Kindness Goes A Long Way

 "Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." Author unknown.

Yesterday, I took the time to listen to someone who was visibly shaken by an event that had happened earlier in the day. I was in a rush but noticing that she really needed to talk, I sat down and listened intently offering any support that I could. She needed to express her feelings and in the end I gave her a hug.  She was so touched by my actions that it made me realize how this little act of human decency, is lacking in our society. Most people just want to be heard.

When we are frustrated it is easy to rush to anger, blame and shout. If I am on the receiving end, I try to look at what else might by going on in the life of that person. Most of the time, outbursts have far more to do with an underlying situation, than the situation at hand. And in the end, the contrast of the kindness that is shown to me far outweighs the rudeness.

Kindness really goes far so I am grateful and thankful for any that comes my way!

Have a wonderful day everyone.

Beth

It takes 3 classes!

It takes at least three classes to get used to a new type of exercise class.  Yesterday, I had some new people join my classes and I make sure to tell them that the first time is difficult for everyone.

It takes courage to walk into a room full of people when everyone seems to know everyone!  I am so grateful that I have caring students who take it upon themselves to welcome strangers and lend them a hand getting equipment. One of my regular students took the time to chat with one of the newcomers and let her know that it does get easier!

Stretching is so important to keep our bodies flexible, balanced and injury free. One of my students was able to touch her toes for the first time this week and another felt victorious as she was able to get her heels down to the mat in downward dog.

It takes time to achieve our goals and while I say that it takes at least three classes to feel comfortable in a class, it then takes a few weeks to start to see results.  Please do not expect instant transformations as those only happen on television. You are going to make mistakes. I still do and then we laugh together! That is just as valuable as the workout!

I am so proud of all of my students. I really am.

Have a great day! See you soon.
Beth

Yoga Stretch in May

If you have not tried my stretch class now is a great time. There is no class next Tuesday but the May session starts on the 3rd.

Last summer, I offered this course at Quanta and it filled up quickly. I anticipate this happening again so before June arrives, it is a great time to see what stretching can do for your body and mind!

The Quanta center offers a small intimate setting where I can work with small groups of 6-8 clients. If you attend any of my other classes you know that this is unique!

All you need is a yoga mat. The center offers cushions, bolsters, blankets and blocks.

If you want to drop in you must call ahead to let us know that you are coming!

If you want more information you can email me privately or read some of my blog posts about yoga. As a personal trainer, I use yoga postures to promote flexibility in the common problem areas of the body.

betholdfield01@gmail.com

Have a great weekend everyone.
Beth

Line Dance Party

If you are a student of mine and would like to have a chance to practice your line dance moves in a party setting, you are invited to attend a casual party this coming Saturday night April 23rd. It is taking place in the Beaconsfield area. 7-9pm

Please email me if you would like more details at:

betholdfield01@gmail.com

So far we will be approximately 25 dancers which will make for a lovely evening.

I will be serving tea and coffee and juice.  Everyone is asked to bring a tiny something to share.

I am so impressed with how my little line dance group has grown and improved over the years. There are about 40 level two dancers and 20 level one dancers. I started with one class and it is nice to see it gaining in popularity.

Line dance is excellent for your memory, balance and co-ordination and depending on your fitness level it is a great workout!

If you have always wondered what it is like, come and visit us Saturday night and try.

See you soon,
Beth

My Responsibility!

I am so lucky that at my classes are full. This is wonderful news for someone like myself who works so hard to create and deliver quality programming each session. Some gyms hire the teachers but also provide the programs. The teacher is simply responsible for delivering what the boss has designed.

What I am responsible for however is making certain that the room is safe for the clients and part of this is having to manage the large numbers of keen participants! In most gyms you have to pass through a turn style and show your identification to the reception desk. Our gym is very trusting and once you have paid for one of the four types of memberships, we generally trust that students will attend only the classes within the program that they have paid for.

