It seems like we all have passion when we’re younger….when life seemed a little easier.  But then time passes, though, and those carefree days give way to practical, survival-oriented concerns. You get busy with your career, you get married, you focus on buying a house and making it a home.

You’re perpetually short on time, drained of energy; as a result you become less active, perhaps putting on a few pounds, then a few more. Meanwhile, you start developing a repertoire of stress-related symptoms such as stomach pains, back pain, or insomnia.

Before you know it, you can’t get going without your coffee, can’t fall asleep without a glass of wine, can’t climb to the top of that little hill to watch the sunset. Meanwhile, life marches on.

Eventually, kids arrive, you hit problems in your marriage, you worry about your aging parents. Maybe you find yourself, as I did, dealing with a physically or mentally ill family member. Suddenly, you’re a full-service caretaker.

And what happens? That free, playful spirit—that creative sexual energy that used to dance and sing through your arms, your legs, your hips, your breasts, your smile—begins to fade. Instead of finding expression through your body, it’s trapped there and forgotten.

Does any of this sound familiar? Think about how it felt to be first
discovering your sexuality. Was there ever a time when your sexuality was fun, unselfconscious, free?

It’s almost as though a line is drawn between that free-spirited, sensual enjoyment of the world . . . and becoming a responsible member of society. It’s almost as though settling down required simmering down.

It’s almost like looking up a favorite recipe and finding the page missing. How did I ever create that energy? Would I ever feel that spark, that aliveness, again?

The key is to find things that put the fun back in your body. Because putting the fun back, and putting you back, are one and the same.

Today’s 8-min sensual stretch routine is a different type of exercise. It manages to infuse powerful physical conditioning with a spirit of playful sensuality.

ABS ARE MADE IN THE KITCHEN!

80% of what your abs look like depends on what you eat.

An essential step to eliminating belly fat is balancing your blood sugar. By emphasizing protein at each meal and limiting your non-veggie carb intake, you can step off the blood sugar roller coaster and OUTSMART FOOD CRAVINGS that sabotage your progress.

Not All Protein Shakes Are Created Equal!

Read the Labels and See the Difference! Go to any health food store and you’ll see – there are a lot of protein powders out there! Even if you try to read the labels, it can be tough to navigate through the long list of unfamiliar ingredients. Here’s what I look for in a quality protein:

•  Digestibility
•  Quality of Whey
•  Absorption

If the protein powder you’re using doesn’t have these characteristics, it’s a waste of time and money!