Life and happiness

I tried to cut and paste a great article by Erika Isler (my cousin by marriage, a very cool lady and a life coach) but it is not formatted in a way that will allow me to do it.

She talked about setting goals that were not "punishing" but that make us happy. I vote yes. One of the beautiful things that come with getting older is that very simple things make me happy. For Christmas this year, one of my best friends (Susan) , Kurt and I made and ate an amazing gourmet dinner. Well, truth me told, I assisted and Susan (who is an amazing cook) made a wonderful dinner. We get the twins tonight and will have our "Christmas" tomorrow morning. In my younger years, the fact that I was not with my kids ON the 25th would have ruined the holiday. I would have missed the simple joy of wonderful food and company because the day wasn't the stereotypical Christmas I have always known. There is such a beauty to traditions and doing things the same as when we were children. What I have found however is that life doesn't always allow or lend itself well to what we imagine is "best" or perfect. Letting go of the control of what our holidays, bodies, families and lives should look like, can allow us to be happy with whatever shape they happen to take.

As we watched yet another tacky, sappy Christmas special (I am the biggest sap about this time of year and Kurt has surrendered to the fact that we will have music/special overload), Kurt casually said "You know, I always thought I would have a big family and live in a big house. But then again, I thought I would marry my high school sweetheart". That may have hurt some wive's feelings. I laughed. I met his high school sweetheart and she was great. She married a man she is crazy about and I would choose her as a friend if our paths had ever crossed in our lives.

When we met, it was instantly clear to both of us that we were a perfect fit. This in itself was and is shocking. I was in the middle of a very difficult divorce, was a single mother of 5 year old twins and my heart was not open to anyone. I never wanted to get married again and was very vocal about it. I was looking for a fast cyclist to train with and that was all. Kurt was younger than I was, never married, successful and always wanted kids and marriage. His friends thought he had lost his mind. On paper, even I hated the sound of it. Successful and gorgeous 37 year old investment banker, never married and a 39 year old single mother of twins. UGH.

Amazingly, Kurt (and his family) never batted an eyelash or questioned it. I sure did. Letting go of the "expectations", labels and resumes that life thrust upon us (me) allowed me to see how perfectly perfect our family was. Kurt's Mom said to me (nearly fainted) "Kurt bought his house, just waiting for you guys to show up and be a family". The first day (this is less than a week after our first date so it could have gone very differently) I met his father, we had lunch and went sailing. At the table, my cell phone rang and it was the twins. As I walked away to take the call I almost cringed for Kurt's sake as he would have to explain to his parents who was on the phone. When we were getting ready to leave that day, I went back into the house and his Dad said "Kurt, on a scale of 1 to 10, she's about an 11". I still can't type that without crying. I had wished for a father to say that about me my whole life.

I learned from this family, that beauty and happiness are there for us to see and embrace. If in our stubborness, we insist on judging ourselves ,each other and our lives, we can be miserable too. How differently it could have all gone.

So much of our happiness, success and joy are found not in our "reality" but in our perception of that reality. We have the ability to learn, grow and choose our joy. This year, as we consider "New Year's Resolutions", let's adjust our lenses and see clearly, lovingly and openly our own lives and our "selves". Life will fly by in an instant and spending it trying to impress other people or making our lives appear to be anything besides what we ourselves want them to be, is the ultimate waste of the gift we have been given.

Story von Holzhausen

"blue' colored glasses/big news

It seemed much easier to see the world through "rose colored glasses" when I was younger. It was a survival instinct for me. As life has stabilized and become far less dramatic, it is more "logical" to see the hurdles and snags that lay ahead.

It seems when our lives are happy in general, the "problems" stand out pretty blaringly and it is easy to give them center stage when they really don't deserve it. Imagine how many people would gladly "swap" our problems for theirs. Sometimes it feels like it is in our nature to "find drama" and hold the things that don't work in our lives under a microscope. Blowing them up to poster size and allowing them to blot out all the amazing parts.

I have noticed that people (especially women) never see how great they look (being my job, I hear about this a lot) until they look back at photos from years back. When they were living in the body that they realize was"fit and wonderful", they had too may complaints to see the big picture. I have seen this so many times over the years I can laugh when I look at my own photos. We "miss" the moments we are living sometimes. We dont' realize that these are the some of the best of our lives. Blogging is a strange thing. All I can write about is my own life. I would never break the confidences of my clients, students and friends to talk about their lives so I am stuck with mine. Not for a second do I think anyone cares (nor should they) about my life very much but it is the only example I can use to try to connect with my fellow man. More than anything in life, I hope to use my experiences here ( especially the bad ones) to try to make a positive impact. So much of our lives are spend in small talk and carefully side stepping the parts of our lives and depth of our selves that could lead to a better understanding of each other and of ourselves. I am not waiting to be an old lady (although I am half way there) to be a bit eccentric. There is enough "photo shopping" in life to waste my time with it.

The issues I am working on right now are big ones. The ability to see my life through rose colored glasses is a gift I never really appreciated until it became harder. As a teen ager, all I had was my hopes for the future and my ability to not see my life when I walked in the front door of my house. At school, I was a carefree happy and breezy person. It was wonderful. Those hours were real and I got to be happy. We all have the power inside of us to have joy in our lives right now. Like a skill or muscle, it takes practice and training to keep up the ability.

This year I am on an amazing journey. As most of you know, Kurt and I have been working our way through the infertility saga for years. When we lost our twins and I was hospitalized with major complications, I lost the ability to carry a baby. Have I been bummed about that ? Amazingly, not as much as you would think. We are very blessed to have embryos left from the start of our journey (at this point that was 4 years ago !). This year we have had the amazing chance to find and get to know a very special woman who will be a surrogate for us.

I have debated as to whether I wanted to blog about this or not. It is intensely personal. It was my surrogate who asked me if I would. Our hope is that sharing this journey will inspire and touch other people's lives. I am still trying to decide where the appropriate "home" for our joint blog will be. For now, I wanted to share this:

I am grateful for the difficulties that my family has had over the last 4 years with infertility and loss. Through the hard times, I saw the beauty of my friends(. Sharon was in the hospital with my so many time, she deserved a metal.) My students, family and friends made me realize how amazingly blessed we are. We grew as a family having shared the challenges. Even the miracle of childbirth (if it happens) will be all the more beautiful for the sharing with another woman and a family that my own family has had the honor to get to know.

I am making a promise to myself to hold onto that ability to see the world through rose colored glasses. You do not see any less clearly. You simply have the joy of the moment.

"That Time of Year"

This is a crazy time of year. It seems every year older I get, time speeds by at more alarming rate. I find it harder to "bother" with the decorations and hoopla when I know I will just have to take it all down again. If I didn't have kids, I would not bother at all. When I stop for a minute and remember the awe and joy I used to get around the holidays, it is a little sad that it has lost it's splendor for me. There is something deeper about it now that is more beautiful but much more evasive and subtle. If I am not careful, I will miss it. I know all of you (especially the Moms about my age) will relate when I talk about the lack of desire to get "done up" and go out. I used to love to get dressed up. In my work I don't really have to be "dressed" ever. In my younger days, I had a whole wardrobe for my weekends. Not so much now. The thought of having to get dressed up enough to go out to eat is so unappealing to me, I would rather order in.....

Taking care and "joy" in decorating ourselves or at this time of year, our houses or apartments, gets harder as we get older and busier. I have a feeling that somehow it is more important than ever for that exact reason. Our days, our years and our lives pass by faster and faster. Taking the time and effort to celebrate them while we are IN IT. Is really important. Every time I bother to get "done" (usually inspired by a friend who knows how good it is for me), I feel differently about my "self". There is a feeling of "ah yes, I remember you". Before I was a wife and a mother, I was just "me". You were just you. It was fun.

Spend some time with that "you" this holiday season. Get dressed. Decorate your living space. Light that candle that you save for a special occasion. We get to pick if our own lives and experiences are "special" enough. The years will pass by regardless. Let's choose to take the time and the energy to celebrate and mark our time here together. For our children but also for ourselves. We are worth the memories.

Life Phases

I heard from one of my students who moved this week. One of reasons I love what I do is getting to really connect with amazing people. It is always hard to "lose" someone to a move. Especially since I do not teach where they are moving.

