Resolve Not to Resolve

A New Year is like a blank slate. Many of us start the year with high hopes and a long list of resolutions. We vow to lose those nagging five pounds, to quit eating sugar, and to go to the gym every morning. There’s nothing inherently wrong with those goals—except the way we’re framing them.

When we start our year with a list of the things we need to change about ourselves in order to be better, we set off on negative footing. Instead, what if we focused on what is right and invited more of the good stuff into our lives?

Here is a new and improved way to start the New Year:

Resolve not to make resolutions: Resolutions are typically focused on negative behaviors or things we don’t want to do. When we’re focusing on what we don’t want rather than what we do want, our attention is misplaced. Resolutions keep us focused on our flaws, which is no way to move forward.

Reflect and appreciate the past year: It’s natural to focus on the excitement of a new year—but remember, beginnings and endings go hand-in-hand. Use the impending New Year as an opportunity to reflect on the past year.

Make a list of everything that was wonderful about the year that is coming to a close. Get specific. List everything you accomplished or feel grateful for—the vacation to Mexico, running a race, finishing a project, volunteering in your community, recovering from an illness. Be thorough. Write it all down. Now, review your list. Stay focused on the blessings and achievements of your year. Seeing your year in review provides a wonderful perspective and sense of value.

Let go: In contrast, make a list of things from the past year that you are ready to let go of or that weren’t quite so fun. Are you harboring a grudge? Were you injured? Did you gain weight? Write it all down. Don’t pause to reflect or read; simply let it flow out of you.

When your list is complete, burn it or tear it into pieces and throw it away. By getting rid of it symbolically, you send the message to your subconscious that it is done. Let go. Those events are done and revisiting them will not serve you. Letting go is a powerful way to open up space for new and positive things to flow into your life.

Set intentions: An intention is different from a resolution because it reflects a positive state of being. An intention is usually the authentic desire underlying a goal or resolution. For example, when we resolve to lose five pounds, our intention is probably to feel fit, healthy, and strong.

Rather than focusing on goals or resolutions, spend some time in quiet meditation and contemplate how you want to feel in the upcoming year. Once you identify your intentions, then you can set realistic goals that move you toward them. For example, if you set an intention for weight loss, you might create a list of action steps that will help you choose a nutritious diet and an effective exercise plan.

Focus on what you want to invite into your life rather than what you want to eliminate.

Revisit Your Intentions Regularly: Write your intentions down and place them somewhere where you can review them often. By having our intentions and goals in front of us, we are more likely to stay on track.

Happy New Year!

Restore Yourself

If the holidays have you feeling frazzled and frantic—stop, drop, and restore.

Yoga instructor Katherine Pleasants has just the remedy for easing your holiday stress—viparita karani, otherwise known as legs up the wall. This restorative yoga pose is your gateway to relaxation.

To practice, all you need is a wall and a few minutes of precious silence. Slide your rear end snug up against a wall and extend your legs toward the ceiling. Allow the wall to support your legs as you recline your torso on the floor. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and relish this moment of restorative peace.

Viparita karani gives the legs a rest, quiets the mind, and refreshes the body. This inversion releases fatigue from your legs and invigorates the abdominal organs, heart, and brain. Enjoy!

Healthy Holiday Tips from Brenda Powell

Tis the season for overeating (among other things)—but the holidays don’t have to derail your health. Brenda Powell—Zenergy personal trainer and yoga instructor—offers some tips for staying on track this holiday season.

Avoid Overeating

If that sounds easier said than done, here’s how:

• Eat breakfast. Starving yourself early in the day will only backfire and lead to a binge the moment you arrive at that holiday party full of treats.
• Be choosy. Before loading up your plate, survey the buffet and pick only those foods you really crave.
• Take small samplings of a wide variety of dishes. Savor that bite and pass on seconds—remind yourself that more won't taste any better.
• Pace yourself at the table, and stop eating before you feel full. A recent study shows that eating quickly leads to weight gain.
• Make time for conversation. Put down the fork before you talk.

Burn Extra Calories Without realizing it, you can easily pack in a pound's worth of calories—yes, 3,500—in no time. One fabulously catered holiday party can have disastrous results. It’s hard to undo those extra calories. Consider this—60 minutes of biking at 10 mph burns only about 300 calories. Who has 11 hours to spend on the bike? Try adding an extra 30 minutes of daily activity throughout the holidays to offset all the treats.

Focus on Family, Not Food

The holidays were never intended to be about food. Think of the season as a special time to spend with family and friends. Focus on the people, the connection, and the laughter—and you’ll find that the food has less allure.

Be Proactive

Create a plan for success. It’s okay to indulge a little, but be sure you have a plan in place after you do. If you arrive home from a party feeling like you’ve overdone it, develop a day-after plan before you go to sleep. Decide on a light yet nourishing breakfast, a brisk workout, and a renewed outlook. Getting back on track—not feeling guilty—is your game plan.

