Tackling Your Fitness Bucket List: 30 Days Back to Basics Yoga Challenge

Ever wanted to try yoga, but were too intimidated by it? Maybe you think it's too touchy-feely, or not a decent workout. Maybe you feel you are not flexible enough, or you tried yoga once and it was awful. Maybe your afraid your feet will blossom like the tongue and cheek AFLAC commercial alludes to...

Rest assured yoga will not make your feet blossom and, indeed, yoga is a good workout for the whole body and mind. Here's why.

Yoga is a series of precise body-weight postures and movements that fall into the following categories:

• Forward bends
• Back bends
• Balancing poses
• Seated and twisting poses
• Standing poses
• Arm balance poses
• Core poses
• Inversion (Upside-down) poses
• Restorative poses

There are almost an endless variety of balanced poses that work your entire body evenly, focusing on different goals to develop your strength, flexibility and agility. You also learn different breathing techniques in order to learn how to control and optimize your breath. One of the biggest "mistakes" a beginner exerciser (no matter what type of exercise they are participating in) makes is holding their breath. In yoga, learning how to breath with the poses is part of the process- nothing too touchy-feely about it. And each pose has both a beginner, intermediate and more advanced versions. Beginner poses which our challenge is based on can be done by anyone, while the intermediate and advanced poses take much practice and are the stuff that can intimate the pants off acrobats. So no worries, you won't be asked to wrap your leg around your head.

Unlike other forms of exercise, yoga allows you to work the whole body and focus on being in the moment, because you need to concentrate and focus on the pose you are working on in order to perform it properly and obtain the optimal benefits.

If you are like me and have tried yoga before and it just did not click, we encourage you to give it a go again. I did and found instructors that resonated with me and I learned to appreciate the many benefits yoga gives to the practitioner and now I LOVE yoga. That is not to say everyone who tries yoga again will learn to love it, but maybe you may obtain the many physical and mental benefits that I did too.  There are many forms of yoga and many yoga instructors out there that practice and instruct yoga in a way that may better mesh with you. You may even benefit from our 30 day Yoga Back to Basics Challenge.  30 days of beginner yoga poses with each day building upon the day before. At the end of 30 days you will have learned a grounding yoga sequence that focuses on total body strength, flexibilty and agility.

It will be fun so we encourage you to give a try! Namaste.

A New Year, Time to Tackle that Fitness Bucket List, and We've Got the Fitness Challenges for You!

Need a good kick in the pants and some camaraderie to help you tackle getting in shape in the new year? Look no further, we at Joy of Fitness have some fun (a relative word here) fitness challenges that will whip you into shape, tone and strengthen your body. Get moving, feel good and inspire others to do the same. You can do these challenges at home by yourself or enlist some friends and family. For some extra support and expert advice join our Facebook Group: Joy of Fitness Challenges.

The story behind the starting of these fitness challenges and the Facebook group: 

L to R: Shannon Stoughton (a.k.a. The Old Lady) &
Erika Laubach (a.k.a. The Youngin')

It all started with my learning that one of my wonderfully talented Fusion Fitness instructors, personal trainer and Institute for Integrative Nutrition graduate recently turned thirty. I witnessed her perform a killer push-up one day while leading one of her classes and thought, I may be forty, but I am forty strong and I will show this youngin' how it's done forty style. So I went into one of the storage rooms in the studio (I wasn't going to humiliate myself, I wanted to practice first, ya know), and got myself into an awesome plank, started to lower down into a push-up, then face contortion, sweat beads of fear, flashes of spectacularly failing the pull-ups portion of the presidential physical fitness test in elementary school, and finally plunk to the ground- another spectacular fail. Gulp. Swallow pride. Got myself off the floor and went back into the big room with a sweaty, forced smile on my face.

For some reason witnessing Erika perform a proper push-up that day in time triggered in me an existential mid-life fitness crisis. I mean, I have been watching people perform amazing push-ups my whole life and have helped clients learn and perform them as well. I have even managed to pull one off when I needed to. However, arms have always been my weak point and push-ups have always been a struggle for me which is why I personally avoid performing push-ups for exercise like the plague.