Every year when I do my "6 week challenge", I am amazed at how every single person who signs up is lonely on some level. The most beautiful and exciting person/life has "holes" in it. Areas that are lacking on some level. The feeling of connecting, being "seen" and loved are what make us happy. Knowing we are valued,making a difference in someone else's life and sharing a bond with another human being are as needed as food and water if we are to "thrive".

In all phases of life, we ache for something and mourn the loss of something else. When we are children, we want to "be older" and we want our freedom passionately. Never realizing the responsibility and stress that comes with it. We search for a "life mate" or we search for Mr/Mrs. Excitement. The journey and beauty of the search is only seen clearly in hindsight. Every one of my single friends laments their singledom. Anyone married (who is honest with themselves) will admit that there is a kind of "loss" in the mystery of "how your life will unfold" being behind you. You can love your spouse deeply and have a very satisfying marriage but the thrill of discovering someone and "falling in love" is behind you.

As a Mother of twins, I remember asking everyone "when does it get easier?". I laugh at that question now. "It" doesn't get harder or easier, it just changes. You have to physically work with a baby. Changing diapers, feeding, bathing etc. As your child grows, you have to "direct" them into doing those things themselves (hopefully not changing diapers but you get the idea). Some days, I think it was easier when I could just do it myself. The worries change and we swap one issue for another as we journey through life. I used to worry that my kids might get burned by a hot stove. Now I worry about them being burned by an unkind word.

At 44, I find it harder to have "fun". Having been blessed with quite an eventful life, there is not much I "can't wait for". I am grateful for the security and peace of my life but at the same time, I see my "unsettled" friends and see the fun and beauty of the "searching" that they can't see.

All of us move through phases of our lives. Some are clearly awesome. Some really do stink. Mostly, they have an olio of extremes and gentle waves of happiness and challenges. What a gift it would be (to ourselves) if we were able to see with clarity, while we are "IN IT", the wonder of our own lives exactly where we are right now.

Story

The Honesty of Trees

I love Fall. It is a time where I feel we are the most in touch with the earth. We celebrate the trees as they transform to living fire. The smell of fall, crisp air, leaves, apples and the age old feeling of "harvest time" are some of the reasons I love this season so much.

Although I can't remember exactly how old I was when I learned this, I remember thinking it was the coolest thing I had ever: The color the leaves turn in fall are their "true" color. The colors were there all along. The chlorophyll (green) that infuses the leaves and functions to take in and convert energy, completely hides the colors.

The tree and therefore the leaves need the chlorophyll to survive and it functions as their equivalent of food. As humans, we go beyond our brother trees and wrap ourselves in needed and unneeded layers. We create some layers and steal from other animals to create some. We do this in order to survive and in some cases we do this to hide or to create our "Self" from ourselves or others.

What if we could see the colors in each other under our layers of fashion and fear? I wonder at how few people would ever have the courage to look at their own foliage let alone let the world see it.

There is an honesty to the trees that I admire. When the "season" comes to let go of the illusion and of the "youth" of Spring and Summer, it does. The beauty is astounding. There is an inspiration there for all of us if we care to see it.

Story von Holzhausen

getting back to blogging

I ran into a friend/student today. One of those people who are like a bright light that shines on you when they smile. She asked me if I was ok because I hadn't blogged in a long time. It was great to know that she was reading the blog but I realized that it has been a very long time since I have reached out and connected with all of you.

This has been a tough few months for me in some ways and a wonderful stretch in others. Classes are amazing and I feel inspired and moved by all of you. I am so lucky to get to do what I do for a living. Some of you will have noticed that I have had some joint pain the last few months and have been sick to my stomach. I can't imagine anything could ever keep me from doing all the things I love but it has been a bit harder lately.

One of the reasons I have not blogged is that I wanted to have some resolution before I opened up about it. Life rarely gives us the "resolution" we want so we need to find the peace within ourselves and enjoy the journey.

Keep tuned in and I will keep up my blogging .....

Story von Holzhausen

A few of my favorite things

I wanted to share a few things that I have discovered (or in some cases rediscovered) that are great:

1) Thermos Large Stainless Steel Hydration Bottle

It is a large bottle but ice will stay ice overnight even in the heat of August as I walk around. AMAZING !

2) You can take out the insoles of your shoes/cycling shoes and wash them. Often.

3) Athlete's foot powder in your shoes can help keep your feet smooth (that hard skin is often yeast/fungus based)

4) Reading is such a great way to travel, explore and live a million lives w/very little money. This year's picks:

a)George R.R. Martin's "A Game of Thrones" series. (I reread the whole thing this year because after 6 years the 5th book is finally out)

b) Cutting for Stone

c) Fall On Your Knees

5) Kat Von D tattoo concealer (it is light, does't run or show and can hide anything)

6) Benefit "Girl Meets Pearl". This stuff rubbed into your cheekbones makes your skin look perfect

7) Apifeni clothing for working out. So brilliant to put body shaping technology into workout wear. Compression helps recovery.

8) NibMor chocolate bars. They are sweetened with Agave

9) Vitamin Water Zero. The only easy to find drink sweetened with Stevia

summer love

I have been so remiss about blogging this summer. I got sucked into reading the George RR Martin series again after watching the HBO series and I was an addict all over again. I am not 5% away from finishing book 5 which took 6 years to come out. UGH.

I don't know where to begin in the praise of all my students ! This year has marked a huge growth in Liquid Strength® classes in NYC and the first time that there has been a class outside of NYC. Greenwich classes are as crowded and excited as all my NYC classes are.

I hope all of you are taking advantage of the delicious food that summer has to offer. I have been making myself Soft Shell Crabs. I never knew how EASY they are. I just lightly dust them with buckwheat flour and pan sear in olive oil. It takes 5 minutes and they are unbelievable. Cherries and watermelon have been my treat and daily splurge. YUM.

It will be really interesting when September comes around and everyone comes back to class how we are all going to fit in to the room....I have a feeling that it is time to add a few more classes.

Have a wonderful rest of summer everyone and I will see you in September !!!

The Best You

Standing in line at the grocery store, it is easy to get sucked into the sea of magazines that feed on tragedy, gossip and "who looks horrible in a bathing suit". These magazines stalk you when you get a haircut, see the dentist or have to wait in any room specially designed for just that purpose. The few times I am forced to get a manicure pedicure (I am not really a mani/pedi girl) for an event or job, I see women reading said "magazines" during the sacred half an hour they have managed to carve out of their busy lives that is supposed to be their "me time".

My viewpoint on "bottom feeding" is well documented here on my blog. (see "Global Spiritual Economy" post below). Nobody can feel good about themselves when they are knocking someone else down. Reading and supporting the selling of human misery is like passive bullying.

The next time the choice is there, pick up something to read that will teach you something. Working with people like I do on their "Self" and their "Self-worth", I see that all of us have talent and gifts to share with the world. Our biggest stumbling block is our "Selves". Many times as I try to help someone get to a great place physically, we discover that they are engaging in self abusive behavior. This can be in the form of feeding themselves badly, working themselves sick, a drinking or drug problem but more commonly, relentless self inflicted verbal abuse.

How can a person give and share with the world their "best self" if they can't find it ? Our lives are comprised of little decisions that we make every day. Your "Best You" is already there. Perfect , peaceful and patient. It is just waiting for you to stop chasing your tail and repeating the cycles of obsession and insecurity. Just let it go and decide that are going to be your own biggest fan and supporter.

Happiness attracts happiness. Joy radiates and spreads. Decide that you will be a a force of good in the world. Start by being a force of good in your own life and with the ultimate kindness towards your "self".

Story von Holzhausen

Story

The"fake it till you own it" trick

It is amazing how much of our lives and happiness is based on how we perceive. As I get older, I am less ticklish. I also am not afraid of needles or pain. Perhaps Liquid Strength has something to do with it, but I have learned to have a lot more "say" about how my body perceives stimuli. Even the emotional kind.

We get to choose how we experience our lives, our selves and the people around us. "Truth is the daughter of time" is my favorite quote. It allows me to sit back and let myself and those around me "figure it out". Justice, honesty and good will reveal themselves with time. False fronts will slip away and show their cracks.

