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| Fitness Buzz: February 13, 2008 | |||||
Love in the Living Room!  Sometimes it takes a reminder like Valentine's Day to stop and smell the roses—literally. I don't know about you, but I feel like the holidays just past, and here we are in February already! January was a flurry of activities for me, as I spent many days rushing around on autopilot and hopping on planes to promote my new book and DVDs. I think most everyone starts the year off with a bang, and few of us stop to take a deep breath when we know we really should.  I'll admit, it can be a challenge sometimes to practice what I preach, especially when it comes to taking much-needed time-outs and enjoying the pleasures of R&R. Finding that mythical balance between work and play is nearly impossible when so much is going on all at once. I have that type of personality that loves being on the go, ready to spring into action at any second, and responding quickly to all the demands of my life; family community and company. But at the same time, I have my moments when I just |
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want to retreat. I think we all have moments like this. And we all can agree that it's not healthy to run on adrenaline all the time. It wears us out physically and mentally. While I can be pretty good about sneaking little pockets of time throughout my day to take in a few deep belly breaths so I can re-charge and re-focus when things get stressful or extraordinarily busy, I do have to remind myself to dedicate real time for unwinding. And by "real time," I mean more than a few minutes before another meeting or workout. So it is with this in mind that I share some insights on using this Valentine's Day to turn the focus on honoring that place in you that craves relaxation and rest. The place that requires a time-out for the sake of your health and sanity. And what better way to do this than with a beloved who can amplify your experience and help you take care of, well...YOU. A friend of mine recently shared that her favorite day of the week was the day she and her husband had a yoga instructor come over to the house at night to guide them through a 1-hour session together. Now this sounded like a slice of heaven for me. The thought of having a private session in the comforts of home—sweating it out with someone close to me in an intensely therapeutic and relaxing practice—could be so, dare I say, erotic! My first thought was, what a fantastic way to combine the benefits of movement with the sensuality of yoga with a partner. Exercise is such a magical way to deflate stress and the tensions of modern life. You can do this, too, but you don't necessarily have to go out and find an instructor in the flesh to help out. Simply get yourself a decent pair of yoga mats and pop in a DVD that you like and which takes you through a routine you and your partner will enjoy doing together. You can do this right in your living room and see where it takes you! (By all means try my Yoga Sculpt DVD if you're in doubt or have never done this before.) Afterwards, I recommend sharing a little treat, such as dark chocolate (rich in anti-oxidants) or have some ricotta cheesecakes ready to go in the fridge. Download Individual Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe. You can get more recipes from my new book: Feed Muscle, Shrink Fat. February is heart month, and in the next newsletter I'll be giving you tips to having a stronger heart. But you can get started today at supporting your heart health by just making a commitment to scoop out real time to unwind and remove yourself from the day-to-day grind that does, in fact, grind your health down little by little if you're not careful. And you don't necessarily have to plan a yoga session with your partner to take care of each other's hearts—in more ways than one. While I encourage you to try this adventure at least once (hey, you've got nothing to lose but stress and maybe your clothes!), here are three other ideas:
When we open our hearts up to others, we open the door to new and exciting ways to enrich our lives, nourish our bodies back to a balanced state, and ultimately take better care of ourselves. We all would do well to use this Valentine's Day as a reminder to bring back romance and relaxation every day. And if romance isn't in the cards for you, then use it to rekindle your friendships. Your heart—and your health—will be glad you did. 
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