 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Newsletters |
|||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
July 2009 Newsletter "The soft and yielding overcome the rigid and hard but few people put this into practice." Tao Te Ching
Want To Learn How To Exercise? Just Watch! 
Want to learn how to exercise? Or maybe you already know how but want to learn new ways of moving to add variety to your workouts? Just visit us on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/totalfitnessusa. Over the past several months, James Williams and I have recorded and edited over 200 exercise videos and uploaded them to Youtube. So far, we have recorded stretches and mobilizations, yoga asanas and mudras and begun recording a long list of strength training exercises. Ultimately we also plan to include qi gong movements as well as various exercises for healing the brain and the eyes. Soon, we will be creating a FREE exercise library and organizing all the material at www.totalfitness.net. Why have we recorded 30 to 60 second videos? By definition, exercise is movement. It is hard to look at a photograph or a diagram and understand all the nuances. Creating 30 to 60 second videos that clearly show how to do each exercise safely and easily is just one of the ways we can give back to all our Total Fitness readers, students and clients around the world. Any person with a computer will be able to watch our videos and follow along for FREE. If your computer is hooked up to your television, we have demonstrated roughly 10 to 12 repetitions of each exercise so you can work out along with us. We want you to become a happier, healthier person, and there is no way to accomplish that unless you learn how to exercise. When we work with clients in other cities, we can direct our clients to these videos so they can understand how to exercise safely with proper and effective technique. We will also be directing you to these videos in our upcoming newsletter articles. Let’s start with a simple program to heal your aching back. Watch these videos and perform them in the following order: 1 – Don Tigny Mobilization 2 – Bouncing on the Ball Mobilization 3 – Lying Ball Rotation 4 – Lower Back Stretch 5 – McKenzie Pressup 6 – Spinal Relaxation 7 – Horse Stance Vertical 8 – Alternating Superman Is there an exercise you want us to demonstrate? Please email me at Catherine@totalfitness.net and we will be sure to add it to our list. Stay tuned to get fit and healthy.
Are You In Fight Or Flight? 
Not many of my clients who have come into my office over the past twenty years have been free from fight or flight. Maybe just from the stress of driving in traffic, from leaving work, the kids asking for things, the boss wanting more – the reasons may seem small but the effects are similar. Here are some ways that fight or flight affects us: 26% Nervous energy 24% Headaches 19% Irritability 12% Fatigue 11% Depression 8% Other Remember, your stress is like a smoke alarm. It is warning you that something is not working right. Breath is a key indicator of whether you are in fight or flight. If you hold your breath habitually or are unable to breathe freely and deeply on a regular basis, you probably are in fight or flight. Many people inhale shallowly and fail to exhale fully. Fear is a key factor behind the fight or flight response. How many times have you been gripped by fear, that underlying feeling that something is wrong, not being sure what, but just knowing and feeling something? In today’s society and in our day-to -day living, there are real and perceived fears. Only the real fears that occur in the moment are things we should activate our bodies and minds about. But, the thing is, your brain cannot tell the difference between real fear and perceived fear so it reacts the same way. The brain puts the sympathetic nervous system on guard and gets you ready to fight or run and here again we are walking around holding our breath. Adrenal stress is the next key indication of being in fight or flight. This can eventually lead to total exhaustion, where your body has to agree to rest to build back up your reserves of energy. We all need energy to accomplish our goals. Goals are ideas and things that your spirit wants you to accomplish because it brings you joy and pleasure. But when you are in adrenal stress your body and mind cannot move you towards your goals. The easiest way to get out of this pattern of fight or flight, fear and adrenal stress is to learn what the indicators are, to pay attention to them and then remember to breathe properly. In order to allow yourself to do this you need to focus on the things that shut your breath off. Just think about the last time you were frightened and how you automatically sucked in your breath. Did you remember to then breathe out deeply? Think of watching a scary movie. You sit through it holding your breath on the edge of your seat. Did you remember after the movie to tell yourself relax, breathe deeply and remind your conscious mind that what you saw was not real? With not eating it would take you over 50 days to die. With not drinking it could take up to two weeks to die. With not breathing you could be brain dead in less than five minutes. Which of these three factors - food, water or breath - do we hear more about in the media? I am sure it is food and then a little about the quality of water but for sure not enough about the importance of proper breathing. A few of the disciplines we at Total fitness know and practice are yoga, qi gong and Vivation Breathwork. In most of our private sessions, we take the time to check the breath, the adrenals and clear the fears so as to allow our clients to feel their best and move towards their goals more easily. We desire for you to know, experience and receive the rewards of living without being in fight or flight.
