fitness expert? What can I teach you about fitness that you can't learn at the gym?
Just like world-class athletes who train with intense discipline and push physical strength to the limit, world-class singers also train with that kind of intensity and drive for perfection.
Over the 25 years I performed professionally, I trained hard in the one thing that is the foundation for all singers - breathing. Not just "relax and take a deep breath" kind of stuff, but focused, disciplined practices that allowed me to have the kind of endurance and vocal strength to star in dozens of shows, to fill a hall with sound (with no microphone) hour after hour and to never miss a single performance! (I'm the Brett Farve of classical singing. Brett Farve is the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, who never misses a game!) Add being a mother of five to that picture, and you can see that I needed a lot of energy!
I studied "advanced breathing" from every source I could find and the more I practiced the more I noticed other great things happening to me besides my voice getting better. I had more energy, more endurance, I lost weight (something I'd struggled with for many years, coming from a family with a genetic pre-disposition to being over-weight), my skin was radiant, and the best part was a 'natural high' that made me feel more vital than I ever had in my life.
In my studies, I found that a lot of ancient cultures knew just how powerful the breath can be and they developed practices over thousands of years to tap into that power (usually only royalty had access to these secrets). They understood that intentional breathing practices build endurance, energy, good health and vitality. They also experienced the states of heightened awareness that happen when every cell in the body is getting more oxygen. What surprised me was the side-benefit of weight loss (less of a issue in the ancient world). With more oxygen, the cells can detoxify, which helps the body find its optimal weight.
After each of my five pregnancies, I was able to reduce my body by THREE SIZES in just 6 weeks, without fad diets, marathon exercising or plastic surgery. In 1985 I started teaching my full-figured family members my fitness secret - "Oxygen is the fuel you need to power your body and help you burn off excess fat".
Sure I've gained and lost weight over the years. I've been a full-figured size 16, and I've
trimmed down to a size 6. My point is that weight management is no longer a mystery! There are effective, natural steps you can take that really work! Practicing these principles for just fifteen minutes a day can help you achieve fitness, even if you don't change anything else!
Here are the secrets to the five-step program I've experienced my success with:
Deep breathing
Deep breathing brings greater amounts of oxygen to every cell in your body! As the body is properly oxygenated, it experiences multiple benefits, including a release of toxins that cause the body to retain fat. Intentional deep breathing allows your body to naturally heal itself and return to its optimum state.
Cleansing
Incorporating regular cleansing and detoxification of the intestines and colon is an important factor in a personal fitness or weigth-loss routine. Cleansing the mental and emotional bodies manifests greater health in the physical body.
Nourishment
Proper nutritional supplementation allows the body to build and re-build at the cellular level. Nourishing our thoughts with positive affirmations of what is possible, will attract what we want even faster.
Move
Keep limber and reduce aches and pains by getting extra movement in your life in easy ways that do not require special clothing, shoes or a gym membership. Practice regular stretching and flexing and look for extra ways to get more movement into your day.
Lightening up
Finally, learn how to "lighten up," not just in your physical body but also in your emotions and your thinking. (Laugh, forgive, bring joy to yourself and others by sharing your talents.) Learning how to "lighten up" is the KEY to a successful long-term fitness program!
Over the years I've kept doing what I learned in my unique "fitness training" that spanned more than 25 years and continue to be amazed at just how powerful these simple practices are. At 49, I'm in great health. I'm vital and happy. I've learned to maintain my ideal body size. I'm not a perfect figure by media standards, but it's perfect for me. I've learned to really love and celebrate the body I'm in.
The secret formula to successful fitness training is simple: learn to breathe, cleanse, nourish, move and lighten up. You can learn a lot about exercise and eating a reduced-calorie diet at the gym, but these five steps will set you free.
Carol Pope, president and founder of Oxyfitness Inc., coaches clients in achieving their optimum health and fitness using her five step program. Her program frees clients from weight loss methods that haven’t worked and radically transforms their satisfaction with their body using principles that work WITH the body rather than against it. Learn more and schedule your free Possibility Session by visiting [http://www.oxyfitness.com], or calling 801-486-9600.Carol resides in Salt Lake City, Utah and is also a mother of five, grandmother of two, stepmom to five more children, and grandmother to two more. She is also a performing and recording artist.
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