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Buff Bride: How to Get in Shape and Look Great for Your Wedding Day
May 20th
Buff Bride
How to Get in Shape and Look Great for Your Wedding Day
If you are a bride-to-be, you have a lot on your plate to prepare for your big day. And one of the things on every brideâs âto-doâ list is getting shape. You want everyone at the wedding to admire that sleeveless, strapless, low-back dress youâve been eyeing for months. Jason Kozma, LA celebrity personal trainer and expert in reshaping bodies says the first thing you have to do is schedule regular gym visits. Kozma, a designer of fat-melting workouts says the right kind of diet and exercise will blast fat, boost energy and transform your body. âSensible exercise and non-starvation dieting is imperative to looking great on your wedding day,â says Kozma. âNo gimmicks, no diet pills, no cleanses; those are ineffective.â He publishes insider secrets to a great body on his Los Angeles Fitness Trainer website. Here he gives us five most important tips on how to eat well before the wedding.
1. Keep a food log. Itâs stressful and time-consuming to worry about food, calories, weight, your butt or stomach. And stress raises the levels of cortisol, a hormone that is responsible for making you fat. To break this cycle, keep a log of everything you consume during the day, including soft drinks and water. That will make you more aware of what you eat and awareness puts you in control.
2. Eat every three hours and especially before workouts. Make sure that you donât starve yourself and eat small portions every three hours. Â You also have to eat before your daily workouts or youâll run out of gas and actually gain weight. What to eat before your workout? Try some protein and complex carbs, like chicken breast and an apple, an hour before gym time.
3. Avoid fast food. If you want to reach your fitness goals, make sure you are always prepared. Stock your kitchen cabinets and freezer with quick and healthy snacks like apples, natural peanut butter, rice cakes, cocktail shrimp (without sauce!), fresh veggies and potatoes. But if you must stop by a fatty drive-through, order a grilled chicken salad and skip the cheese and the dressing.
4. Eat in. Try to eat at home as often as you can. If a busy schedule takes you out more than usual, ask the waiter to skip the bread basket, stay away from a pre-dinner cocktail and donât order dessert.
5. Just say no to drinks. Speaking of cocktails, alcohol is loaded with calories. So go for water instead and during special dinners, order sparkling water with a lemon wedge. You can have that flute of champagne after the wedding photos were taken.
Now that youâve got your eating habits under control, make sure work out regularly and no time will you fit into the dress of your dreams. For more tips and custom diet and exercise routines, contact Jason Kozma, personal trainer and sports nutritionist, go to his Los Angeles Fitness Training website or call (310) 772-5105.
Jason Kozma provides a service called
Bridal Fitness Los Angeles in Southern California. Jason and his High
Performance Training Team are helping residents all over Southern California
lose weight and get in the best shape of their lives. Jason also owns aSanta Monica Boot Camp business.
Courage: the Great Wave of Change
May 17th
Are you brave? Do you courageously meet life’s challenges without batting an eye? Or are you the lion in Wizard of Oz who trembles in fear …longing for the instinct of courage that grants us the heart to face each day. Powerful universal energies are pushing us to the brink of assurance as we encounter the Great Wave of Change that is turning everything topsey turvey. There’s unprecedented uncertainty in the global economy, politics, religions, health … everything. It’s so tempting to hide under the covers and postpone the intense karmic demands of this Shift of the Ages.
How do we boldly open to the moment when instinct exclaims: “run for the hills?” Current transformational forces leave no stone unturned. There’s no place to hide. We need to drum up the gumption to go forward into this vibrational blizzard—face the unknown and stay open to the cosmic line of fire illuminating our soul’s destiny.What areas of your life are demanding an act of courage? Preparation time has run out. Now is the moment to evoke the gritty determination to meet these challenges. Postponement only shrinks self-esteem. Courage begets confidence, not the other way around.
Courage springs from the call of the soul that fills us with the passion to believe in ourselves and take a stand without crumbling. Do you have the guts to follow your soul? When you chicken out do you fall into a pile of shame, longing for the valor to step up the plate?
People who climb Mt. Everest, compete in the Olympics, perform in Carnegie Hall, rescue others from a burning building are the brave ones… not us! We long for their grit. But overt acts of bravery aren’t the only barometers of courage. It also takes pluck to leave a stagnant career loaded with benefits, be honest with others, broadcast to the world our true identity, and confront parents… even get up in the morning.
We project courage onto others—assuming they’re naturally lionhearted—to abdicate responsibility for our own boldness. It’s tempting to hide by identifying ourselves as fraidy-cats. But Divine Dauntlessness is equally available to all. Courage develops through practice. Everyone is spiritually mandated to draw from the sacred internal place where Spirit ignites the spunk needed to move to the front lines of full exposure to ourselves, others and Source. Courage reflects the commitment to be authentic, extend ourselves, take risks, break away, follow our dreams, move in new directions, name our feelings, approach our pain, keep the faith, accept ourselves.