How Money Worries Affect Your Waistline 
Alternative health clinicians have observed it for years. Scientists had not observed the fact until more recently: Mental and emotional stress (psychosocial stress) causes weight gain. The connection is official, according to a study publshed in the July 15 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology. The paper, titled “ Psychosocial Stress and Change in Weight Among U.S. Adults” was authored by Jason Block, M.D., M.P.H. at Harvard University. Dr. Block’s study is one of the first studies to observe the connection between weight gain and experiencing multiple stressors simultaneously. For more than nine years, Dr. Block observed 1,355 men and women and their real-life job-related demands, difficulty paying bills, strained family relationships, and depression or anxiety disorder. "Today's economy is stressing people out, and stress has been linked to a number of illnesses, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, [high cholesterol] and increased risk for cancer. This study shows that stress is also linked to weight gain," he said. Women's waistlines are affected by a greater variety of stressors than men's. Dr. Block observed that weight gain in women was associated with financial problems, a difficult job, strained family relationships and feeling limited by life's circumstances. With men, the stressors observed were related to a lack of decision-making authority at work, and doing the same old work tasks without learning anything new. Individuals who were already overweight gained more weight easily, a trend that wasn't noticed for people who were closer to a healthier weight. In some cases, people use food to cope emotionally. It was observed in this study that stress causes people to change their eating behaviors. The author recommends that stress-reduction be an important part of a weight-loss program, and concluded: "Our findings show that stress should be recognized as a threat to the well-being of American adults, especially those who are already overweight." Amen to that.
Total Fitness Supports Enliven Magazine
Total Fitness is a proud supporter of Enliven Atlanta Magazine, a new health and fitness magazine started by Arian Moore. When Arian was a child, she struggled with being chubby and then continued to struggle with being overweight as a young adult. At 18, she was having heart palpitations and could barely make it up a flight of stairs without taking a break. She finally decided that enough was enough and hired a personal trainer at her church to help her lose the weight. By applying spiritual principles (meditating on scriptures and using biblical health information) and natural practices, Arian was able to lose a total of 45 pounds. Today, she is a certified personal trainer and a fitness nutrition coach hoping to help and inspire others to live healthier lifestyles. I am always impressed by people who don’t just walk their talk, they take the extra generous step of sharing what they have learned with others. Arian has asked me to be on the Health Advisory Board of Enliven magazine. Look for an article I wrote in an upcoming issue about “How To Overcome Sugar Cravings.” Enliven Atlanta is a fitness magazine that aims to get residents active and healthy. We stand out from among the others because we actually CARE! Arian’s mission is to motivate average men and women, mothers, sisters, husbands and dads, who really don’t have the time to be in a gym all day, but who truly desire to lose weight. Their question is a simple HOW? That’s what Enliven is all about - showing readers how to get started and giving them the motivation and push that they need to see their goals through to its completion. Read more by visiting the website at www.enlivenatlanta.com.
Upcoming Total Fitness Seminars and Talks Venice Beach, California
Book Signing With Paula Owens, author of
Time: 1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. Location: Mystic Journey Bookstore 1319 Abbot Kinney Blvd Venice Beach, CA Telephone: 310.399.7070 Paula will be available to answer your questions on nutrition, fat loss, anti-aging, lifestyle, exercise, hormones, supplements, health and wellness plus more! For more information, please email Paula@totalfitness.net.