In my work, I get to have intense personal connections with such a wide range of people. Even the physical boundaries of our society are not relevant in what I do. I can't count how many times in a day I reach out and put my hands on my students/clients bodies and move them into position. The places I normally touch would be beyond inappropriate in any other setting.

Perception forms our "truth". That truth will be different when viewed through someone else's eyes. Insecurity, fear and confidence in most adults are based in their perceptions of themselves, their bodies and their belief system of how they themselves are perceived. Some of the most beautiful people I know, are deeply insecure. The attention and pressure that they feel can be daunting. Many of my more famous clients suffer the most from this pressure. What I have noticed is that they have a kind of "persona" that they slip on when viewed by the "public". This persona is part protection, part costume and only partially based on reality.

The ability to project the image they wish the world to see is a gift. It allows them to "be" that image in many ways. I call this the"fake it till you own it" trick. Our posture, our aura and our "presence" all send a message to the world. More importantly, they send a message to us. The more we feel that we are something special and "worthy", the more we become just that.

Vanity and ego are the exact opposite of true confidence. They are "needy". A person who believes in their worth, does not need the attention of everyone around them. The irony is that such a person will get just that.

My son asked me while back, "Mommy, what is it to be cool?". That gave me pause. I had to think about it a while. Sometimes it seems (through our teenage perception) that "cool" can mean aloof, apathetic or even mean. What I told him is this "being cool is when you don't need anyone else to think you are cool, because YOU think you are".

We all have so much to give. There are opportunities for kindness and generosity throughout our day. The better we feel about ourselves and the less time and energy we waste on insecurity, the more we have to give to the world. Just like training our bodies, we can train our minds. We can begin to change the dialogue in our brains from "I am so fat/old/ugly/stupid" to "I perfectly embody myself". "I have so much to give the world". "There is so much power within me". We can all "Fake it till we own it". There is a grain of truth in nearly every statement. Nurturing the grains of truth that we want to believe and to be, is the most important job we have. We all have the power to change ourselves, our lives and the world. All we need to do is begin.

Story von Holzhausen

Rediscovery

Most of us like our routines. We get into our "grooves" and like it there. The day begins with our morning ritual and stretches out from one to the next in the patterns of our days. It is human nature to crave routine. From the time we are babies, it helps us function.

The downside to these routines is that they make our comfort zone very rigid. We begin to cease having to think or adjust ourselves to new stimuli. There was a study this year that showed that simply changing our route to work every day can help us keep our brains healthy. Some routines I find myself trying to get into. A routine of flossing I have done but can't seem to motivate myself to master one for my skin.

This year I have made a conscious effort to form some routines (like organization and household chores) while losing the routines that are not useful to my daily life. There is a real challenge to keep our passion and our "edge" with things that are so common to us that we cease to see them. Most of us have a job we have done for many years. We are likely good at or in this economy, we wouldn't have it anymore. When we began this job, we likely had a passion for breathing new life into it and doing it better than anyone ever did. I find with age, many people are threatened by new ideas or anything that may question how we do things. That is the very attitude that will limit us and "age" us. The moment we think we know it all, is the moment we cease to get better.

I have been teaching indoor cycling for 17 years. This year I have rediscovered it. Not an easy feat but a wonderful thing to have happen. Liquid Strength is a constantly evolving entity. That is why it is so special. The road will never end in a destination but continue on a journey leading us to a better place both physically and mentally/emotionally. Let's try to take that growth into our lives and rediscover how fun and challenging our lives are.

Story von Holzhausen

beautiful

I love that word. Beautiful. The weather right now is just that and what a difference in our lives it makes. The funny thing about beauty is that you really can't define it. It means something different to everyone. Beauty can be a superficial thing or the deepest and most profound of praise. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Beauty is as beauty does. There are endless cliches I could quote but I will spare you.

When it comes to people, I have learned that beauty (the superficial kind) can give you an advantage or a handicap. It seems that we all find people who are confident the most attractive. In many cases, just thinking you are "gorgeous' is enough to convince everyone around you of that fact.

It is amazing how much power we can give to the elusive quest for beauty. We cannot even see ourselves unless we choose to look in a mirror but yet our day can be ruined if we don't like what we "see". We could just "opt out" of the whole thing and just not look. The reality is that it would make very little difference, I mean, we can FEEL it if our bodies are uncomfortable or (in my case anyway) our noses are too big to fit in a glass when we drink but otherwise, as long as everything is working properly, why should care ? You sure as heck don't see any other animals worrying about such a silly thing. Yet for many people, a big part of their self worth comes from how they are perceived by others. Many times by strangers.

What if everyone chose to believe themselves to be "beautiful"? What if we were sure that everyone who saw us thought we were a perfect 10 ? How would our lives change? The reality is that they wouldn't very much. We would either love our jobs or not, be lonely or not and be happy or not. All that really matters is what YOU think of yourself. Yours is the only opinion you hear about all day long.

In my younger years, it mattered so much to me that everyone "like" me. I find as I get older, it really isn't about me. As long as I do the best I can to be good and do good, the lens with which the world will view me, isn't mine. Each person's lens will be clouded by past experiences, their own fears and insecurities and personal taste. It is really "none of my business" what anyone thinks of me. The important people in our lives are of course are a different matter but anyone walking down the street, if they notice us at all (and as we get older we very happily realize that everyone is far too busy with their own baggage to notice US), it is none of our business.

A very clear way to find happiness is to live our lives so that we like the person we are. The less we need validation from others, and the less time and energy we waste seeking it, the more we have to give. I find that training hard and gaining strength both physically and mentally, I earn my own respect. I can see from watching all of you, that you earn yours too. The most beautiful people I know are those who seem to have peace within themselves. They have such a strong base in their sense of "self" that they are not egocentric or boastful (these are hallmarks of insecurity). They are truly interested in learning / growing and excited for the success, talent and joy of others.

Every one of is responsible for the health and strength of our bodies. We are also responsible for the maintenance of our souls and minds. The more we feed ourselves and the stronger we get, the more we have to offer the world.

Where is spring ?

The weather is a reminder of just how much we don't control our world. As much as we think we do, the reality is that much of our lives hinge on fate/god/karma whatever it is you believe in. That can be a scary thought or a beautiful one. I am reading an amazing book called "Cutting For Stone" right now. It is set in Ethiopia but the characters are Indian. The god Shiva is the god of destruction. As Americans, we have a hard time understanding how a god that causes destruction could ever be good. If you think about it, the end of anything is the beginning of something else. When our lives change, we learn. With every turn of the road , we take in different scenery and are forced to take stock of our surroundings and even our own footfall. (If you have never seen the movie "Outsourced", it is a great film and shows with great humor exactly what I mean)

Looking back at my own life, I am grateful for the hardest times. The most difficult roads led me (even if the journey was agony at the time) to exactly the place I was supposed to be. That being said, I am grateful that I did not see the hard times coming. Not knowing exactly what will happen is a gift. It allows up to hope and dream. Perhaps the important thing is that we walk on our road with conviction and do our best to leave the people that we pass better for having crossed our paths.

Striving to better ourselves, whatever that means to you, is a journey too. You will have legs on your journey that don't feel "successful" to you. I truly believe that they are exactly the experience that you were meant to have. The secret is allowing yourself to "own" your limits and failures and learn from them. I like to think about the tough times in my life like muscle soreness. When I heal from it, I am going to be that much stronger.

Story von Holzhausen

5 weeks left

Hello all, I "left you all alone" over the weekend. After the first 3 days, one of 3 things happened:

1) You pretty much stuck to the three days because it was working and not as hard as you thought it would be.

2) You decided to add in some foods in and through some trial and error, feel ok about how it is going.

3) You intended to stay on the basic 3 day plan but to add some foods in and slipped off the deep end like it was a sheet of ice.

No matter which scenario fits, only 1 week has gone by and we have 5 left.

Sometimes, time is the hardest part of making change. We have to wait until the small shifts gather enough momentum to yield results we can feel and see. I would like to give some ground rules for everyone to follow. Some are specific to goals and some are for everyone.

For everyone:

1)Everyone should be doing 2xs of cardio a week and 2xs of strength training during this challenge. This can be power walking (intervals are best) or classes for cardio and push ups, walking lunges, weights or classes for strength training. Liquid Strength counts as one of each.