Always invoked in times of dread, acts of courage are never easy. Boldness doesn’t indicate a lack of fear, but rather a willingness to move through it and out the other side. We can reference previous audacious feats as a reminder of our capacity for bravery. Even the most timid make acts of courage, however subtle. Spirit applauds us for not capitulating to the churning stomach, cold feet, sweats, spiking anxiety/dread that floods us as we approach the Chamber of Fortitude.
To identify ourself as a coward ensteels the notion that we don’t have what it takes to meet our destiny. Yet, divinely designed to evolve the soul, we’re blueprinted to handle all karmic challenges. To reference ourselves as spineless often causes us to forget, or at least discount, any prior moments of valor. We must take credit for all acts of courage. They form the foundation to take the heroic next step.
What’s the line between courage and recklessness? The need for courage persists in spite of our resistance. Devoid of discernment, recklessness is a blind response that overrides and denies the true danger of the moment. Illusions of being invincible don’t really build backbone, but rather invite disaster. Bravado is not bravery. True courage springs from the acceptance/integration of our vulnerability.
Do you mercilessly raise the bar by challenging yourself relentlessly—pushing to the front with no respite and discounting previous heroic acts as inconsequential to the next peril being conquered? We can’t keep pumping up the courage needed to ruthlessly outdare ourselves. The psyche and adrenal glands need balance via respite, intermission, regrouping, down time, ease, comfort. Maybe we’ve spent many lifetimes riding the adrenaline rush of developing courage and need to recuperate by nestling into the safe zone’s cushiness. Others, chronically skittish, may be mandated to focus this lifetime on becoming spunky and resisting the impulse to flee. Internal guidance indicates whether we’re burning out adrenal glands vs. stagnating in a milksop bog.
To force ourselves to override sensitivities, deep wounds and/or the needs of our inner child in order to satisfy ambitious agendas is a cruel, self-abusive form of courage that creates a brutal internal boot camp. We must carefully assess the needs of our soul. Sometimes it takes courage to give ourselves permission to retreat, wait, rest, heal. Timing is everything. Self-judgments of cowardice only hurt the soul. To override ourselves isn’t bravery but rather a lack of self-acceptance.
We need to compassionately embrace and learn from the cowardly lion within rather than judge and slay it with shame. Everyone has a pocket of cowardice that represents parts of the soul traumatized in childhood and previous lifetimes. This timorousness provides an alchemical counterpart to our Gallant Knighthood—teaching humility, vulnerability, sensitivity and tenderness toward injured places that need safeguarding from courage’s overriding gusto.
Many of us are going through a profound healing crisis as the old self collides with the emerging empowered self. To move in the direction of complete soul health, we need courage to create new patterns that propel us beyond the comfort zone of stifling coping mechanisms that buffered/protected us in the past. Our healing eventually brings us to the juncture where we must bravely express the new self and function in ways that previously felt dangerous to our inner child.
Imagine life without courage. We’d never explore new internal/external frontiers. Our world would shrink, self-confidence evaporate, self-respect dwindle as the voices of danger encroach in all parts of our lives, eager to feed on spinelessness.
Courage is developed by saying YES to the immediacy of the moment, no more preparation time, and remembering that we have all the resources needed to meet every challenge. Then we call upon the Mountain of Fortitude within, everyone’s birthright that pumps its fire into our system to burn away the sticky web of fear that enshrouds the soul. We become keenly focused, not looking back, and listen to our heart’s guidance. This stimulates the heart, the center of courage, to flow its gallant energy. Every courageous moment, intensely meaningful for the soul, ripples through the aura and heals all previous moments of cowardice. We discover our noble greatheartedness and the world is ours.
The Tibetan boldly approaches—filled with the courage to care so deeply about humankind. He teaches:
“The New Cosmic Day is compelling humankind to release cowardice and bravely undergo radical change. Evolution requires the soul to open in the face of the unknown. Courage is essential to this process. All acts of courage arise from a commitment to self’s unforeseeable emerging truth. Everyone is required to develop courage without lingering in guardedness. This is not the time to be a quitter. Courage evokes a core passion that defines the soul. To put the soul on the line stimulates past life memories of danger that instigated a collapse into a withering cage of diminishment that curtailed soul magnitude.
“Source has bestowed upon all of humanity a bank account of valor that can be tapped whenever needed. If not utilized, this account fades into the unconscious and self feels dangerously exposed to the Path with no resources of dauntlessness. But humankind’s birthright of intrepid mettle springs forth immediately when consciously invoked. Release the illusion that self is too fainthearted to access the courage needed to face the momentousness of today’s changes. The Spirit of Courage, emanating from the spirit plane, is divinely mandated to catalyze the fire in the soul needed to embrace its mystery and ultimately discover there is no danger in the Universe. The soul references this wisdom when resolutely moving forth through the illusion of precariousness forearmed with the core safeness inherent in Source’s Love for self.
“Present potent energies afford tremendous opportunities to practice courage. Humankind is being called to dare challenge habitual beliefs that are obsolete/irrelevant to the new consciousness, take risks that serve the soul, radically transform, release all defenses, hold an open mind, display self’s magnitude, be a truthsayer, follow self’s visions, trust the heart. The rewards of this great discipline of courage are freedom from fear, empowerment, deepened self-worth, the ability to let go, increased authority, adventure, transformation.