Yes, even fitness professionals can improve upon performance, technique and have areas of the body they neglect. I figured it was about time, after forty years of living, to face this upper body weakness nemesis and nip it in the bud. It's time to take my own advice to break bad habits of self-doubt and to woman-up by tackling this challenging area of my body and here's why. I would like to improve upon my overall health. Push-ups are a great way to increase total body strength (when done correctly which equals safely), including targeting the elusive core (ab muscles for stabilization), and the upper torso by engaging the pectoral muscles, deltoid muscles, biceps and triceps muscles. Most importantly for me, push-ups are perfect for promoting good posture by targeting and strengthening the muscles of the upper back as well, including the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids and trapezius.

Of course misery LOVES company so I decided to confide in Erika about my mid-life fitness crisis and asked her to come in on the challenge. Thankfully, she accepted and tasked herself with the walkout exercise. Thus, the thirty/forty challenge was birthed. My goal is to do 30 consecutive push-ups in 30 days and Erika has decided to tackle 40 consecutive walk-outs in 30 days starting January 2, 2015. That's correct, the younger ones do more- only seems fair, right!

We decided to take it public to hold ourselves accountable, to cheer each other on, give each other advice AND just in case there are a few folks out there kind of like me and need a good kick in the pants to get started!

I have posted our workout challenge as a pdf document and as a pic in our Facebook group group Joy of Fitness Challenges  and below, if you want to join in on the fun. We are also here to help if you have questions about proper technique. Our goal is to provide a different fitness challenge each month covering all parts of the body for 2015.

Ready for a fitness challenge? Join us!

World Dance Fusion: It's More than Dance, It's Family Tradition!

Why did you become a fitness instructor? Becoming a World Dance Fusion fitness instructor was an evolution for me. I was already into dance and fitness as well as a professional educator, so this was a logical next step.

What are the traits you look for in an excellent instructor  Someone who has excellent technique, breaks things down clearly, knows modifications, and makes things fun!

...and how does that influence your teaching style? I come from a background in Physical Therapy, so I approach every class with "do no harm" mindset. I feel my participants become better aware of body mechanics and hence get a healthier workout.

What motivates you to get out there and exercise yourself? I love to walk, and that is my first choice for physical activity, followed by dance. I love the feeling of being awake and renewed that a good workout brings me.

Favorite dance step, why? It is what my favorite teacher, mentor and friend Kukuwa calls moving your "boomsbey". Simple circular rotation of the hips down one direction and back up the other. I love the core workout and the toning benefits. It is just simply pure fun! 

Inspirational Quote: "I have just got to do a better job at getting them to play better." John Harbaugh, coach of the Baltimore Ravens. My philosophy on teaching, if I stay on top of my fitness game, my participants will too.

Exercise: My "Drug" of Choice - Robin Jackson, Joy of Fitness Instructor

Why did you become a fitness instructor?

I always say I was thrown into teaching group exercise classes and I'm glad I was.  I enjoy the positive energy that flows throughout class.  Besides that, I love to see people working out and benefiting from it.

What are the traits you look for 

in an excellent instructor and 

how does that influence your teaching style? 

I look for high energy and how well engaged an instructor is with their participants.  I've been around numerous instructors from various backgrounds and these two traits have proven to be the most important for success in teaching.

What motivates you to get out there and exercise yourself?

I just love the feeling I get when I workout!  It's a huge part of my life.  Outside of the benefits one gets from exercising, it just makes me feel good.  It's a natural stress reducer and if I go too long without it I can feel my body getting lazy and tense.  Exercise is my "drug" of choice :)

Favorite exercise, why?

It's a toss up between a Walkout and a Turkish Get Up.  Both demand major core strength which of course is the powerhouse of the body!

Inspirational Quote:

"The quality of strength lined with tenderness is an unbeatable combination." ~ Maya Angelou

Finding Sanctuary in Yoga: Jessica Whittington, Joy of Fitness Instructor

Why did you become a Yoga instructor? 

It was a very natural transition for me to go from Kung Fu to Yoga (both are martial arts and yoga is often referred to as the 'martial art of the soul' for how it reveals much inner truth to you as you progress). Yoga allowed me a sense of sanctuary during a very dark time in my life and for that I will be forever grateful. I love that the discipline is such a COMPLETE workout: developing strength with balance, agility, and breath control but also allows one to center the emotional life and calm the constantly over stimulated mind / nervous system.   

What makes a great Yoga instructor? 

Knowledge mixed with compassion and a nurturing quality. The minutiae inherent within the many different styles of yoga can be overwhelming if one attempts to parse the greater detail, so knowing how to communicate a short hand version of some of these concepts and seamlessly integrate them within a class' theme is a skill that takes a long while to refine. Also, being able to adapt a class on the fly to your students and have the right pacing based on the type of class can not be underestimated.