I am responsible for checking peoples membership rights as they enter my class. Now that my numbers are growing I have to count the number of people entering to make sure that the room will be safe and effective for everyone. FYI, I have about 2 minutes to do all of this.

Should an accident happen in any class, the teacher is the one that will be scrutinised first to make certain that all protocols were followed. For example, did the clients have the proper foot wear and if not were they warned that they are at risk? Some clients forget their shoes and want to lift weights when they are barefoot. I have to make sure that they know there is risk involved. Some clients insist on chewing gum or having candy in their mouths while working out. This is a huge choking hazard and it is prohibited in our facility. I check shoelaces etc. Yesterday there was a new client doing aerobics too close to people's bags and he was at risk for tripping, so I had to tell him to move ahead.

I am there early to make sure that fire exits are clear. That the equipment is safe. That the floor is free from debris and that I have all of the equipment that I will need for all of the students who are going to show up.

All to say that my mind is on a million things not to mention delivering the program that I have designed.

So though I do my best to deliver this program with a cheerful smile on my face, if I seem a bit distracted it is because I have a concern within the room.

Ultimately we are all there to have fun, exercise and get in shape.

I love my job and my students.

Thank you to all of my students who help me out in whatever way that they can, be it putting away equipment or greeting new students.

Together we make magic happen every single day!

See you soon,
Beth

Mind Over Medicine?

I am reading this fascinating book written by Lissa Rankin, a medical doctor who believes that we can use the mind to prevent and heal disease.

For years, we have known that exercise and proper eating can help us to prevent disease and in some cases reverse disease altogether. I have had people tell me that they were able to get off of blood pressure, diabetes and osteoporosis medications simply by eating better and exercising regularly.

I therefore have a front row seat as I watch people heal themselves without medicine, so it is not a huge leap for me to consider that the mind can play a very large role in helping us to feel better.  I see it everyday when I tell people that they have to believe that they can achieve their goals. Instead of telling yourself that you cannot balance on one leg to save your life, tell yourself that you can and you will be able to improve with practice.

I have written about the power of negative self talk before.

"I'm fat."
"I'm weak."
'I'm not flexible."
"I can't dance."
"I'm old."
"I can't learn new things."
"I'm sick."
"I can't do push-ups."

These are powerful statements that make certain you are exactly what you proclaim to be.

Dr. Rankin has explains that many times patients are able to heal themselves without medication and this inspired her to leave her practice and study the power of the mind. She explains how our thoughts can change our physiology.

"It is not enough to focus solely on the body without taking into account the health of the mind."

We have made wonderful advancements in medicines and cures for all kinds of diseases and yet we are sicker than we have ever been on the whole. Why?

I ask myself this question all of the time. "If my clients claim that they are eating properly and exercising everyday, what is keeping the weight on? Why are they not improving?"

To me the answer has to be in their minds. All of the veggies and sit-ups in the world cannot cure depression. If our thoughts are full of sadness or desperation, there is only so much I can do to help.

When we are stressed our body stops the ' repair phase,' that comes when we rest. If we are never able to rest our minds completely so that our bodies can recover from the day, we stay in a constant low hum stress state. When we play out difficult scenarios in our heads over and over again, we re-live the stress and our bodies do not know the difference between the actual threat or the perceived danger. The response is the same. 'We are under attack, be at the ready!!' So stress hormones remain high and even if you are eating well and exercising, your body cannot benefit completely because it cannot rest.

In her book, Dr. Rankin suggests that as much as possible we need to choose situations that promote a "relaxation response," so that our bodies can switch into healing and repair mode.

Stress is hurting us more than we know.

If you are having trouble reaching your fitness goals, I strongly recommend that you take a closer look at your life in general. What is going on that may be affecting your health negatively?  Seek out someone to talk to and see if there may be underlying stress that is sabotaging all of your efforts.

If you are at all interested in knowing more, I recommend that you pick up with book. She gives so many wonderful ideas on how to balance our lives.

Have a great day and see you soon.
Beth