“The Masters and Angelic Force align with every stance of courage taken by humankind. No one is ever exposed alone or unsupported. Students’ willingness/ability to commit acts of courage stems from a deep awareness of the Great Presence of all those who help, support and make possible the journey by lending their mighty energy to self’s force field. This fusion of spirit with human establishes the Platform of Courage that expands the aura. When self feels large, fear dissolves. Humankind discovers how easy it is to be brave when great forces are augmenting self’s fortitude. Borrow courage from the Masters until self feels it springing from within. Identify self as the hero and know that the quest for the Holy Grail awaits all who adventure forth.”
Moriah Marston, soul mentor in private psychotherapy practice since 1983, combines tools of depth astrology and dream analysis with her intuitive blend with Ascended Master Djwhal Khul’s soul perspective. Moriah has a penetrating multidimensional approach to healing and transformation. She specializes in phone sessions for individuals and couples. Moriah also offers group seminar intensives through her educational center, The School of the Golden Discs, in Colrain, MA. She is author of Earth School (a compilation of 68 articles from her Wisdom column) and Soul Searching with Djwhal Khul, the Tibetan. 413-624-9606, Visit her web site: www.transformationaltimes.com.
Founder of the School of the Golden Discs, Moriah has been a channel for Djwhal Khul since 1986. As a soul mentor, Moriah includes astrology, dream analysis and past life integration in the intuitive work as a mid-wife to the soul alignment process. Moriah has a private practice in Shelburne Falls, MA and specializes in phone sessions. Click here to visit her site!http://transformationaltimes.com
Six Reasons Why This is a Time of Great Hope and Possibility for You
May 16th
Think about it for a moment. If you’re going through any challenges right now, this may be just the moment when the tide is beginning to turn. This is a comeback time – a time of resurrection, renewal, restoration, rebirth, and returning again. What may have once seemed to be a breakdown is now a breakthrough. The precedents are endless: Christ returned from the dead and said, “I am the resurrection and the life.” The Chanukah oil lasted eight days in the temple instead of just one, and Chanukah means rededication. Moses was in exile for many years, and after that, he became a great leader. So no matter what’s happening in your life right now, it’s no doubt preparing you for something great. Read on for six reasons that your life is on the upswing.
1. Breakdowns Often Lead to Breakthroughs
Nelson Mandela was sent to prison for opposing apartheid, and he stayed there for 27 years. While in prison, his reputation and strength grew, and he became known as the most significant Black leader in South Africa. Four years after he was released, he became the president of South Africa. His difficult years were empowering him for greatness. If you have a relationship that is ending, it may be that something new and greater is getting ready for you. If your finances need improvement, it may be an opportunity to look at new possibilities for your life. A breakthrough may be just over the horizon.
2. Consider Challenges as Tests of Your Strength and Keep Going
Many years ago, I was an English teacher, and in my last year, I was teaching in a school in which the students began to riot. Though I was courageous, I found myself exhausted by the end of each day. I felt hopeless until a spark of inspiration came into me and told me that I could totally transform my life. I began to do yoga and meditate. I changed the way I ate and gave up many habits. And in time, I became a life transformer myself. These years of difficulty taught me strength and compassion, and they gave me the power to make the shift. If you’re going through a challenging time right now, it may be “boot camp” that’s giving you strength for coming back.
3. Keeping the Faith may be the Way to Keep on Keeping On
Once when I was undergoing some difficult times, I wrote to a spiritual teacher about it, and he said, “Times may be difficult now, but with your faith and your devotion, your life will be transformed.” This became the way for me. I knew that there was such a thing as “divine timing” and that everything would open up for me at the right time. So I kept telling myself that it was all getting ready to break through for me. And lo and behold, life opened itself up for me, and I was able to move forward. The same is happening for you.
4. Plan It; Imagine it; Hold the Space for It
Let your imagination help you plan the next steps. It’s important to accept what’s happening in the moment, but it’s also of great benefit to imagine the potentials for yourself. Some people have never let themselves imagine what could be possible. Go ahead and let yourself do it. Get ready for a transformed life. Even in the midst of difficulties, get ready for everything to shift for the better.
5. Affirm It
Speak positive words about the potentials for your life. Don’t give the time of day to your complaints or self pity. Speak words of possibility. You too can say, “I AM the resurrection and the life.” You can also say, “I AM the power of healing and I AM healing myself now.” You can say it over and over, using these words instead of negative ones.
6. Get Ready for a New World
While it’s important to “be here now” and to accept your current way of viewing your reality, it’s also important to project the potentials for a transformed world. While some people say that 2012, for example, is going to be the cataclysmic end of the world, others say that something quite different can be expected. There is the possibility that there’s an optimistic interpretation and that it’s the end of the world as we’ve known it. It could mean the rebirth and transformation of humanity in which we all know universal love and peace.
Would you like to know more about life transformation, spiritual growth, and healing? Get our free 100 page healing ebook on *Extraordinary Healing* at http://www.lifetransformationsecrets.com . Marilyn Gordon is a life transformer, board certified hypnotherapist, healer, teacher, and writer with over thirty years experience.