Former Fat Guy Blog

Real People Real Results - Understanding how food, fitness and mental attitude affect weight loss

Laughing Yoga. My Experience.

Laughter is an instant vacation. ~Milton Berle

One day while on Facebook I saw an event called Laughing Yoga and before I knew it I had signed up and called the yoga studio to pay my registration fee. Originally, I had seen Laughing Yoga featured within the documentary film about yoga, Enlighten Up! and at the time it seemed to me like an interesting concept. What appealed to me most was that no yoga experience was required and all that was needed was the ability to laugh. I had never taken a single yoga class. But, this I could do and just thinking about it brought a smile to my face.

If laughter was an instant vacation, then what a trip I was about to embark on!
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How to: Not get sick

The basics are diet, water, exercise and sleep. A diet full of natural healthy foods and exercise, naturopaths also endorse natural products and additions to boost the body’s immune system. Never was this more apparent to me today as I sit at home (Day Five) with H1N1 (swine) flu.

Influenza, known as the flu, is an infectious disease that effects birds and mammals. The most common symptoms of the flu are chills, fever, muscle pains, severe headache, fatigue, coughing, and general feelings of being unwell. Sore throats, fevers, and coughs are most frequent of symptoms. Typically, it is spread in the air by coughing and sneezing creating aerosols of the virus. It can also come in direct contact through secretions and contaminated surfaces.
h1n1 swine flu mask
Media coverage is everywhere. H1N1 is the #1 topic of discussion on radio, tv and all multimedia. Not only on your local news , international news but also making the news world wide. Manufacturers of hand sanitizers and disinfectant hand soaps are selling out of products and shelves go bare. In Canada, if you walk into your local medical center or hospital you will be asked to use hand sanitizer and wear a mask if you enter with a cough. The most interesting experience I had recently was going to a medical center for a prescription renewal and being asked three times if I would like to get the seasonal flu shot because it was free and today happened to be immunization day. “You happened to come in on the right day and we can fit you in right away!”

Wow. I was confused. Had I suddenly “supersized” my medicines? Today was buy one, get one free day at the local medical clinic!

There are strong debates for and against immunization and I will not promote either. However, after my recent experiences, I can offer the following advice.
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Poor Me Syndrome

PMS. The Poor Me Syndrome.

Guys, you too can be afflicted by PMS and not even know it.

This disease selects all gender, every ethnicity and all demographics!

Its running rampant and I saw three cases of it yesterday. Myself included!

Levels of severity can differ day to day and some of the symptoms to watch for might include:

  • Making excuses
  • Justifying to yourself that you have chosen to do the ”right” thing
  • Commiserating with others
  • Seeking sympathy

gym bag
I will share a personal experience with you. On Tuesday, I believed I couldn’t go to the gym because I was too busy from my work and at the end of the day I felt tired. A raise of hands if you’ve felt the same way. That was my belief but actually it was my own personal opinion created by what I thought was my own reality.

It all begins with a single thought and snowballs from there

 

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Eating At The Table – Food For Thought

It wasn’t until today that I decided that I need to revitalize a old tradition from my childhood and reminiscent of the Thanksgiving or recent – Eating at the table.

Eight weeks ago, we purchased a gorgeous dark wood pub style table and chairs for our kitchen.

We live in a smallish condo. perfectly comfortable for two with no designated dining area. I chose the table because of the dark wood and it gave the area special warmth. A place for us to dine together. Until then, we had a tiny table not suitable for two.

40% of North Americans eat with their family at home each night each week

eating in front of the tvUntil then and even after we had the table, we shuffled our plates on our laps while we unconsciously, almost zombie like, sat to watch a sit com, the news or whatever reality tv show was on. After a busy day at work and especially throughout the Christmas season, it was our time to relax and our time to rest.

After recently talking to a couple at a party, I learned that they too would quite often watch tv with tv trays. Not only the two of them but their children as well.

Now, I suspect that we aren’t the only ones doing this.

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10 Things to Consider When Choosing a Gym

If you are a beginner like myself or a seasoned gym rat, choosing a gym is an important decision to be made and there are lots of things to consider. As the saying goes, “location, location, location”, but it’s more than just that. There are costs involved, contracts to be signed, hours of operation and if you’re a mom, what about the child care options. There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a gym, and it should be done only after careful consideration.

I’m on a journey towards a healthy lifestyle filled with vibrancy and vitality. Most recently, I have made the decision and committed to a gym membership after serious contemplating. Exercise was the missing piece to my puzzle.

Significant changes over the last several months in my eating and lifestyle choices have been made but until now I was not mentally ready to join a gym.

The year was 1981 and Olivia Newton John zoomed to the top of the music charts with her song, Let’s Get Physical which inspired everyone to join a gym, sign up for gym class and wear spandex. Me, I was in Grade nine and (mandatory) gym class later ended ended for me in 1985. Not to mention, Participation.

Folks, it’s now 2008!

During my recent tours of various fitness facilities, the following are the top considerations I had to make before signing my contract

10 Things to Consider When Choosing A Gym

1 Atmosphere You’re going to spend a good portion of your time and money here so make sure it feels right to you. When a friend and I started looking for a gym I felt incredibly intimidated by one such gym with the amount of grunting, groaning and amount of posturing that went on in front of some of the mirrors. Make sure you get good vibes and feel comfortable the moment you walk into the door. Think of it this way, why would you spend your time or money going somewhere that you don’t enjoy? If you don’t consider this, your money will be wasted.

2 People A gym is like any other business, it’s there to make money. No matter how good the product is, it’s the people that can make or break a business. What is their interaction with others when you check out the gym(s) to make your choice? Are there many staff around when you need to ask questions? Can you connect with them or are they unapproachable? Do they have the qualifications? I actually interviewed the manager of the gym we chose and discovered she had been with this company for 25 years! She showed passion, enthusiasm and genuine interest in us when we met.

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Inspiration


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Determination


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Satisfaction


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