Jess in dancer profile.

What motivates you? 

Finding the perfect mix of music, sequence movement and mental intent ... when you find it the result is this 'moving meditation' which feels organic and effortless. In my own practice, it is the process of learning how to relax and trust my body during a very advanced practice that keeps me motivated and coming back for more every day. 

Favorite Yoga Pose: 

Lately I've really been enjoying variations of Hanumanasana (Flying Monkey Leap). I LOVE the incredibly deep stretch in the hamstrings / inner hips as you surrender the body to the pose and begin to extend the spine up and roll back the shoulders to open the heart deeply. It is incredibly activating in multiple muscles of the body and allows one to deeply plant the sit bones / pelivc floor. 

Inspirational Quote: 

'Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and to

endure what cannot be cured.' BKS Iyengar 

What Makes a Good Exercise Instructor?

As a fitness instructor and owner of a local fitness studio, this question of what makes a good instructor is always on the back of my mind because it seems to me, it's what keeps people coming back. The most important thing for me is that my clients get a good, appropriate for them workout and that they have a good experience, walking away with a smile on their face. I get a lot of "I hate you," looks, deer caught in the head lights stares of eminent doom during the workout, but ultimately I would say 99.9% leave with a sense of accomplishment and feeling good about the whole experience- at least that is what I strive for. 

In my seven years of instructing, I have learned a lot along the way and have found that a good instructor is more than being nationally certified, CPR and first aide trained, and keeping certifications current, or even knowing the mechanics of movement, the safe and effective exercises to perform and keeping up-to-date on the latest physical fitness and health related research. Good instructors not only impart their knowledge, they give of themselves. I truly believe the best instructors are the ones that get up and pour their hearts out, caring about each and every person that comes to their class each and every time. It's the same thing that you would want from a good school teacher- someone who not only knows the material and how to teach it, but LOVES the kids most of all. 

I'd love to hear from you. What do you think makes a good instructor? 

What's Your Motivation To Get Moving?

With busy lives juggling work, kids and home life it's hard to find time and energy to exercise. I totally get it! The funny thing is the very thing we feel we do not have the energy for is oftentimes the VERY thing we should be doing that will actually help us be more productive and enjoy the things we already have going on in our lives. At least that's what I think and is part of my motivational drive to keep moving, exercise, in order to live longer and enjoy an active, mobile lifestyle with my friends and family. The more we move, exercise, the more energy we have to do what we want. My other motivation is the fact that heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's all run in my family, affecting especially hard the women in my family. Also, I was recently diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome a chronic autoimmune disease in which a person’s white blood cells attack their moisture-producing glands. I experience fatigue, joint pain, dry eyes and other symptoms often. What helps me most- exercise. Consistent, regular exercise is one of the few things that has been proven to help ward off Alzheimer's, heart disease and diabetes, as well as keep those joints lubricated and functional, along with eating a healthy diet. That's what keeps me going. Honestly, I want to be around for awhile. What's your motivation and how will it help you get moving and/or stay moving? Yours in exercise, Shannon

Photo of me that my daughter took during one of my outdoor
exercise classes a couple of years ago.
I love being outside and moving!

Have a Fitness Resolution? Resolve to Make it Work for You!

Hey you, the new year is here and like every new year exercise and eating right is at the top of your resolutions list. So what are you waiting for? You already know why your doing this. Your good health, your energy, your high spirits are needed. There is no better time than now. You ARE going to start that exercise program and you ARE going to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.  Sure, you'll take it slow and steady making sure it becomes a part of your routine so it sticks. Change takes time, so don't forget that. You are going to have set backs, but your not going to beat yourself up about it. I mean, stuff happens, just don't use it as a an excuse. (You know what I mean!) You'll pick yourself back up and get back to it. It's a new year but never fret, the right time is always, NOW. You can do this.

I resolve to make it work for me.

No expectations, but to keep active.

Now get it done. 

Here's how:

• Budget for Fitness You do not need a lot of moolah, but you do need to budget for whatever gets you excited, keeps you motivated and accountable. Whether your buying equipment for an in home space, walking/jogging clothing or shoes, exercise gear, joining a gym, taking a class, buying a DVD or a Wii, or you want to work with a trainer you need to budget for exercise.

