With the holiday rush coming to a close, many of us are looking at 2012 with great optimism and gusto. New year’s resolutions give us a sense of vision and direction for how to appropriate our priorities in the coming months. In nature too, the winter phase of stillness and conservation is at it’s peak, with just a few more weeks until spring obliges the earth to bring forth what she has been preparing. There is a danger when setting out to fulfill resolutions however. The desire to reach a goal or to see results too quickly can lead to serious disharmony of the body/mind system, usually resulting in burnout and disappointment. The energy of nature at this time is still in it’s preparatory phase and is best utilized in a patient and methodical manner. The following are some common new year’s resolutions and some basic nature based strategies for how to initiate each in a manner that will lay the foundation for positive gradual growth, and an unstoppable momentum.
Excercise:
Every year gyms become packed with flocks of people nurturing their resolutions, and yet by March many have hung them up from burnout or lack of results. A few tips:
Patience is a virtue:
Your body will adapt to, and quickly resist drastic increases in energy expenditure. Try 3 days a week of exercise to start for those of you just beginning an exercise program. Consistency is key here. Use the scale every few days for encouragement and to keep abreast of when you have hit a plateau. You can then increase your days in partnership with your body and ensure long term success.
Pump It Up!:
Many do not know this, but resistance or weight training is the optimum way to burn fat while nourishing your muscles and blood vessels. Your metabolism will burn at the rate of exercise for up to 48 hours following a strength based workout such as yoga or weightlifting.
Hired Hands:
It is not a bad idea to employ the knowledge of a personal trainer in the beginning stages of resistance training. Proper form while exercising is the best way to remain in partnership with your body and ensure long term success with exercise. Many gyms offer one or two free sessions with their staff trainers. Why not let them show you around the gym, and take advantage of their expertise? Most importantly, listen to your body!
Diet:
It is not uncommon after the holiday festivities for people to want to reduce the extra ‘love’ they put on at the holiday get togethers. Maybe you just want to fit into your clothes more comfortably. Here are some tips on how to begin:
Ready, Set, Go!
Keep a log of what you naturally choose to eat over 3 days. Then go to http://www.coheso.com and use their calorie calculator to calculate how many calories you are taking in on average. From there you can choose lower fat options, and modify your carbohydrate intake to support a healthy gradual shift that will not prompt your body to fight you in your fat reduction efforts.
Take it easy:
When you notice the scale coming to a halt or see-sawing between 1 or 2 lbs, it means your body has adjusted to the energy input (calories). Try dropping your carbohydrate intake by 25%, and keep your protein intake the steady. This will allow your metabolism to continue burning, while not prompting your body to resist burning excess fat for fuel.
Consult a Nutritionist:
Having someone support you in reaching your goals with specialized knowledge of the body’s functioning is a great way to stay motivated and feel secure in your efforts.
Til Death Do Us Part:
If you want to avoid the yo-yo effects of dieting and reap the benefits of knowing that you are completely in charge of your body composition, think about what high fat/high carbohydrate foods are on your favorites list, and which you can reduce to once in a while. It will take some honesty and dedication to become fully conscious about what you put into your body, but the results of your work will speak for themselves.
Finances:
Aside from it being tax time, many people use the new year as an opportunity take a look at their expenditures and see where their finances could be managed more effectively. As winter is the season of storage and conservation, this is a great time for such a movement. The more costly holidays have just passed and there is plenty of time to clean up spending habits. A few tips to make your dollars go all the way:
Making a list, and checking it twice:
Make a list of all your monthly bills. Make sure to include magazine and satellite radio subscriptions, groceries, clothes allowance, etc. Subtract this number from your monthly income and you will see how much expendable income is left. Now you can create a plan based on real time finances, not just living ‘check to check’.
Divide and Conquer:
If all your money is in your checking account, and it is connected to a debit or ATM card, it is likely to be burning a hole in your pocketbook. Why not use your checking account only for outgoing expenses, while keeping the rest of your cash in a savings account. It will require some effort to access, and yet it will empower you to be more conscious of spending.
Executive Decisions:
If your expendable income is not what you’d like it to be once your monthly expenses list has brought it to light, take a look at those items which can be reduced or eliminated. You’ll have to do some soul searching with this one, but the money you free up could mean taking that trip you never thought possible, or making the purchase of a lifetime. What about your cable bill and magazine subscription? Could you live with just a cell phone as opposed to a cell and a landline? What is most important to you this year?
As we move through life our needs change just as the seasons on earth. Disease within occurs when we resist life’s movement due to our attachment to ways of being that no longer serve us. Acupuncture is an excellent way to come into alignment with what one’s true needs are now, the movement of the season, and provides an opportunity to see how honoring these needs can assist one in achieving their health and life goals.