2) Doing your journaling and stretching/meditation daily (especially important to do during the time you normally eat badly to replace the behavior)

3) Read the blog, check into the facebook page or reach out to your teammates. Daily communication is really important.

4) Drink water with lemon in the morning and before dinner.

If your goal is weight loss:

1) exercise (even gentle)

2)Strength training that leaves you sore (especially larger muscle groups like glutes) during those twice weekly sessions.

3)Make dates with your teammates, trainers, DVDs etc. to work out.

4)Decide and plan for your eating plan.

If your goal is inner related (even if you wouldn't mind dropping a few pounds too)

1) Focus your journaling on what you are experiencing or not experiencing in your day. Watch for the emotional triggers that bring about the desire to self sabotage. What makes you feel good/bad about yourself during your day.

2) Take a very practical look at your day. Are there ways to make your life simpler ? Could you ask for help. Even hire a college student to do tasks that would allow you to have better quality attention on what is really important?

3) Write down what changes you would like to make and slowly push the boundaries around you towards a place that is healthier for you.

4) Take some time to focus on your belief system. (this can mean religion, philosophy, friendships etc.). What do you truly believe in ? What are you passionate about? If you never had to work again, what you choose to do? These are very important questions. The more closely we can align our lives up with what we love and what we believe we are supposed to be doing, the happier we are.

Answer these questions:

1) I feel best about myself when I am doing ________

2) I admire _______ in my friends.

3) I have always wanted to __________

4) I wish I could _________

5) I think I am really good at _________

Let yourself answer these unedited and then go back and read them. What can learn about the life you would like to have. One of the hardest challenges is finding the answers to these questions. Maybe you have no idea what you are passionate about. To be interesting, even to ourselves, we have to have passion about what we do in our lives. Finding that passion and fostering it's growth is perhaps the most important thing we can do in our lives.

I would love to hear what all of you do that you are passionate about. You can email the group or post on the facebook page etc. I will go first:

1)My children, dogs and friends

2)making a difference in women's lives and how they feel about themselves

3) reading and crossword puzzles

4) learning and curiosity

With 5 weeks left, we can really do so much

Story von Holzhausen

"Global Spiritual Economy"

As we watch Japan in the aftermath of this tragedy and send our thoughts out to all the people suffering, conversations in our house have been enlightening. My son (10) asked me "Mommy, how do you survive a Tsunami?". I had no answer for him. Some things are too big and hit too fast to have a plan for. I asked Kurt (he is in finance and I am learning that there is a beauty and an art to the web and movements of the economy) how this will effect Japan's economy and how it will effect the world. I was an Art Major (health major). I loved studying art history. The art of any given period reflects the "pulse" of the time and people it was created around. It expresses the politics, sociology and social trends, giving a much fuller understanding of the culture it was created in. Money and finance has never been of any interest to me. I am learning that (and this is amazing to me) the "global economy" is a lot like art. If you watch the history and movement of "the money" in the world, you will see the history of almost every major discovery and development of man kind.

When I asked Kurt if the tragedy in Japan will change the economy here, the answer was a beautiful one. He said "Many people will imagine that was is bad for someone else must be good for us but it doesn't work like that. It is a global economy. It is like we are a big woven structure and all the countries of the world are threads that interlock. What is bad for one is bad for all. The whole structure is damaged and comes down."

This "global economy" is beautiful to me when I think about it like that. I can see that there is a "spiritual global economy". Every one of us is a string that is woven into the web of mankind. The trend towards "green" and "giving" that is happening in our country and world is elevating all of us. Unfortunately, on the other side of the balancing scale, we have tabloids, hacking, scams, gossip and celebrity news.

No single person can change the world but every single person can help keep the part of that weave above their heads elevated. By living an authentic life and giving what you can when you can, you help keep that interlocking web over our heads, up. Sometimes just saying hello and looking someone in the eye is a "gift". There a million little ways to do good built into our days. Every minute we make decisions of what our behavior, actions and thoughts will be. We teach our children by how we speak to taxi drivers and if we even notice the person bagging our groceries. I truly believe that our own happiness is directly connected to our behavior towards others. Karma isn't something that is off in the distance like some big abacus counting out the good and bad of our lives. Karma is here and now. We live in joy or misery we express in our words and deeds.

If you imagine that "global spiritual economy" as a web like a tent that keep us safe, we keep that web up by our deeds, thoughts and intentions. When tragedy strikes (and it will) and that tent comes crashing down on our heads, we either push it back up or we are entangled in it and fall.

On a very small scale, we do this every day. How we judge others and ourselves. When we feel envy towards others and misery towards ourselves, we are lost and tangled in that web. How can we feel joy, acceptance and love for ourselves unless we can feel it towards everyone. There is no "competition". We are not kicking and crawling over each other to reach some prize. We are a team. We pull each other up. We stand on each other's shoulders and give each other a boost. If we don't all get there (wherever "there" is), nobody does.

If I could wave a magic wand and give you a perfect body, would you be happy? Do you want everyone around you to be jealous of you ? If we view our lives as a competition, we cannot ever "win". There is no joy in isolation and friction with the people around us. I believe that our physical beings are in many ways a reflection of who we are.

In this challenge, the biggest "challenge" is to reject the damaging pattern, that our culture seems to ferment, pitting one woman against another. (Obviously men too but women are far worse) We need to understand that our fibers are woven together. What uplifts one, uplifts us all. If you see someone (especially someone who has not been very nice to you) who has suddenly lost weight, married a great guy, been promoted or has a killer outfit, the hardwiring reaction is to be jealous and resentful. I get that. Ask yourself though, after you see that person and have that reaction, do you feel good about yourself ? No. You feel like a black cloud is following you and you feel "yucky" about the whole thing. If we can turn that around and understand that joy and "good" for one is good for all, you can change your life. This is not easy. Especially if you are in a place in your life that you are not happy. I believe without question that this is the secret of happiness though. To train yourself to truly feel joy for others. To not have it be "not about you", will free you. The web above your head will be lifted and you will be able to breath. Just like training a muscle, this will take some work and some pain may be involved. With time, you will get to actually enjoy it and it will get easier.

To view yourself without judgement and with joy, you must view all people that way. To have joy in your life you have to take joy in others. It is so simple and so logical. We have among us in the challenge some amazing women. Last night as I sat alone (a rare and splendid anomoly) watching Law and Order (my guilty pleasure), when Deb appeared. She was there on my television looking sultry and beautiful. I jumped in my chair. She was so impressive. I had a decision right then. I could be either A)threatened and jealous or B)really proud and happy for her. I chose the later. I emailed her right away. I felt great about seeing her and thinking she was so beautiful. The very opposite thing would have happened had I chosen option A. Within the safety net of our group, it is easier to feel "on each other's sides". Try to extend this beyond to the (this is real hard part) people who don't extend it for you.

I was talking to a model in our group. She is stunning. She was saying how hard it is around people from her home town. They treat her differently. She wonders if she has changed. Almost certainly, it is not "about her". The resentment and jealousy she must bring out in others must be terrible. She can feel it like a spider web she has walked through. Subtle and invisible put covering her. She is punished for her beauty through not fault of her own. She can't change this reaction. We can all learn from it though. How isolating and sad that her true beauty is wasted. Her friendship thrown away, leaving her lonely and sad and these "friends" feeling miserable for sure and certainly no better about themselves.

In my life, just like yours, there are people who are most certainly "not on my side". It is a struggle to be on theirs. That is what I need to be though. I can only change my behavior, thoughts and deeds. Sometimes, you fight that battle alone. To elevate and "love" someone who is doing their best to drag that net above your head down, is really hard. It takes constant training and exercise to stay strong enough to keep pushing it up.

I support you in this noble and exhausting "dance". Together we support each other. The real power of this challenge comes from that.

Story von Holzhausen

A Day 3 Note from Erika

Hello Again Challengers!

Now that everyone’s on their way and has nearly completed the first three days, I have a little assignment for you.

Please take a look at your to-do list for this week. If you don’t have one, take a few minutes to write down some things you would like to accomplish over the coming days. This can be related to your Six Week Challenge or not; the choice is yours.

After you write your items, take a few minutes to assess why you’re doing each thing on the list. For example, if you’ve written “I have to visit Aunt Pat,” and you’re not really all that crazy about Aunt Pat, ask yourself why you’re going to visit her.