• Research Fitness Programs, Gyms, Classes, et al. Try out a variety of things- variety is the spice to life.  You need to mix it up between these three modes of exercise for optimal fitness results:
• CARDIO  (walking, jogging, kick boxing class, cycling class...)
• STRENGTH  (metabolic training using weights, body resistance training, Pilates)
• STRETCHING/MINDFULNESS (Yoga, Tai Chi) 

• Tell your family, friends and co-workers your exercise plans. Letting others know your plans will not only help you stay motivated, it lets others know your good health is important to you which in turn makes scheduling fitness a whole lot easier. People nowadays are way more understanding of time spent exercising than say taking several cigarette breaks throughout the day. An hour, hour and half spent doing your body and mind good helps everyone! Letting people know your starting an exercise regimen may even lead you to an exercise buddy to help keep your workouts fun and keep you accountable too.

• Get Started. Try out different times of day to exercise and see what works best for your schedule, your family, your personality. There is no right or wrong time of day to exercise.  Remember you do not have to do 60 minutes of exercise in one bout. 60 minutes accumulated throughout the day works. The goal is to try to exercise everyday or at least 3-4 days a week, alternating between cardio, strength training and stretching/mindfulness activities.

                                                                                                                Good luck and cheers,

                                                                                                                                          You

How I Changed My Life by Adopting a Healthy and Active Lifestyle

Vicki VanArsdale
Freelance writer, artist and 
codirector, fitness walker leader for the
Galloway Marathon Training Program  

Even though my Mom made home-cooked, well-balanced and healthy meals, I was overweight. Maybe it was all of the junk food and pre-packaged snacks I ate, or all of the sugary juices and sodas I drank. I remember being called out of my 4th grade class to go to a special seminar with the school nurse. It was for fat kids. In high school I hated gym class and conveniently “forgot” my bra on more than one occasion.  I preferred chorus and writing to anything physical. 


I’m an emotional eater, and after I graduated high school I was depressed and used food for comfort.  Before I knew it I hovered between 235 and 250 lbs.  I wore the same clothes often because nothing else fit, and I was too embarrassed to find something new to wear.  I was unhappy and unhealthy. Finally, after I transferred to a 4-year college to get my Bachelor’s Degree I lost some weight and wore a normal size. I exercised and walked a lot, but I didn’t eat healthy. A few years after college I was depressed again and the weight came back on, quickly. At age 28 I suffered from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and had to have a colonoscopy. I started taking antidepressants. At my largest I wore a size 24 pants and 3X pajamas. That was my breaking point. I had had enough. I couldn’t live like that any more. 



I started walking and going to a gym. It took me a while to figure out what I was doing, but I kept going. I started cutting back on sugary, pre-made foods and stopped drinking soda. I started eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking more water. I walked a 5k and, at the time, it was the hardest thing I had ever done. I read everything I could about health, wellness and nutrition. I realized food holds the key to health and wellness, and if we aren’t moving toward health we’re moving toward disease and illness. 


As I gained confidence and self esteem I tried different things at the gym and took a few classes. I swapped full-fat dairy products for low-fat cheese and plain, nonfat Greek yogurt. I started drinking soy milk – chocolate at first, then vanilla – and finally I’m at a place where I prefer plain, unsweetened soy milk and almond milk. I rarely eat white bread, flour, sugar or potatoes. I may have a soda or a donut once a year. Foods that I used to eat now disgust me. I can’t even believe I ate that crap – fake foods with no nutritional value. Now it’s all about eating clean.


My body is my temple, and I honor it with lots of fruits and veggies, kale and apple smoothies, little or no meat, some seafood, almost no dairy, lots of whole grains and eggs.  (If I eat a whole egg I add a few egg whites to it.) My staples are oatmeal, Ezekiel Bread, lentils, quinoa, brown rice, fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds, nut butters, beans and legumes. I drink water, red wine, coffee and plant-based milks. I’m a chocoholic and I satisfy my daily need for chocolate with unsweetened cocoa powder or 85% dark chocolate. 


I’m far from perfect though. I’ll always be an emotional eater, and I face challenges with that daily. I go on vacation and eat dessert - every night!  I get in a slump and don’t exercise as much as I should, or life just gets in the way.  But when I slack off for too long my body lets me know it’s time to get back on track.


As for my exercise routine, I love spinning, walking, weight training and anything outdoors.  The girl who hated gym class has completed 5 marathons, 3 half marathons and some shorter races.  I’m training for my first 10k trail race in June. I’m really slow but so what. I’m out there having fun and getting fit. People pass me but that’s ok. They don’t know the journey I’m on. 


