I wake up in the morning and I find it interesting how I can let the state of my mind affect my experience of the moment and even set into motion the mood of my day.  If I wake up and immediately allow my mind to get weighed down by "all the things I have to do," I find that it's almost like there's a heavy, dark cloud that hovers over my sky, even if it's a sunny morning.  I also realize that in this pre-occupied state of being, I miss the natural gifts that the morning presents. 

This morning as I sat at my computer, I was engrossed in my "to do" list when all of a sudden, it was like someone turned up the volume to the sounds around me as my awareness shifted to all of the birds singing outside my window!  It was like magic!  For some reason, my awareness shifted from the "to-do's" to THIS amazing and miraculous moment which is so easy to glaze over and bypass in our constant drive to do the next thing.  It was like the birds were saying to me with such joy, "The ‘to-do's' are fine, but don't forget what's really important, Lisa!  Embrace this beautiful morning!  Feel the gift of the sunlight!  Notice the cool air coming through your window.  Let our songs remind you to celebrate another glorious morning and day!  Give thanks and gratitude to all you have in this moment!  Remember, all of life is beautiful!"    Yes, spring is here!  Life is in full bloom! 

For more thoughts from Lisa, check out her blog at www.stateoftheheartfitness.com/blog

Lisa Brisse & State of the Heart Fitness

Often people come to us out of frustration because they aren't losing weight, especially when they feel they are at least exercising.  Obviously, there are many factors that influence one's ability to lose weight...dietary intake, hormonal changes, stress, genetics (body type), age, and gender all play a role, as well as our emotional well-being and attitude.  But when it comes to exercise, it's really important to realistically look at what you're doing, as well as knowing what you can expect from the type and amount of exercise being done. Below are 3 scenarios to give you an idea of what you might expect depending on type of exercise and frequency throughout the week: 

Scenario #1:  Exercising 3x/week
-Exercising aerobically 3x/week for 20-30 minutes but NO dietary changes nor resistance training...
What can you expect? 
       -Increased cardio-respiratory heart health & endurance
       -Increased energy
       -Minor stress relief
       -But VERY minimal weight loss & change in body composition


Scenario #2:  Exercising 4x/week
-Exercising aerobically 4x/week 30-40 minutes, resistance training 2x/week with some light stretching, but still NO dietary changes...
What can you expect?
-Same benefit as scenario 1 but also greater strength & balance,    better coordination, increased bone density & muscle tone, as well as increased metabolism (daily calorie expenditure)
      -More restful sleep
      -But still minimal to moderate weight loss

Scenario #3:  Exercising 5-6x/week
-Exercising aerobically 5-6x/week 40-60 minutes, resistance training 2-3x/week and stretching but also incorporating dietary changes with specific recommendations on calorie intake based on your resting and exercising metabolism...
What can you expect? 
     -All of the above benefits as well as increased self esteem & confidence as well as moderate to optimal weight loss & body composition!

Though exercise alone provides lots of health benefits and will certainly make you feel better on all levels, if weight loss is one of your goals, a combination of exercise AND a specific eating plan is a must.  If you're interested in learning what your resting & exercise metabolism is, you can get tested this month!

Looking for some new challenges and thrills in her life in 2010, Di approached her "personal trainer" friends - Lisa, Gigi and Jean - back in November of 2009, suggesting that we pick a physical activity/event that she would NEVER do on her own, but would be willing to do with her "good friends." Her only request was not the LA Marathon! (HA! She knew us too well!). Of course we immediately were bouncing ideas around - sea kayaking, hiking in Yosemite, rock climbing, etc, - with the winning choice being a 50 mile bike ride - the Solvang Half Century Ride on Saturday, March 13th. It was perfect... except for one minor issue... Di didn't have a bike. Gigi solved that in hurry as she quickly found a bike that Dianne could use. When was the last time Di rode a bike? No one really knew, but the past was the past and this was the NOW. What was Dianne's initial thought about our suggestion?

"I thought to myself, 50 miles is awfully far... isn't there a 25 mile ride somewhere? Geez! But on the morning of the ride I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. I had been riding my new bike (thank you, Gigi) every weekend on the strand in the South Bay and I attended additional spinning classes to train, so I was very excited about the ride that morning. My ‘FRIENDS' kept calling this adventure a ‘Leisure Ride' so I was looking forward to it."

The morning was stunning... beautiful, sunny, with vibrant green hills as Dianne was singing "the hills are alive..." like Julie Andrews for the first few miles at 0% grade. Life really was good... and then there was the first - of many - hills. Oh... and the beginning of wind gusts for the rest of the day! Di remembers, "Well, the first few miles were simply amazing. The scenery was picture perfect although it was a little colder than I expected. I was trying to ride and not complain, but now I was riding on what I thought was the biggest hill I'd ever seen in my life. There was this gust of wind that stopped me and two other ladies dead in our tracks. I was thinking, I am never going to make it up this hill. My friends were nowhere to be found on my ‘leisure ride.' After standing there for a few minutes, a man came riding down the hill like a superhero. The kind man said to me and the other two stranded survivors, ‘Ladies, you need to push yourselves up this hill, you don't want to be stuck here. This is the hardest hill of the course and if you can make this hill, you can make the rest of the course.' I thought to myself, how nice of him. So the three of us got back on our bikes and rode up the hill. For a moment, I thought that my lungs were going to come out of my 5 layers of clothing! But I eventually got to the top where my friends awaited with smiles. That was mile 9... only 41 more miles to go! Are you serious? My leisure ride was now the Olympic Trials!"

With maybe 7 more hills and gale force winds - which made 50 miles feel like 100! - not to mention, 3 flat tires in the last 3 miles (on Dianne's bike!), Di's spirit was truly tested and we all wondered if she would ever speak to us again. But as she eventually crossed that finish line - 8 hours later - doing something she NEVER thought she could do and she was all smiles!

"I was so extremely happy. It was the most amazing physical accomplishment I had ever experienced. I was so excited to cross the finish line and grab the goody bag - which was full of more race flyers and a bag of rice (true!) - but it felt like my gold medal. So many times my body felt like giving up, but my friends encouraged me to complete the ride. I am so glad I challenged myself, set a goal, and finished it! I realized I'm more adventurous than I thought! Although I never feel the need to ride 50 miles again, I'm excited to see what my friends have planned for me next."

It's so easy to stay within our comfort zones, no matter what it may be in our life, but sometimes it's good to step out and be a little uncomfortable at times - whether it be physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually - as we then get the gift of discovering what we truly are capable of!

Congrats, Di Scott! You are amazing! We are proud of you!

To read more about Dianne's journey and see the supplemental video and commentary on her journey, see the March16th blog entry "Solvang Half Century Ride: A Serious Test of Friendship." by clicking here:  http://stateoftheheartfitness.com/blog/

-Watermelon is a natural diuretic. It has more lycopene than tomatoes. Lycopene has been shown
to aid in protecting against certain cancers. Watermelon has also been helpful in alleviating depression.

- Do NOT postpone JOY! What you think about and how you feel has a profound effect on your body and immune system.

- Laughter is an important key to health. Laughter can alter your internal chemistry from negative to positive, releases tension, shifts your perception so you can center yourself and makes life more enjoyable. Consider watching a good comedy instead of the news before bedtime and notice how much better you sleep.

- To truly achieve vibrant health you must know why you want it. Take time today to write down at least 10 reasons why vibrant health is important to you.  Review your list every day.