Resting your body is just as important as moving it – true story

Anyone reading this post who knows the amount of classes I have already done this week, may find this hypocritical and as my mum reads my blogs and always worries I am overdoing it (hi mum, love you) I am not going to actually tell you how many classes I have done.

What I am going to tell you is how I am coping with doing x amount of classes.

Aside from walking like a zombie, speaking as though English is my second language and spilling things all over myself frequently I am in fact coping!

I am coping by resting in-between classes.  In fact this week has felt like a crazy blur and I think on Tuesday I had convinced myself it was already Thursday.

I have been doing 5:45am classes, I will then come home and sleep for an hour or two then do my next class, rest, eat, teach again and repeat the process all over again.

As much as we all like to think we are invincible, and as much as I promote the theory of pushing and challenging yourself, there are limits.

We are human, we need rest, our muscles need the correct nourishment to thrive, and that nourishment comes in the form of eating well, drinking water to re-hydrate and resting.

It is counter productive not to do so!

As always I learnt that the hard way.

If you are exercising frequently you NEED to eat and rest frequently or I dare say you are without knowing it, undoing all the good work you set out to do.

Think about your computer, your smart phone – they perform well until they don’t! We reboot them and then wallah, they leap back into action refreshed reawakened.  Our bodies are the same!

The more we work them, the more we need to treat them with the rest they deserve.

Resting your body is just as important as moving it!


Mind over matter

It is Friday afternoon and I am sitting outside with a glass of red wine that I just poured for myself. I am about to write about a topic that I know I have written about in various forms; yet I am still just so overwhelmed and inspired by a certain person that I just feel I need to write about this topic again.

I am talking about, well two things actually; mind over matter and being inspired. Today, in my morning class I was yet again inspired for the third week in a row by a new class member.

This man is in his late 70’s and his determination inspires me beyond belief. His smiling face warms my heart and his persistence and dedication is the most amazing gift I could ever receive as a fitness instructor.

In just three weeks he has improved at such a rapid pace and it is all due to sheer willpower.

At the end of every class, he stays behind to ask questions, to find ways to improve.

Every week he improves.

Each week he walks in to my class determined to succeed and he does.

Every week he walks in to my class with a strong mind, he will not give up, he cant, he won’t!

He is one of the most amazing people I have ever had in my classes.

He tells me he makes sure his mind is always strong and he uses mind over matter to achieve what may be impossible for people his age.

Today as I was learning choreography, my brain was on the verve of giving up and I thought about him, and immediately changed my mindset and refused to give up, what kind of person or role model would I be if I did?

I believe being a good and inspiring person means you should be that person at all times even when no one is looking. If you are just doing things for show, for attention for gain, then it doesn’t count.

Be authentic, be strong, be inspiring!

Realise just how much you can achieve with a strong mind.


The benefits of child’s pose

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The benefits of child’s pose:

Releases tension in the back, shoulders and chest.

Recommended if you have dizziness or fatigue.

Helps alleviate stress and anxiety.

Flexes the body’s internal organs and keeps them supple.

It lengthens and stretches the spine.

Relieves neck and lower back pain when performed with the head and torso supported.

It gently stretches the hips, thighs and ankles.

Normalizes circulation throughout the body.

It stretches muscles, tendons and ligaments in the knee.

Calms the mind and body.

Encourages strong and steady breathing.

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You are never too old or too young to be an inspiration to someone

Today I was inspired in class by an 78 year old man joining the gym “before his body gave up” – his words not mine.

I inspired and helped a young overweight girl who gets bullied for her weight, by helping her set small and achievable goals.

I overheard an amazingly flexible yogi telling someone how great she thinks I am while all the while I watch her in my classes in complete awe and admiration as she inspires me to push myself further.

At the end of the class I went up to my 78year old smiling participant and congratulated him on doing so well, and thanked him for smiling throughout the entire class.

He thanked me for teaching him that the mind is more powerful than the body, and he now feels more determined than ever to keep practicing and moving.

What a truly amazing man!

Earlier in the week, my friend took on a new client; a 93 year old lady who wants to keep active!

She inspired my friend greatly and without even meeting her, she has already inspired me.

You are never too old to be an inspiration to others!

A breathing and meditation coach explained to me at the end of class that my explanations of the breath and meditation were beautiful and told me I had a gift.

Today I really believe that I do, I believe my gift was given to me the second I started following my heart, the minute I started doing what I love.

The moment I thought less about myself and more about others.

That gift keeps giving to me each and every time I help someone to achieve a little more, to find a little calmness, a little more happiness and self-empowerment.

True inspiration is found, when you realize that you are never too young or too old to learn from others, that you should always be the best person you can be as you never know who you are inspiring.


Choose greatness

Most great things in your life won’t happen by chance, they will happen by choice.

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I saw this sign at some markets on the weekend, and I have been thinking about choices ever since.

Everything we do in life is a choice.

Happiness, dedication, the will to succeed.

You can choose to feel great simply by changing your mindset, habits, situation.

You can choose to feel great on the inside by eating well, and choosing positive thoughts over negative ones.

You can choose to feel great on the outside by exercising, looking after your skin.

You can choose greatness.

Choose to be a winner or a quitter.

Choose whether you surround yourself with negative or positive people.

Choose greatness.

Everything is a choice!