Atlanta, Georgia How To Tone Your Butt And Thigh Teachers: James Williams and Allison Pelot
Time: 9:30-12:30 a.m. Location: Urban Body Studios Cost: $105 on or before Aug. 1 $130 after Aug 1 Women naturally desire a firm, sexy body and feel happier about themselves and brighter about their life when they feel they look in good shape. When the butt and thighs lack firmness or show cellulite, it can, however last a lifetime and be very upsetting and disempowering. It's also a sign our health and youth may be departing. The medical community offers liposuction, a localized treatment which doesn't work because the fat and cellulite come right back. This is because the underlying causes are not resolved. Spa treatments firm the upper layers of the skin, which is also a localized method of healing cellulite. However treatments require continual financial investment and produce limited results. Both approaches fail in the long term because they do not recognize that poor leg tone and cellulite are the result of systemic or whole body inflammation. The major causes of the inflammation that leads to poor tone and cellulite are:
In their 3-hour workshop on Saturday August 15th, top trainers and holistic nutrition and lifestyle coaches James Williams and Allison Pelot will show you how each of these collectively contribute to poor leg tone and cellulite, and empower you to use practical solutions to transform your butt and thighs. Because the powerful solutions offered in this seminar also benefit your whole body, you'll be able to regain some of your youthful looks. "About a year ago, I spent more than two hundred dollars reviewing all the books about cellulite." said James Williams, one of the presenters. "All of them admit the result they produce are limited. Our seminar is different because we provide holistic, practical solutions which are in flow with the body's natural healing mechanism. The results which can be achieved are youth-defying! Our workshop is:
Why this workshop will be different than anything else you've attended:
Book your seat by calling James Williams at (404) 475-5569 or email james@totalfitness.net. Detox Your Way To A Healthy Body Teachers: Catherine Carrigan and Allison Pelot
Time: 9:30-12:30 Location: Urban Body Studios Join Catherine Carrigan and Allison Pelot in a repeat of this fabulous course about basic principles of detoxification. Find out why detoxification is essential for health and how to take a balanced, sensible approach. For more information, please email Catherine@totalfitness.net. Self Empowerment Technologies© Sue Maes' fabulous internship
Date: Sept. 28 – Friday Oct. 2, 2009 Time: 9 to 5 p.m. Location: Total Fitness, 1951 Northside Drive NW, Atlanta, GA, 30318 This is the ultimate self empowerment course! It is an experiential class. It can push you past all your limits, change your habits, move you toward peace and contentment. It has also been used as an adjunct to other therapies to enhance any healing business. Four Levels Includes a Comprehensive Manual For more information see the Brochure. Toronto, Canada Brain Body Integration and Balancing The Chakras Presenters: Sue Maes snd Catherine Carrigan
Date: Saturday, Aug. 22 Sue Maes and Catherine Carrigan are presenting two seminars at Can-Fit Pro, the top annual fitness convention in Canada. Personal trainers, Pilates and yoga teachers, nutrition and wellness experts, club owners and managers and other coaches from all over the country will be meeting in Toronto. In Brain Body Integration, you will learn how to read your body's messages. Every organ and every muscle is related to an acupuncture meridian, a thought and an emotion. Find out how what you think affects your health and how you can make yourself healthier by releasing unprocessed emotions. In Balancing the Chakras, Sue and Catherine will teach the major lessons behind each chakra, show you how to determine if your chakras are open and demonstrate exercises that balance each energy center. For more information, please email Sue@totalfitness.net or Catherine@totalfitness.net.
Yoga and Qi Gong Classes in Atlanta Yoga Classes: Yoga classes are taking a break for the month of July and will resume August 12. All the proceeds from August yoga will benefit the Atlanta Pet Rescue. To get directions to the new location please view this location map.
Qi Gong Class: Every Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.
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, Phone: 404-350-8581 James Williams james@totalfitness.net , Phone: 404-350-8581 In Los Angeles Nina Lynn nina@totalfitness.net, Phone: 323-336-7677 In Phoenix Paula Owen paula@totalfitness.net, Phone: 480-706-1158 In London, Ontario, Canada Sue Maes sue@totalfitness.net, Phone: 519-471-1174 You can also visit us on the web at www.totalfitness.net |
|||||||||||||
home bios fitness nutrition healing radio show seminars & classes newsletter store contact us
Copyright 2005 Catherine Carrigan. No content may be used without permission.
Webdesign by Letterdance.