Let’s tease this idea out a bit more. If your logic for what you’re about to do is something like, “Aunt Pat will be mad if I don’t visit,” or “My mom will be mad if I don’t visit Aunt Pat,” then there’s a little bit more going on in your story.

I’m asking you to look at your choices here and oh yes, you have many more choices than you’re aware of at this juncture. You make choices every day—we all do. Some choices will feel good—as in eating well and exercising. Other choices, like forcing yourself to visit Aunt Pat out of obligation or guilt, will feel, well, pretty crappy. But it’s still your choice.

So when you look at your list and think about why the item is even there, notice where you’ve internalized invisible words like “I have to” and “I should.” The reflexive use of these phrases is very common for us all and guess what? It tells us we have no choice, even when we do. It makes us feel victimized in our lives.

If this column gives you a little charge, that’s a small sign that something here resonates with you. Spend some time exploring your “have to’s” and your “should’s" on your lists. They’ve got some pretty important messages for you, about you.

Please don’t hesitate to email me directly if you have a question. I’m here to help and as always, I’m cheering you on!:)

Day 3 of our 3 day "kick off"

So many amazing emails. It is vital that any communication I have with you is private. No emails will never be shared without your permission. That being said, if I shared all of the communication here you would all be so riveted to your computer you would get no work done. The group of people doing this challenge are so impressive on so many levels that I am honored to be a part of it.

We live in a strange place. Sharon told me a story that summed it up quite nicely. She was in the elevator in Fairway (usually a zoo at all hours with very aggressive crowded customers). The store was nearly empty. Another woman got on the elevator and commented how nice it was to have the store so empty. Sharon said (such a classic line)"It's funny, we live in a crowded city full of people and we spend all of our time trying to get away from them". The exact words may have been different but the meaning was the same. A famous quote from Hopper (the artist who did the painting of the diner late at night) is "If you ever want to be completely alone, move to NYC".

Coming from a small town, I can tell you that you can live anywhere and feel this way. In a small town, everyone knows you. You walk out of your house, go to the mall or grocery store and others will hear about it. Good or bad things happen and people actually care (sometimes in a nice way but many times not in a good way). We seem to thrive on gossip and "reality tv". To watch as other's lives fall apart. Somehow this validates us that our lives are "better than that".

In NYC, nobody cares if your wearing your pajamas or if your hair is dirty. They don't know you and will never see you again. Once (very funny story) many years ago when I was teaching so much I couldn't eat enough or stay awake, I fell asleep eating a balance bar. I walked out of my apartment and glanced at myself as I left. The mirror was on the wall so I saw my left side. I sat reading in a coffee shop because at that time, it was my only company and I liked to be around other people in the morning. Everyone kept staring at me. We all know that living in NYC, this is unusual. Tourists may stare but we do not. When I walked back into my apartment, the mirror showed me my right side. I had part of said balance bar stuck in my ear and chocolate smeared over half my face. I laughed so hard. I would never see those people again and they had no idea who I was. In my home town, I would have been horrified. There is good and bad to both. In NYC, we have our privacy. We are not "big frogs in a little pond". The downside is when anyone asks us "how are you?", They really don't care.

The friendships and bonds we are forming here are breaking the "cubicals" we live in that isolate us from ourselves and each other here in NYC (and everywhere) . I can hardly wait to get everyone together !! We have decided (almost everyone) that thurs is better than wed (tonight). Next week we will be organizing a "night out" on wed.

If you have not had a perfect 3 days, please do not let it stop you from moving forward. I believe that getting three days under your belt when you are trying to change behavior really makes a difference. Sometimes it can take a few more days than three to get those days in. I am feeling my sinuses are better and my sleep is better. Later today I will blogging about next steps and some questions I would like you to consider while you decide what the next phase of the 6 week challenge will be or if you want to stay in this phase for a little longer.

Taking the time at night to write in your journals, stretch and meditate (I have also added cleaning up my apartment so I feel organized and wake up to a clean apt instead of watching any tv) at night should be just as important as changing your eating habits. We are trying to do behavior modification and new habits must replace old ones.

On the facebook page, I would love for you all to add some positive things you are going to try to add to your routine instead of snacking. Maybe Erika can chime in here and lead us with some self searching to better clarify our path. She is offering a special price to all of you for personal life coaching and by reading some of your responses, I believe many of you would gain more from a life coach than a trainer. The body is a reflection of the "self" and both need to be trained and worked on.

We would all love to hear how you feel today. What differences do you notice from eating this way? Good or bad. I have heard from many of you but everyone would love to hear all that I have been lucky enough to....

Day Two

I am hoping that we are still on track. Hearing from so many of you has been huge. The Facebook page and emails between teams have made the difference between all of your good intentions and the ability to really make changes in your lives.

I would love for all of you to post your recipes (we heard of some great ones yesterday on the email chains but for people outside your team, they missed them). Many of you will have noticed that I always teach with tissue next to my water bottle. I have a life long struggle with sinus issues. I have cleared my throat all my life and I have come to understand that it may be caused by "silent reflux" (eating at night causes acid to back up into your sinus and inflames and irritates them) or allergies or likely, both. One of my goals is to cease eating 2 hours before bed. This means a bigger lunch so my calories will remain constant but will make a difference in the quality of sleep for me and Kurt (I will snore less !!). Likely many of you would also benefit from this shif

If I were to program the food I ate yesterday into a nutritional program, I would likely have surpassed my RDAs on every vitamin and mineral. (not to mention all the flavanoids and antioxidants). For the same calorie consumption (I am trying to keep the same calorie base), the nutrients in all those fruits and vegetables are impressive. The same is true for you.

During these three days, the actual volume of food that you are eating should be much more than you are used to. You should be eating a wide array of colors on your plates. (Ironically, Sharon is doing a big campaign for just this. She was in Philly yesterday on their local Today Show). Every color indicates a different vitamin. She will likely chime in on this later.

Just as important as what you are eating right now is the addition of journalling and meditation (or quiet stretching) into your lives. I have decided to try to get my "splits" back by the end of this challenge.

Erika has offered a special for the 6 week challengers and I think for some of you this is perhaps the most important part of the challenge. Hopefully, she will also be writing a little guidance on what we can specifically be doing with our journalling to get the most out of it.The work on your life and on what is missing or not working is what will make true changes in YOU. Some of you have lost the weight before and found that "nothing had changed" and you gained it back. Many times, weight gain is a symptom only and we have to reach beyond the symptom into the real problem to change our lives. The biggest reason I believe Liquid Strength works, is the mind/body connection. When we conciously focus on finding the joy in our bodies and spend time "inside our bodies", actually listening, we change our relationship with our bodies and that is what changes our bodies.

It is hard to believe that tomorrow night will be the end of this "3 day cleanse/kick off". I would love for anyone who thinks they will make the get together (7-9:00 pm) to bring some simple food that helped them get through these days. This is not obligatory by any stretch but it would be fun.

Make sure you make it to classes this week. The group support is perhaps the most important aspect of all of this. There have been many studies into life longevity and illness and their connection to "community" and strong social ties. Living in NYC, we live side by side and painfully isolated at the same time.

Today, I would like for all of you to write something on the Facebook page. A recipe, an idea, an update. Some thought for the day to share, comment or even a question. I have my string tied around my right wrist and I am proud and excited for all of you and grateful for the gifts you will share.

Ongoing support through these 3 days

Hello 6 week challengers. We have added a few more to our ranks (some of you have never met but you have heard about this because someone who cares about you is excited about this and told you about it).

I will be emailing specific things to teams and a couple of emails that I think all of us need. I wanted to share a funny quote (Deb sent it this week)

"I don't fail, I discover what doesn't work"

We all have done that very successfully. Now we find what does work. The smallest group of challengers this year is the group that is mostly concerned with weight loss. It has been an amazing experience to get to know all of you and realize that we may think it's "just me" but all of us feel and experience unbelievably similar things. I am going to forward to everyone an article that Emily sent me as we started this challenge. It is about "The Secret of loneliness".

Please follow Sharon and my twitter accounts as that is where it is easiest for us to keep the support/feedback and ideas coming. Please use the facebook page to ask questions (many of you have emailed me the same questions and most likely if you ask it, someone else wants to know too). I also want to hear your voices, humor, struggles as it unites us.