More Spa, More Pampering

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We’re feeling expansive! Our newly expanded spa is set to open Saturday December 22, 2012—and what was already great just got even better. The spa now has nine rooms—meaning nine opportunities for pampering every hour. That pampering starts the moment you step into the Aspen-lined halls.

But the soothing environment is just the beginning—we have you covered from head to toe. Here’s what we have to offer:

·      Full-service nail salon

·      Greg Hinshaw’s Hair Studio

·      Complete waxing services

·      Dedicated rooms for facial and beauty treatments

·      Wet bar and calming lounge, complete with vibroacoustic therapy chairs

So what does the newly expanded facility mean for you? It means more opportunity to book luxurious treatments such as massages, scrubs, wraps, peels, manicures, acupuncture, and more. To top it off, we’ve partnered with ReBlume Medical to offer facial rejuvenation and non-surgical facelifts. See? We weren’t kidding when we said we had you covered from head to toe.

So, hit the gym or hit the slopes—and then visit our new world-class spa for a soothing respite from it all. We guarantee that once you sink into one of our vibroacoustic therapy chairs, you won’t want to leave. Serenity now!

Give the Gift of Health

If you’re making a list and checking it twice, skip the trinkets and toys—and instead give the gift of health this holiday season. The perfect gift doesn’t necessarily come from a big box store wrapped in ribbons and bows. What if you could give the gift of lower cholesterol, a healthier heart, a smaller waist, or reduced stress?

Healthy gifts show your loved ones that you care about them—inside and out. So, skip the frantic shopping trip and try one of these gifts of health:

For the Seriously Stressed

·      Massage: Treat your chronically stressed loved one to a relaxing, stress-busting, bliss-building massage. Massage has been shown to improve circulation, relax overused muscles, improve flexibility, alleviate stress, and elevate mood. 

·      Spa Package: If you really want to pamper your loved one, create a special spa package so they can enjoy hours of relaxation. The sky is the limit—you could treat them to a facial, manicure, pedicure, massage, body wrap, and more.

For the Fitness Fanatic:

·      Personal Training Sessions: This is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Personal training is a lifelong educational investment in physical fitness, alignment, safety, and overall health. 

·      Stability Ball: Stability balls are an affordable, fun gift. They can be used for exercise or as a substitute for a chair. It’s a great tool for improving core strength and posture.

·      Yoga Mat: The yogi in your life will be thrilled with a new yoga mat. There is something so refreshing about rolling out a new mat. It creates a renewed commitment to the practice. A thick, colorful mat is something your loved one will enjoy throughout the year. 

·      Heart Rate Monitor: A heart rate monitor is an excellent fitness tool—sort of like having a personal trainer with you at all times. This would be a perfect gift for the indoor cycling junkie. Pick up a Suunto in the boutique and your loved one will be able to tap into the special system in our new spin studio. 

·      Private Pilates Sessions: Pilates is a unique workout on specialized equipment that is unlike anything else in the gym. Pilates combines precision and breathing with a combined emphasis on the deep core muscles, which generate the body's power to move in a strong and graceful way. You can’t go wrong with a gift of this unique and effective workout.

For the Fashionista:

·      Fitness Wear: New workout wear translates to new inspiration. There’s nothing quite like a cute pair of yoga pants to get you on your mat. 

·      Gym Bag: Nothing says I love you enough to send you packing to the gym like a new gym bag. Pick a cute, spacious bag with lots of compartments and you’ll have a happy gym junkie on your hands.

For the Foodie:

·      Vitamix: This is a serious Santa splurge—and one that is sure to be a hit. Good food can be healthy, too. This magical blender makes delicious and healthy green smoothies, soups, and so much more. 

·      Cookbook: Most of us would cook healthier food if we only knew where to start. Give your foodie the gift of healthy recipes and he or she will stay on the road to health all year long.

Need help with some last minute shopping? The Zenergy spa and boutique both offer great options for healthy gifts. No matter what you choose, Gandhi said it best: “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”

Happy holidays—and happy health—to you!

Beat the Bulge by Personal Trainer Diane Calevro

Healthy snacking helps you beat the bulge in two ways. First, it helps keep your metabolism up. Second, it prevents you from getting hungry throughout the day and overindulging at meals. According to a study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers found that subjects who included a snack (around 200 calories) between balanced meals lost significant amounts of weight compared to baseline. On a questionnaire, the subjects reported less hunger and cravings between meals, helping them to avoid overeating.

Eating a balanced breakfast is another tactic that can help you avoid the call of unhealthy snacking. Prolonged periods without eating can make you crave fatty, high calorie foods over healthy, nutritious foods. According to a new study out of Imperial College London, researchers found that subjects who passed on breakfast showed actual brain activity that led to temptations for  fatty, high calorie foods later in the day.