Five years ago I joined the Metro DC Galloway Marathon Training Program, which trains with the run-walk method. I was a pace group leader for the 14-minute mile group for a while, and now I co-direct the entire program and lead the fitness walkers. I’m also a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. I love inspiring people and helping them to reach their goals.  


I’m living proof that small changes over time can lead to big results. If I can do it so can you!


Thanks Vicki for sharing your story. What a wonderful inspiration you are!


By Vicki VanArsdale
Freelance Writer and Artist

Wellness Month: Meet the Experts- A Fitness Professional

A fitness professional is a person who has training in the field of fitness and exercise, most often in instruction (fitness instructor) and may learn to teach classes such as aerobics, yoga, Pilates and/or other exercise modalities as well as personal training. 
An exercise modality is a system or form of exercise that is designed to elicit a very specific response from the body of the individual who is engaging in the exercise. In the case of aerobics, most people are trying to get their body to shed excess bodyfat and to increase their level of cardiovascular endurance. Weight or resistance training exercisers are usually trying to grow or tone their muscles to make them stronger, bigger, or more attractive. People who practice Yoga are usually after a stronger mind/body connection in order to gain more energy or awareness.
A fitness professional may have a college degree in exercise science, human kinetics, sports medicine or other related fields and/or hold a certificate from a nationally recognized certifying agency that requires demonstration of teaching skills showing proper technique, cueing and musicality as well as a written test covering such topics as fitness theory and practice and the various systems of the body involved in physical exertion. Fitness professionals should have CPR/AED/First Aid certification as well. 
The role of a qualified fitness professional is to adhere to an industry standard code of ethics. One widely accepted industry code of ethics has been put forth by the IDEA health and fitness association, the world's largest fitness association for fitness and wellness professionals. It states that:

As a member of IDEA Health and Fitness Association, I will be guided by the best interests of the client and will practice within the scope of my education and knowledge. I will maintain the education and experience necessary to appropriately train clients or teach classes; will behave in a positive and constructive manner; and will use truth, fairness and integrity to guide all my professional decisions and relationships.  

Further information on the code of ethics for trainers and group exercise instructors can be found at:
IDEA Code Of Ethics For Personal Trainers
IDEA Code Of Ethics: Group Fitness Instructors
With scientific research clearly showing that exercise and good health are closely linked, the work of fitness professionals is becoming increasingly diversified as they respond to the various health and fitness needs of their clients. And with rates of obesity and sedentary living rising at alarming rates, fitness practitioners are also increasing their efforts to target and motivate the vast majority of the population who do little or nothing when it comes to exercise. [Source: IDEA] 
For more on the role of a fitness professional try these links:
LiveStrong- Role of a Fitness Instructor
SportsNHealth- Role of Fitness Instructor


So far we have heard from various women who work in the fitness and wellness field- a massage therapist, a nutritionist, a yogi, a breathwork therapist and a hypnotherapist. Now let's meet a fitness professional. Please let me introduce myself, Shannon Stoughton, the Joy of Fitness Mom of one and lover of exercise, because it just make you feel darn good! I'd love to  tell you a little bit about what I do and how my role as a fitness professional helps round out the nurturing your whole self for optimal well being series. Thanks!

Shannon Stoughton, Washington, DC metro area based
AFAA certified fitness professional and owner of Joy of Fitness

How and why did you become a fitness professional? In other words, what is your story?
I became a fitness professional roughly a year after the birth of my daughter. I had never gained so much weight in my whole life as I did when pregnant. Let me tell ya, I had a hankering for bread products for which I whole-heartily indulged, much to my doctor's chagrin and to my waistline's ballooning (despite the little bundle of joy growing within). I loved being pregnant. However, I didn't love the results of my let loose dieting during pregnancy- a muffin top that five years later I am still working on getting rid of. After giving birth to my sweet baby girl and subsequently finding out about all these medical issues I had such as: borderline high cholesterol, genetic blood clotting disorder, increased chance of heart disease due to the extra fat around my waist and my family history of the disease, feeling of isolation from being a first time mom and staying at home, I knew I needed an outlet- a way to meet other moms. Most of all, I needed to get off my rear-end and better my chances of living a long, healthy, productive life (I am so dramatic!). So, I decided to take a stroller based fitness class. I not only found a renewed interest in exercise, I met amazing women, fellow moms- many whom remain my good friends today. 