It all starts tomorrow so get out there today and shop (the MOST important thing) and plan ahead and get excited about doing this amazing thing for yourself and spending time with such an amazingly talented and special group of people.!!!!

Sharon Richter dietician and superstar gives us our 3 day kick off

The below is from Sharon. She and I really wanted this to be about "What you can eat and what you are DOING for your body" and not a "don't eat" list. If you think about it, carbs from fruits and vegetables are full of flavanoids, vitamins and trace elements that grains and oats and breads just don't have. The variety of colors and nutrients offered are amazing for us. It is really easy to eat a lot of calories from other carb sources and be lacking in a lot of nutrients. Our 3 day kick off program is going to up our nutritional intake quality and we are going to have to eat a LOT of food !!! You may well be eating more than you usually do and that is great. I have some added rules for you on this 3 day plan as well:

1) Eat a food you have never had before once a day (think purple kale, starfruit, or yellow kiwi)

2) Get a full 8 hours sleep. This will be possible because I want everyone to watch no more than a half an hour of tv a day.

3) 10 minutes (minimum) of stretching, meditation or focused breathing in absolute quiet. Mary (one of our challengers) who is a professional classic musician and busy Mom, has some guided meditations of varying lengths that she will gladly share so perhaps she can give us some links via email or facebook.

4) Daily exercise of some sort.

5) Daily "real" conversations with our team mates or close friends. You need to connect.

6) Taking the time to brush and floss and take good care of your skin, nails etc. I find as a Mom, I do not do any of this. I am not "well groomed" and don't dress well or look "together". It is not really my "thing" but for these 3 days, I am changing my tune. You know that "put your oxygen mask on first before assisting other people" thing, well it all starts here.

7) Journal (can be 2 sentences) about this experience. Your thoughts, struggles, what you learn, etc. Sometimes you can learn very funny or insightful things only as your hand is writing them.

From email to blog, the structure of Sharon's writing will be wrong so it is a good idea to print out the email but I wanted to post it anyway so that anyone who is not "officially registered" can still follow along.

 Three days to relearn what food TASTES like. The goal is not to stuff  oneself but start tuning in to what food taste like, what if feels like  to be hungry and thirsty, feeling satisfied and not stuffed. Think of  your stomach as the size of your fist. You should only eat to fill it,  not stretch it, breakdown that food and refill about 3 hours later.  Start your day with a large glass of water with tons of lemon in it.  Each of your 3 main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner should consist  of about 5 oz protein 2 cups of vegetables and 2 fat (1 TBSP oil, 1/4  avocado, 2 TBSP seeds). Your snacks can be fruit, nuts, nut butters,  seeds, 3 oz protein... Keep a journal for the 3 days of what you ate,  when, how you felt, etc. Don't obsess over it, rather explore flavors,  taste, what non food social exchangement can you replace with that time  obsessing over food. Here is an example of a day:   Breakfast smoothie: 1 scoop hemp protein, 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1/2 cup  blackberries, 1/2 cup raspberries, 1 TBSP ground or milled flax seeds   Snack Greens juice   Lunch- 5 oz grilled chicken chopped over 1 cup arugula, artichoke  hearts, 1/4 avocado, 1 TBSP pumpkin seeds, 1 TBSP olive oil   Snack- Papaya with lime squeeze on top   Dinner- 6 oz salmon, 1cup roasted brussel sprouts, 1 c spinach sauteed in 1  TBSP oil and garlic   Dessert- pear with almond butter   Fruits Permitted Apples  Apricots  Blackberries  Blueberries  Cantaloupe  Cherries  Coconut  Figs  Huckleberries  Kiwi  Kumquat     Loganberries  Mangoes  Melons  Mulberries  Nectarines  Papayas  Peaches  Pears  Plums  Raspberries   Vegetables Artichoke  Arugula  Asparagus  Avocado  Bamboo shoots  Beet & beet greens  Bok Choy  Broccoflower  Broccoli  Brussel sprouts  Cabbage  Carrots  Cauliflower  Celery  Celery root (celeriac)  Chives  Cucumber  Dandelion greens  Endive  Jicama  Kale  Kohlrabi  Leeks  Mushrooms: all  Onions  Pak choi  Okra  Red leaf chicory  Sea vegetables/seaweed:  kelp, dulse, hijiki, arame,  wakame  Radishes  Rutabaga  Snow peas  Spinach  Sprouts: all  Squash: winter & summer  Swiss chard  Turnip  Watercress  Zucchini    Protein  free-range chicken turkey  Lamb  Buffalo  Wild game: venison, quail,  pheasant, rabbit  Cold water ocean fish: wild  pacific salmon, ocean char,  cod, halibut, haddock, sole,  pollack, tuna, stripped bass  Water-packed canned tuna  (without added soy protein)  Sardines  Anchovies    Protein powder: hemp, brown rice or pea   Nuts  Almonds  Cashews  Flax seeds  Hazelnuts (filberts)  Pecans  Poppy seeds  Pumpkin seeds  Sesame seeds  Sunflower seeds  Walnuts  Hemp seeds  Note: All of the above can be consumed as butters and spreads (tahini,  almond butter, etc).  Nuts and  seeds are best consumed raw (not roasted) and unsalted.     Oil  Almond  Flax seed  Coconut (best for cooking at  high temperatures)  Olive  Pumpkin  Safflower  Sesame  Sunflower  Walnut  Hazelnut  Truffle  Note: Please make sure oils are unrefined, extra virgin, non-gmo,  organic, cold-pressed, etc.    Vinegar  Apple cider  Balsamic  Red wine  Rice  Tarragon  Ume plum      Dairy substitutes  Almond milk (unsweetened)  Hemp milk (unsweetened)  Hazelnut milk (unsweetened)  Coconut milk or water  Rice (whole grain, brown rice)  *rice milk is the most processed  of the dairy substitutes and  often sweetened.  Other dairy  substitutes preferred.    Other Beverages  Teas: herbal, white, green water vegetable juices- cold pressed preferred   Spices  Allspice  Anise  Basil  Bay leaf  Caraway seeds  Cardamom  Celery seeds  Cinnamon  Clove  Coriander  Cumin  Dandelion  Dill  Dry mustard  Fennel  Garlic  Ginger  Mint  Nutmeg  Oregano  Parsley  Saffron  Sage  Salt-free herbal blends  Savory  Sea salt  Tarragon  Thyme  Turmeric  Vanilla extract (pure)  Raw cacao   Mustard (made with apple cider  vinegar) Wheat free tamari              Sharon Richter www.sharonrichter.com You only have one body. Treat it with respect. ™   

teams...

I am sitting here at 5:53 with papers strewn all around me. Each of you have a page in my 3 ring binder with notes and key words/goals on it. I have matched you up in pairs and in teams for a few reasons:

1) Your time flexibility

2) goals

3) some common interest

4) something you can learn or will like about each other.

5) something I feel this person/group will add to you or your life.

I have held back on pairing myself up because there are a few "groups" that I fit into and will be checking in on.

The teams are as follows:

"Designing Mommies":

Grace

Gina

Sarah

Caroline

Rumena

"Meet me at the gym"

Noura

Dana

Iris

Martine

Christine

"The balancing act"

Tina

Deb

Mary

Nicole

Jazz

"Fresh air crew"

Ann

Suzanne

Yvonne

Katina

"lights, camera, raw"

Mimi

Rachel

Alison

"Manhattan Superstars "

Marie

Allison

Sharon

Florina

Kathleen

Joanne

"If I had a cape, I'd be a superhero"

Susan

Teri

Emily *(I would like this team to "captained" by Scott (instructor) and would love

Noreen for you guys to meet up and decide about partnerships/calling tree etc)

Elizabeth

Barbara

Scott

Please let me know if I have somehow missed someone.

We start Monday March 14th. As we "Spring ahead" we spring ahead. These season is historically a powerful one, reaching way back from pagan times through to now. I believe that there is an energy that we can all harness to guide us on this journey.

