When I was a kid, whenever I stayed over at my grandma’s house in Rockville Centre New York, she’s wake up and walk to her neighborhood church, every single morning without fail. I’d scratch my head about it, because six days out of the week, there was no mass or service. She’d go regardless, service or not, and simply sit in a pew all by herself, holding her rosary beads. Church was a non-negotiable for...
The only thing playing on the TV in my household is sports – basketball, football, tennis, golf, baseball….there is always a sporting event on the screen. I’ve learned to embrace it, and I’m actually very inspired by athletes. They are outstanding examples of self-mastery. One of the most universal things among the top athletes, no matter what the sport, is they are their own best cheerleader. They give themselves a fist pump, a subtle head nod and a “Let’s...
Workout with Ellen and learn how to thrive in this three-part, three-hour live and in-person workshop spotlighting the two greatest self-help tools of all time, your body and your mind. The first hour is a feel-good fusion flow workout, barefoot, low-impact and for all fitness levels. The second hour is a seated discussion with demonstrations of powerful mental strategies that direct focus and build resilience. The third and final hour finishes strong with a lovely...
There will always be a legitimate excuse NOT to workout. Here are the one’s I’ve heard just this week: “It’s too hot outside.”“I slept horribly last night.” “We lost power during yesterday’s storm & it still hasn’t returned.”“Traffic was bumper-to-bumper.”“I forgot my water bottle.” Sure, they’re all legit. Each one is a perfectly good reason to not workout. However, most excuses are self-sabotage, and you and I need to be mentally on guard and see them as such. Nine times...
I can get really puffy. My puffiness manifests first in my face, especially around my eyes, but then it goes all over, throughout my whole body. There are culprits: air travel really makes me puffy. Drinking alcohol makes me puffy. Eating excess salt (potato chips!) makes me puffy. Not moving makes me puffy. Q: What’s the remedy for puffiness?A: Exercise and water. (Easy peasy!)All forms of exercise will do, but to get slightly more intentional, I...
I often refer to the front body as the sun and the back body as the moon. By waking up the front body you let the sun shine in and it does three immediate things: To my northern hemisphere folks, Summer Solstice Blessings to you. How about celebrating with front body extension? One caveat – it’s gotta be whole front body extension, not just your heart center. That means stretching the tops of your ankles, your quadriceps, hip flexors, and...
The next time you get to enjoy live theater, whether it’s Broadway, off-broadway or way way off-broadway, try to pay attention to how much energy the actors on stage emote. They speak, sing, and move at heightened levels. Even their facial expressions are giving energy. It’s probably why some of us leave the theater with a buzz that lasts for days. “There’s nothing like live theater.” We’ve heard that sentence a hundred times, right? But why is it said over and over...
As a fit pro/independent contractor, I’ve always worked on Saturdays. And during the week, it’s common for me to have an early morning job, return home for almost the entire day, and then head out again for work in the late afternoon. Usually, I don’t work on Tuesdays, but this week, I’ve got a corporate group that day. You could say my schedule is all over the place! Year after year, I thought my lack of a work routine didn’t...
I’ve been on a big “nervous system kick” lately and one of the biggest enemies to a happy, healthy and regulated nervous system is a workout that is too intense. What is too intense? That’s the million dollar question and the answer is: everything and nothing! It’ll be different for each and every one of us, AND it’ll be different from one day to the next. Movement is movement. The way in which we approach movement is what makes or breaks it....
Apparently, I’m extra sensitive. I can get angry, sad and disgusted very very easily. Litter on the side of the road? Anger. An injured kitten? Sad. The ingredients in fast food? Disgusted! These “negative” emotions, when they hit me, hit me straight in the heart chakra. There’s a tightening to my chest muscles, a collapse of my posture, and a restriction in my breathing. Yup, it’s as if an arrow pierces my heart. Not coincidentally, ancient yogi’s, long long ago, named the heart region of the body “anahata”...