When I found out the owner of the fitness program I was attending was looking for instructors, I jumped at the opportunity. I became Baby Boot Camp pre and post natal certified (and later AFAA certified), started teaching and haven't turned back. I love exercise and sharing my enthusiasm and knowledge with others. Through my training and experience, I came to understand that losing the baby fat takes patience and time in order to do it in a sound way that includes regular exercise and healthy eating habits.


You see, I had been an athlete in my teenage years and exercised for sport, but didn't fully appreciate the many physical and psychological benefits of a consistent exercise regimen until after becoming a mom. Motherhood among many things has taught me to embrace chaos, along with my middle-aged mommy figure. I enjoy exercise for how it makes me feel first and foremost (alive, productive, happy) which helps me stick with it. The other stuff: better health, slimming down waistline, firming-up of arms...well that's nice too!


What exactly do you do? I help people get fit, stay fit and enjoy it. My goal is to provide safe, effective workouts that help my clients shape-up, increase energy and mood, and most of all to live a healthier, happier life. I like to a take a fusion approach to fitness, incorporating cardio, strength, core/abs and flexibility as well as focusing on whole body movements. I keep up-to-date with the latest scientific news as it relates to fitness, health, nutrition and incorporate what I learn into routines that are relevant to my clientele. I really try to keep my mind open to new fitness ideas and approaches to help my clients get the most out of the workout.  I listen. I share my knowledge. I blog.  I adjust. I research and find answers if there is something I do not know. I refer to the appropriate people when something is beyond my capabilities. I am my clients best fitness advocate.


How do you fit fitness into your everyday, busy life? 
I always say you gotta start somewhere, sometime. There is no time like the present to start an exercise regimen. The good news is there is something for every body, need and budget, every day of the week, 365 days a year. Try out different things. Start a walking group in your neighborhood, at lunch during working hours, and as you get in better shape, you can ramp it up to a running club with maybe the goal of running a 5K race. Stand more. Yes, that's right. Stand in your office while taking a call. Stand while waiting in the doctor's office. Just stand more! Really, I just read an article about the correlation of sitting to mortality. Here's the facts folks and a good blog article from Harvard Business Review about converting from a sitter to a stander. 
The Many Benefits of Standing at Your Desk
Sitting time and mortality...
You could take a fitness class through your local recreation center, YMCA, health club, or join a gym. Buy a fitness video and set-up some time in the early morning or evening that's your time for exercise. Don't worry about missing your favorite TV show. You can watch it later. Plus, it's not as important as being healthy and feeling great! Or try a boot camp style class. Yoga. Pilates. Work with a trainer to help you get started, motivated and to provide a safe, effective routine. Lot's of fitness professionals nowadays offer group sessions, lowering the cost, upping your fun and adherence. 


The point is there is something out their for you and with a little effort trying various modalities you'll find something that clicks. Most likely you'll like several different things and that's good, because mixing it up between cardio, strength, flexibility workouts is not only recommended for optimal physical fitness to keep you healthy, your workouts remain fresh and challenging which helps keep you motivated. Check out this link for the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for physical activity ACSM EXERCISE AND WEIGHT LOSS GUIDELINE for more information about how much you should be exercising every day. 


Anything you would like to add?  Be active. Be happy!


Thanks for indulging me and hopefully I've convinced you, (if not completely scared you away), that adding exercise to your everyday life can help you improve your health, both physically and psychologically, for optimal well-being. 


Peace and here's to your good health.

Related articles

• Wellness Month: Meet The Experts- A Hypnotherapist (joyoffitnessmom.blogspot.com)
• Wellness Month: Nurture the Whole Self for Optimal Well-Being (joyoffitnessmom.blogspot.com)
• Wellness Month: Meet The Experts- A Breathwork Therapist (joyoffitnessmom.blogspot.com)
• Wellness Month: Meet The Experts - A Yogi (joyoffitnessmom.blogspot.com)
• Exercise: Some Motivation Required (joyoffitnessmom.blogspot.com)
• Wellness Month: Meet The Experts - Massage Therapy (joyoffitnessmom.blogspot.com)
• Wellness Month: Meet The Experts- A Nutritionist (joyoffitnessmom.blogspot.com)