You have agreed to be a part of this and I want you to do this for yourselves and for all of the people in your life. Some rules are flexible and some are not. More than any other year, I plan on being involved and will be calling, emailing and holding you accountable to yourselves and each other. The more you reach out to your team, the more you can change your life. All of us want better friendships and to be connected to each other. We are all guilty of "being too busy" and avoiding the communication that would make that possible. Instead, we watch television, eat, read magazines, do crossword puzzles etc. This is only SIX weeks out of your lives. All of your personal details are private and I will never share them so I will use "me" (and a little bit of all of you too) as an example of what this "challenge" is about.

The First 3 days:

This is the only part of the challenge that is strict regarding food. We are doing these 3 days to cleanse our bodies of: toxins ,artificial sweeteners, pesticides, preservatives, habits, emotional connection to food, patterns and all of our "norms". This is a time that we get our own attention and say to ourselves "I am doing something big and important here". "I am taking really good care of me and loving myself as much as I love everyone else in my life". It is vital that we get excited about these 3 days. You will feel fed, energized and healthy.

*If you blow off this phase, please let me know and I will start a new team for "alternate route 6 week challenge"

This is what we are doing:

1) We are eating (all organic when possible):

a) fruits and vegetables and lean fish, chicken, tofu, turkey or eggs.

b) raw nuts (handfuls as snacks or dessert), plain yogurt/skim milk (optional) ONLY.

c) lemon/lime and herbs as seasonings.

You can eat all you want to (I encourage you to eat a ton in fact. Especially of leafy multi colored greens and veggies). You can use Olive oil after cooking (raw) and cook with safflower oil (handles heat better) or another similar type of oil.

You cannot have:

Anything processed

added salt/sugar or artificial sweeteners

During these 3 days all of us are:

1) journaling daily

2) meditating (or sitting quietly breathing deeply)/stretching for a minimum of 5 minutes a day.

3) reaching out to our team/partner. Email, text or call.

I want all of us to take these 3 days very seriously. The rest of the 6 weeks will take care of themselves but these first 3 days will be what allows us to change ourselves and our lives.

There will be "meet ups" with some fun stuff. Games, laughter, advice from specialists etc. I will be blogging/twittering (sign up to follow liquidstrength) daily.

I will be emailing your "teams" so you can all have each other's email addresses. I will not share phone numbers. It is your choice what means of contact you share but I hope that you are open to really getting involved.

I would like to have a "kick off" gathering (for anyone who would like to come) at my apartment. Drop me an email and let me know if that would interest you. Also let me know if anything has changed with your ability to do the "6 week challenge". I am excited about this.

Life Coaching and the Six-Week Challenge

Hello to all you Six Week Challengers!

My name is Erika Isler and it's so nice to meet you all! You’re embarking on a wonderful journey in this Liquid Strength Six Week Challenge and I'm thrilled to be a supportive part of your team. As we begin this process, I believe it’s critical at this juncture to take some time to look deeply at your thinking as you begin.

I’m going to urge you to take a few minutes to reflect on and write more about the goals you’ve highlighted for yourself. I believe that when things swirl around in your brain all the time, it only adds to the confusion of figuring out what you want. So be really clear with these and commit them to paper.

Here’s a first step for you and you can put this right in your binder: List four things you really want. I want you to focus on the things you think about most often—the ones that you believe would “complete” you. If you’ve already buddied up with someone, it may be interesting (to the level that you’re each comfortable) to share these desires. I think that sharing will help underscore my next point.

Okay, now that you’ve made your list, take a minute and imagine you already have each item on that list, whether it’s a 35-pound weight loss, a killer body, three million dollars in the bank or a partner that has all of the preceding and more. So the two lists will look something like this:

Thing:

After I have it, the sensation I’ll feel is:

Now here’s what’s interesting about this. Regardless of the specific items on everyone’s lists, feeling states are usually universal and predictable. People want security, love, acceptance, joy and inner peace. Since most of us are primed to seek outside approval, we confuse these feeling states as things we get from others or from circumstances in our lives. Here’s how those kinds of inner monologues often look:

“If I lose 20 pounds, I’d have lots more confidence.”

“If my mom wasn’t so critical, I’d be happy.”

It’s important to get really clear on what you’re telling yourself what you need for happiness. What thoughts are looping about your successes? What are you already foretelling about any potential setbacks?

Can you start this challenge as though every goal you’ve highlighted has already been met and then notice how you’re real self can step up to the plate?

I’ll be stopping back regularly to see what’s happening with you all and to see what questions might have arisen through this process. I’m excited for your successes and I’ll be cheering you on through every step!

If you’d like to read more about my work and are interested in more information about a special offering for Liquid Strength Six Week Challenge participants, please stop by the programs page at erikaisler.com.

Finding your "true" goal

Ok, We have more than 30 amazing people doing our 6 week challenge. We have designers, PR people, bankers, models, moms, life coaches, photographers etc. Every single one of you bring something special to this dynamic. It would be great to have everyone able to comment on the blog so we have lot of dialogue to read to support each other. All you have to do is make up a gmail account and sign up. You never even have to check your gmail mail.

Sharon is "moving in" for a few days. We are going to lay out all of your answers and my notes and make "teams". There will be partnerships or in some cases groups of 3 or 4. I know that some of you will be more "available" than others to check in with your partners/team mates. I am matching you up with people who have similar goals/interests and who I think you will gain something by in friending. The connection may be very obvious or very subtle. This matching up, along with finding your "true goal" is the most vital part of the challenge.

In looking for your "true goal" , I invite you to go back and read past entries in the blog to help you and inspire you. This is the most challenging blog entry as I attempt to "guide you" and help you peel back the layers of yourselves and your lives to find what is underlining your goals and the hurdles standing in your way. This is so highly person and varies with each person that it is hard to find the words that will fit for a group of individuals.

Reading your answers to my 10 questions, I learned a lot. Some of you are interested in getting fitter but the majority of you are more interested in gaining confidence, forging stronger friendships and connections, and taking better care of your "selves". These are the most important parts of this challenge. If we can all work on those things, by the end of these 6 weeks, our bodies will be in a great place. The heart/mind/soul and body are so connected that I truly have come to believe that our physical selves are reflections of what is going on inside of our deeper selves.

Now, onto the hardest part of the challenge.....we all must begin to peel back the layers of our lives to find what needs our attention and focus. To begin that process, I want you to look back at how you answered the 10 questions I asked. Read them as if you are someone else and catch of glimpse of the summation of your lives.

Take a minute and write down the life you "always wanted" and the person you "always wanted to be". Write out what a typical day looks like in your life. Go back and read all that you have written and try to discern the differences in what you want and where you are.

For myself, I have a lot of energy. I have a duality happening in my life between being very centered, calm and self aware and also being frantic and scattered. For me, this challenge is really about finding a way to make my average day a little easier, more organized and calm.

I am going to be working on some very practical things to make this happen (like training my dogs better, getting a dog walker, having a system for my twins to follow in the morning so they do more for themselves and actually making changes in my apartment so we have places for everything so we can all keep the the apartment neater and more organized). At night, I am going to try to change my routine (as all of you will be too). There is going to be no tv (I don't typically watch tv but can mindlessly tune in and it becomes a habit that doesn't yield anything positive in anyone's lives) and I am going to take 5 minutes to meditate and stretch at night.

Your goals will be yours. I believe it is far better to set up "will do" and look forward to the changes in your lives rather than set up a "I will not eat.....". I want this to be about being good to yourselves not punishing yourselves. Set up things you are looking forward to and make changes that substitute damaging behaviors for ones that bring you to a better place.

Erika will be chiming in to try to help with all of you with this process. If I can help at all, please feel free to reach out to me too. Historically, we have had group meetings that have helped us all focus and find out more about what we are after. During this challenge, we are going to have (fully optional) meet ups. These will be fun and festive and have always been my favorite part of the whole process.

This week we are going to start our "cleaning out" process. Try to cut down on processed food and junk in your diets and start taking the best care possible of YOU. We will all be doing 3 days of trying to eat only organic fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and dairy with no artificial sweeteners or salt added. This will be the strictest part of our challenge and serve to "clean" our taste buds, bodies and get us ready to move onto whatever we decide our "plan" is going to be. You can eat as much as you like, but it has to be good for you and in it's natural form. More specifics to come to use these next few days to make subtle changes so the three day won't be so hard.

