Having just returned from a fun and relaxing visit with my aunt and uncle in Mexico, I am reminded how taking time off from what we do every day is so important for the body, mind and spirit. I love to travel and absolutely believe in balancing work time with play and downtime, but even I can let the months go by without taking a "holiday."

Unfortunately, we live in a culture that often values work more than play, especially when it comes to taking time off for ourselves. Yes, we may pride ourselves in our productivity and constantly push for more, but often at the consequence of not listening to our body nor our spirit's needs. The price of this can be high as it's often at the expense of our health and quality of life.

If you observe the cycles all around us - whether it be the seasons, the tides of the ocean, the bio-rhythms of our body, or even look at an elite athlete's training schedule, there is a constant ebb and flow of energy. An athlete, for example, knows that to perform at an optimal level, it is imperative to have plenty of lower intensity training months to rest, recover, and re-energize. Yet, in our daily lives, we are often expected to work nearly 50 weeks out of the year, 8-12 hours/day and push to the max.

Are you physically, emotionally or mentally tired? Do you feel exhausted? How often do you feel under the weather? Listen to your body's needs and take the time off! Not only do you deserve it, but you'll come back with more energy and a much happier outlook!

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

Lisa Brisse & State of the Heart Fitness

Have you ever felt like you are doing all the "right" things in regard to exercise and diet, but still not getting the results you're looking for? It can be terribly frustrating and can even cause one to feel hopeless from time to time. Though diet and exercise are the obvious factors that contribute to changes in one's body, if things are still not happening, there are other habits to consider and examine with complete honesty if a true transformation is to take place. Rest assured that you are not alone; almost everyone experiences this quandary at some point or another on their ongoing wellness journey. It's at times like these when we suggest not so much the "outer" workouts, but rather an "inner" workout to get clear.

Let the truth be told, those who have done an "inner workout" would probably agree it is way more challenging than a physical one, but if pursued with an openness and commitment to one's self, it is also the most rewarding and fulfilling; we are empowered. When we recognize that our clients have been "struggling" for awhile knowing what they need to do for themselves, but, for whatever reason, are still not able to follow through, we then suggest that it's time to go deeper... to get in touch with what is really going on inside. What is causing the continual blockage... the continual pattern of self sabotage?

If this is you, here are some questions to ask yourself:

• When was a time in your life that you felt your best? What was your life like then? How is your lifestyle different now?
• How is your current state of health & fitness getting in the way of living your best life? What things are you missing out on because of it? What are the patterns or behaviors that inhibit you from doing what you love? Is there a value to those behaviors that causes you to keep choosing them rather than making healthier choices for yourself?
• Do you value your health? If so, what is that value? Do you value yourself? Do you believe you are worthy of optimal health and well being? (Be honest!) If not, why not? If yes, why yes?
• What are your motivators to make those changes? On a scale of 1-10, how powerful are those motivators? (1 = not so powerful, 10 = very powerful).
• What kind of support do you need to make the changes you need to make? What prevents you from seeking out that support?

In order to make a true lasting lifestyle change, it has to happen from the inside out. We can temporarily adopt an exercise program and eating plan as there are many roads to achieve our health and fitness goals, but if we don't address the heart of the matter, we only continue repeating our same unsuccessful patterns. The good news is, in doing the "inner workouts" there is hope! When we get in touch with the internal "walls," we then have the opportunity to break through them!

Note:  If you're feeling stuck in patterns or beliefs that are keeping you from making the changes you know you need to make, let us help you with our Life Wellness Coaching program.  Click here for more details and call for a FREE Coaching Session TODAY!  We want YOU to Look, Feel & Be Your Best!

One of the benefits of having our business at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel is that we periodically get to teach a variety of classes and guide activities for their corporate clients. Just recently, NIKE had their global conference at the Loews to host their managers from various countries. NIKE had contacted us about 2 months ago requesting a spin class on the beach. Given that spin bikes don't do too well on the sand, we suggested the spinning class be held on the Santa Monica Pier. They liked the idea and agreed to have 50 spinning bikes shipped in for the one hour event that was held on Thursday, April 22nd - Earth Day.

On Wednesday, the day before, we led a morning walk for their crew and though the morning weather was brisk, it was sunny and still. A few hours later, the clouds came in along with the cold and wind! It was downright blustery out there! There was possible rain in the forecast for Thursday morning and we were concerned about the cold and wind as well. Amazingly enough, Thursday morning came and the winds were gone! It was clear and cool... an absolutely beautiful morning. We were there by 6 to help with the set up of the bikes... all in time for our 7 am start time! By this time the sun had peaked over the early morning horizon as the spinners looked out to the waves of the big blue Pacific! With the tunes in order, we all had a great time spinning to songs by Madonna, U2, Seal, Moby, The Jackson 5, the Beatles, and a finale of Stand By Me (the world version by a group called Playing for Change http://www.playingforchange.com).

Oh... and not to forget the absolute stars of the show... the dolphins! About ¾ of the way through our ride, the dolphins joined us during the song, "Can You Feel It?" as though to say, "Can you feel the joy and the fun? Let's dance and play together!" Not only were we spinning, we were singing too as we climbed that final hill of our ride! A great time was had by all!

To view more pictures of the NIKE spin class,
please visit our photo gallery HERE.

To view the YouTube video of the LIVE action
(and to sing along) click HERE.

--Grilling is an excellent way to prepare almost any meat or vegetable. It is a fast, easy and tasty way to create a low fat meal.

--If you are stressed, your body is unable to properly digest food. Your body must focus on dealing with stress, leaving less blood volume for other functions like digestion.

--According to a Harvard research study, flowers do brighten your day. People who kept fresh flowers in their home felt more compassionate, happier and energetic.

--Studies have shown that laughter refreshes the heart. Laughter reduces stress hormones and stimulates the immune system.

--To increase consumption of fruits and vegetables place them in easy view, on the top shelf of the refrigerator and hide high calorie food in produce drawers.