Wellness Month: Meet The Experts- A Hypnotherapist

Hypnotherapy: The term "hypnosis" comes from the Greek word hypnos, meaning "sleep." Hypnotherapists use exercises that bring about deep relaxation and an altered state of consciousness, also known as a trance. A person in a deeply focused state is unusually responsive to an idea or image, but this does not mean that a hypnotist can control the person's mind and free will. On the contrary, hypnosis can actually teach people how to master their own states of awareness. By doing so they can affect their own bodily functions and psychological responses. [Source: University of Maryland Medical Center ]

Have you ever wondered why the hell you just ate that second bowl of ice cream when you know you shouldn't have or why you chew your nails, bite your lip? Maybe you hate to exercise even after being told by the doctor, "You better or else!" Yet, you just can't seem to get motivated. Me too! However, my bad habits tend to revolve around eating sweets, eating sweets and well have I said this before, eating sweets. Oh, well let's throw in procrastinating too. All to often after eating sweets I not only feel quilty, but experience the emotional roller coaster of sugar highs and lows. Add the procratinating and subsequently stressing out, you get a recipe for disaster- uncomfortable physical manifestations such as tension headaches, sore upper back and neck muscles as well as indigestion and mood swings.

In my journey to become more aware, open and attune to my emotional triggers and responses and finding ways to help me kick my unhealthy habits, I have become fascinated by the prospect of being able to affect one's bodily functions and psychological responses through avenues that have one tap into the subconscious in order to better understand consicous choices, actions, reactions and such. That is why I was so excited when I found out a former client and friend, Katarina Oberg, began a hypnosis service for women called Spirtual Spring, LLC.  I wanted to learn more, so I asked her a few questions about her practice and thought I'd share them as part of the Wellness Month: Meet The Experts series on nurturing your whole self for optimal well-being.

Katarina Oberg, MSW, CH
DC based Hypnotherapist

How and why did you become a hypnotherapist? In other words, what is your story? Why did you start using hypnosis in your practice?  I decided to become a hypnotherapist when I was ready to go back to work after staying home with my daughter for a few years.  My background is as a social worker working with families and I wanted to stay in the helping field.  When I learned about hypnosis, I felt I had found the perfect fit for me to help people overcome difficulties in their lives.  Hypnotherapy provides goal oriented solutions to common problems, such as weight issues and stress.  I feel I have really expanded my toolkit for how to help people reach their goals with my hypnotherapy training in addition to my background in social work. 

What is hypnotherapy, hypnosis? What's the purpose and how does it work? For example, someone comes to you who wants to lose weight, stop smoking...? Please explain.  Hypnosis might sound a bit mysterious, but it is really a natural state of waking consciousness.  When you are hypnotized, you slow down the conscious mind, which is the busy, critical, and logical part of your mind.  Instead, you become more aware of your subconscious mind. This is the part of your mind that remembers everything, generates your emotions, and is very creative.  And most importantly, it also controls habits. 

So while you might be in full agreement with your everyday logical mind about the need to change a habit, this logical approach does not typically address or reach your subconscious beliefs so it is often unsuccessful despite your best intentions.  For example, you might be determined to lose weight, but somehow you continue with your old habits, despite the objections of your logical mind!  


With the help of hypnosis, you gain direct access to your subconscious mind and you and your hypnotherapist can create new and more productive ways of dealing with any problems in your life. In other words, when you come to agreement with all parts of yourself, then true and lasting change comes into your life. 


How could hypnosis fit in to a person's overall fitness and/or wellness? You hear these terms health, fitness and wellness a lot - explain.   Specifically, hypnosis and related techniques can help you give up cravings for specific unhealthy foods or anything else you want to quit doing.  It can also help you release negative feelings about exercise and improve body image.  Hypnosis can also help you let go of stress and set new priorities in your life, freeing you up to do more of what you really want to accomplish.  

Anything else you'd like to tell our readers.

While hypnosis is not magic, it really can be effective for anyone who is looking to change their habits and health for the better.  You will not lose weight or become healthier with hypnosis alone, but with the help of hypnosis, you can let go of anything this is mentally or emotionally holding you back from being healthy and fit.  In my case, I was overweight and really did not like even the thought of exercising or limiting my favorite unhealthy foods.  But with the help of hypnosis to overcome my resistance to change, I have easily lost 40 lbs. in about five months’ time and I now enjoy exercising two to three days a week.

Thanks Katarina for enlightening us to the affects hypnosis may have in helping people overcome unhealthy habits. Next up, we'll learn from a fitness professional about how a consistent exercise regimen can help you be healthier and happier. Guess who that may be...

