oil with mercury in it may be counterproductive.
4. Taking krill oil if you are sensitive to shellfish. Many experts recommend krill oil supplements for Omega 3 fatty acids. However, I have seen a number of clients recently who were breaking out in hives from their krill oil supplements. If you have any sensitivity to shrimp, crab or other shellfish, ask me to check whether or not you can tolerate krill oil.

Another personal testimony: Last year, for some silly reason, I decided that I wanted to take a break from Omega Plus supplements. Even though I knew better, I decided that I had taken fish oils for about 10 years, that I have shiny hair, nice skin, and great joint health so that I might be OK skipping my Omega Plus for awhile.

A very interesting thing happened. Within 2 weeks, I hurt all over. I thought, "Wow! This must be how everybody else feels." It was a reminder to me that we really can't get enough Omega 3's even from the best diet. It took me about 2 weeks to rebuild adequate levels back to where I didn't ache.

How To Take Omega Plus:

1. If you haven't taken fish oil before, take about 6 capsules per day for a month or until your aches and inflammation are gone.
2. After a month, you can usually drop down to 3 capsules per day unless you are facing ongoing inflammation from other sources. If you are unsure, ask your Total Fitness practitioner to use kinesiology to determine the right amount for your body.
3. Fish oil is a food. You can not take too much. The side effects of fish oil are great brain function, good mood, shiny hair, glowing skin and fantastic joint mobility. That said, most supplements are best taken with food.
4. One of the other special benefits of Omega Plus: Our private label fish oil is enteric coated. That means it's easier on your digestive system. It doesn't smell bad and you won't burp after taking it.
5. If you are really serious about understanding fatty acids, ask me how to have your fatty acid levels scientifically tested. Unless you are taking a high quality, low-mercury product like Omega Plus, you may be causing yourself long-term health problems by overlooking this simple but important remedy.

Web store Special: Radio Show Archives

Now you can listen to your favorite Total Fitness radio shows on your iPod, MP3 player or brand new Apple iPhone. You can download your favorites by visiting our web store.

All of us at Total Fitness worked hard to bring these shows to you as audio downloads. We especially want to thank Suzanne Laforest, our web manager, and James Williams, co-host of Total Fitness radio show, for countless hours on the computer making this information available to you.

Each show is just $5.99.

Get inspired, educate yourself and find out what really works by listening in your car or while you work out.

Also check out our weekly web store specials. Each week, we feature a new special on our fitness, nutrition and healing products.

Fitness and Wellness Professionals, Web Managers, Alert: Make Money Selling Total Fitness Radio Shows

If you are a fitness or health and wellness professional or manage a website, ask us how you can profit from selling copies of Total Fitness radio show to your clients and customers. Just email James@totalfitness.net. This is a win-win collaboration - you get to share the latest in fitness, nutrition and natural healing to people who need this information while making money for your business.

Upcoming Guests, Total Fitness Radio Show

Tune in every Friday at 7 a.m. PST/10 a.m. EST for the latest edition of Total Fitness. Have your fitness, nutrition and healing questions answered for FREE by Catherine and James and our guest experts by calling toll-free, 1-866-472-5792, during the LIVE broadcast.

Afterwards, listen to the archives for FREE, 24/7, by visiting this link: http://www.totalfitness.net/radio_show_past_shows.htm

Aug. 24: Dr. Cedric Bryant, chief science officer, The American Council on Exercise - "Exercise for Mature Adults"
Aug. 31: Emilie Conrad, creator of Continuum and author of Engaging the Movement of Life - "Primordial Movement."
Sept. 7: Dr. Diana Schwarzbein, M.D., author, The Schwarzbein Principle - "How To Sail Through Menopause"
Sept. 14: Cyndi Dale , author of New Chakra Healing - "Soul Healing - The Key To A Healthy Body"
Sept. 21: Seth Braun, author of Healthy, Fast and Cheap - "How To Avoid Gaining Weight At College"
Sept. 28: Dr. Loren Cordain, author of The Paleo Diet- "How To Eat Like A Caveman and Lose Weight"

Remember, you can listen to the archives of our previous shows for FREE, 24/7. Or, purchase copies to listen to on your iPod or MP3 player while you exercise or driving in your car from our webstore.

Yoga and Qi Gong Classes in Atlanta

Yoga Classes: Every Tuesday and Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
Holy Spirit Catholic Church
4465 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA.
$15 per class or $65 per calendar month.

Qi Gong Class: Every Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.
1951 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA. $15 per class.

Booking appointments with Total Fitness

To schedule an appointment to find out about a personalized fitness, nutrition or healing program that will help you get results, please contact us:

In Atlanta

Catherine Carrigan catherine@totalfitness.net

James Williams james@totalfitness.net

In California

Nina Lynn nina@totalfitness.net

You can also visit us on the web at www.totalfitness.net