Related articles

• Wellness Month: Meet The Experts- A Breathwork Therapist (joyoffitnessmom.blogspot.com)
• Wellness Month: Meet The Experts- A Nutritionist (joyoffitnessmom.blogspot.com)
• Wellness Month: Meet The Experts - A Yogi (joyoffitnessmom.blogspot.com)
• Wellness Month: Meet The Experts - Massage Therapy (joyoffitnessmom.blogspot.com)
• Wellness Month: Nurture the Whole Self for Optimal Well-Being (joyoffitnessmom.blogspot.com)
• Science Finally Tackles Hypnosis http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/science_finally_tackles_hypnosis/

Wellness Month: Meet The Experts- A Breathwork Therapist

Breathwork refers to many forms of conscious alteration of breathing, such as connecting the inhale and exhale, or energetically charging and discharging, when used within psychotherapy or meditation. Proponents believe breathwork technique may be used to attain alternate states of consciousness, and that sustained practice of techniques may result in spiritual or psychological benefits. Breathwork may also relate to optimal healthy breathing in a healing context. [Source: Wikipedia]


It is said that becoming conscious of your breathing, normally an involuntary action, can 
help to release old emotions, pent up feelings and allow happiness, joy, peace and love to fill your daily life- to breathe yourself whole. I have been curious about this idea lately, especially since I have incorporated yoga into my well-being routine. So, I contacted my friend Lauren Chelec Cafritz, a certified Breathwork Therapist who leads breathwork classes and workshops at the Mindfulness Center in Bethesda, MD, to learn more about this old world mindfulness technique for the nurturing your whole self for optimal well-being series. 

Lauren Chelec Cafritz, TBF, IBF
DC based Breathwork therapist

Can you please tell us about what you do. What exactly is breathwork? 
Breathwork is a self-healing tool that, once learned, you can use to deepen your breath—and with it, your life.  Breathwork is the foundation for getting the most out of our exercise routines and mindfulness practices like yoga, meditation, or tai chi.  This practice teaches you how to break old breathing patterns and take deep diaphragmatic breaths.  Once your breathing is full and open, you can take this skill with you to your yoga class, the gym, work, meetings, traffic jams—or, whatever comes along in life.

How and why did you become a breathwork specialist? Stress, anxiety, and worry can inhibit breathing and create unhealthy breathing patterns over time.  When I started breathwork, my breathing was shallow and only in my chest—in what might be called “bare survival mode”.  (I have found most of us breathe this way on a daily basis.)


Physical pain and anxiety brought me to the practice of breathwork.  When my son was 9 months old, I could not turn my neck and, if I managed to, it felt like an intense sciatic pain in my neck.  A friend brought me to his breathworker.  With her, I learned how to open and deepen my breath and explore the issues and tension that had originally constricted it. Through breathing and learning, over time, I watched the pain miraculously disappear.  Once I learned the power of the breath—how it can heal someone on so many different levels—I wanted to learn more.  That was the beginning and I’ve never turned back.

How can breathwork help me (a fitness professional, fitness enthusiast, busy, often stressed mom or a beginner exerciser...)? What are the benefits. Are there contraindications? Breathing deeply helps you release tension on multiple levels—physical, mental, and emotional.  It gives you clarity—because when you breathe well, you think clearer.  If you focus on the breath, as in meditation, it clears the mind.  Paying conscious attention to your breath helps you remember to live in the present moment and brings more joy into your life.


I’ve learned that correcting non-optimal breathing patterns is not always as simple as telling someone to breathe deeply.  Muscle and connective tissue that have been held in patterns of tension for long periods of time actually change shape—some tissue lengthens, others shorten.  Through coaching, a breathworker can help you to reform tissue to support healthier, fuller respiration.


Now, I always tell my students and clients that our sessions are “labs”—I want them to feel their emotions fully and release their tensions in our lab, so that it’s much easier out in the world—in traffic, in an attorney’s office, in a doctor’s office.

Anything else you'd like to add, share with our readers. We all need something to keeps us aligned, balanced, and present.  Self-healing is about using and having the tools to get us back to that open, flowing, and joyful space wherever we find ourselves.

Thanks Lauren for sharing your expertise with us. 
I know I learned a lot! Next-up, we'll hear from a hypnotherapist on how hypnosis can help in weight loss and more.

Be active. 
Be happy. 
Breathe!