6 week challenge prep

There will still be some people joining this week so I can't "officially" start just yet. I wanted to take some time to explain what will be happening and give all of you some homework to get you started so you can get the most out of this very cool time together.

This 6 week challenge is not a physical "meeting" or time consuming thing. It will be whatever you make of it and whatever you need/want it to be. I can tell you (as I have a lot of time in with this stuff) that the more connected you are to your "partner/team", the more connected to yourself you will be and the more you will get out of this. In our busy lives (I use my own life as an example because I believe we all run around pretty similarly and using my own experiences is not violating anyone's privacy) we all get into the pattern (I am very guilty of this) of "I just don't have time" for ...... we lose touch with our friends, family and people who are really good for us. We wrap myself up in our frantic "to do list" and then feel like it's too hard to "catch them up" so we avoid calling. We don't want to "commit" to any additional things we have to do. (sound familiar?). The result is that after we run around like a whirling dirvishes getting all of those things done ( for me: kids homework, lunches made, dogs walked, feed everyone, shop for food daily, laundry, dishes, blogging, baths, making 2 dinners (Kurt is on a very special diet for migraine syndrome), getting to my classes on time, clients, returning emails lining up subs and subbing, cleaning up after cooking etc etc.,) not really connecting to anyone as just "us". I believe that humans need to connect and process their day when the day is done.

In this challenge, we will be connecting to our challenge partners/team mates. This is a really important part of the whole process. The other part of the process is taking the time to to keep a journal (you can write as little or as much as you like but you must write something EVERY day).

If your goal is weight/diet/health related. Sharon and I want food journals to help you in your process. Keep a journal of typical "normal" days. Write down every single thing you eat without altering your norm at all. If you can get these food journals to us ASAP, we can give you some amazingly helpful and creative feedback that will help you on your way. They will also help us make better partnerships for you in the challenge.

Buy yourself a 3 ring binder with pockets and get writing TODAY. Get those food journals to us and start writing down what you are days are like.

I will be blogging daily and giving you more homework and information on what the next steps are. I hope you are all getting really excited about making some great changes.....

6 week challenge roster so far....

So happy to be back from vacation and teaching again. This week has already (with one class) brought a few new very solid LS'ers to our fold ! There will be a lot of action on this blog as we enter our 6 week challenge. Some of you have been telling me that you have had problems emailing me. I think the problem is solved but let me know. This is the final week for registering for the challenge. Get those 10 answers to me and get on the roster. Next week we work towards "finding our true goal". That is a really cool process where you strip away the superficial "go to" things we tend to obsess over and find what you really need to change your life/body and happiness.

The roster so far:

Marie

Emily

Iris

Caroline

Alison

Gina

Barbara

Elizabeth

Kathleen

Rachel

Grace

Dana

Mimi

Deb

Suzanne

Nicole

Katina

Ann

Alison

Teri

Yvonne

Noura

Susan

Martine

Florina

Noreen

President's week

I have gotten the hang of skiing. Vacation is a time of breaking from our routines (mine is seems is the habit of healthy eating haha!) I miss Liquid Strength so much and all of you. I will be more than ready to start the 6 week challenge after the 10 days of sweets I have (and will continue to have I am sure) consumed while on vacation.

Remember that Scott is teaching at Ripley-Grier studios tonight at 6:00 on 72nd Street. Email him a confirmation. Class will be hard and I wish I could take it too !!!!

We will be working hard when I return (hopefully I will be able to keep up with all of you !)

While I'm gone (Feb 19th-28th)

Scott and I (mostly Scott) taught our class at Ripley-Grier studios on west 72nd last night. It will be interesting to see how he manages to move today. While I am away next week, Scott will be teaching thursday night @6:00 p.m as usual. Email him: scott.byrd@ymail.com to reserve a spot. The space is small but the energy is so amazing (not a gym so there is a really artistic vibe) it is first come first serve (20$) and it will be the ONLY Liquid Strength® class in the whole city next week.

Tribeca classes are so rockin that I will likely change them to level 2/3 on the schedule. Upper East side has lead to some of our hardest moves as I have searched for ways to break down the basics so we get the most out of everything. So many of you are bringing friends (love that) and I want to ensure that first timers and "advanced" LS'ers all have a great experience. My UWS (tuesday @Columbus Circle) class has proven to be my "fastest learning" group of my entire teaching career. I love being in the Yoga room and for some reason there is such a connect in that group that we are already at a high level even though it is new.

Scott and I were also talking last night about how great it is to see more men in class. Traditionally, Liquid Strength® attracted a lot of men. In many ways, it makes sense. The moves are not "choreographed" and many are directly pulled from sports. I am hoping that this year will see more men finding their way into class. Artie (Tribeca) has blown me away this year in what he can DO (forget the fact that his body looks like he's 18) !!!

As much as I am excited to be away, I know I will miss my classes so much. There is a magic happening right now that I excited and grateful for. No two classes are ever the same. Every one of you helps create what we do in a given hour. Your energy (on every level) influence the room (and me) and together we create something new and completely original every time we get together.

Please see below to join the "6 week challenge". I will be in touch all week and collecting information.

Story von Holzhausen

"joining the 6 week challenge"

Joining the 6 week challenge

You must email these answers before Feb 28th to register

I have a 3 ring binder (as you should have for the 6 week challenge). I am writing your names as you send me emails to "join". What you need to do is email with the following:

1) Name and email address

2) age (this helps me pair you up)

3) who do you live with (alone, pets, kids, husband etc. married, divorced etc)

4) what do you do ? What are your hobbies ? What would you LIKE to do ?

5) where you heard about the challenge and where you live (NYC or other)( are you my student, Sharon's client, heard about it from a friend etc.)

6) What time of day do you need support most (afternoons at work snacking, night time mindless eating etc., getting yourself out the door to work out)

7) What do you think your goal will be ? (for now keep it very basic such as "taking more time for myself", "working out more", "eating better" "more positive attitude" , "taming my sugar addiction", "Lowering stress levels", "better friendships" etc. We will be working in the next 2 weeks to find our "true goal")

8) what is your current fitness routine?

9)which one sounds like you (you can choose more than one):

a) I need to learn what it means to eat healthy (I want to learn more about nutrition/recipes/ideas)

b) I know what to eat but lack will power to resist unhealthy foods (old habits die hard, especially when stressed)

c) I eat healthy for the most part but eat at night for emotional reasons. (I am lonely, bored, stressed)

d) Food/diet is not an issue for me

e) I am a complete foodie and I cannot eat food that I don't love.

10) Are you currently or would you like to follow a specific philosophy of diet (vegetarian, raw, low fat, low carb etc.)

Before we begin our challenge, I will be posting our "official list". If I have not received the above information from you, you will not be on that list... liquidstrength@aol.com (I will send you a "confirmation email" when I receive yours)

After you email me your answers @ liquidstrength@aol.com and you are officially registered you can start doing the "pre-challenge work". You can read past postings on this blog for very specific directions but here is the lowdown:

First Steps (pre-challenge homework)

1) Count how many walking lunges and push ups you can do.

2) measure your:

arm 2 inches below armpit (when your arm is at your side)

around your core @ your belly button (this is NOT your waist and that is intentional)

your leg 2 inches below your groin.

3) *NEW THIS YEAR* write down the average number of hours sleep you get a night and how tired you feel on most days on a scale of 1-10.

4) Get the fat back of your upper arm measured. If you live in NYC, I will do it for you. You can do it at home very low tech by pinching the skin/fat on the back of you arm (2 inches below your arm pit) and having someone use an adjustable wrench (funny huh ?), tighten it until it just touches your skin on both sides (about an inch "into" the skin you are pinching). Take a ruler and measure in mm's how far apart the prongs are.

5) *NEW THIS YEAR* General observations on your skin, eyes, nails and allergy symptoms.

6)*NEW THIS YEAR* How do you feel about yourself ? (on a scale of 1-10).

7)*NEW THIS YEAR* How "happy" are you about your life? (1-10)

Prepping yourself for what's ahead

All of will have different goals and challenges during our challenge but there will be a lot of similarities too. We will all be doing a 3 day "detox" to kick off our challenge. For these 3 days, we eat ONLY fresh fruits and vegetables and lean proteins. Ideally only organic but I respect the cost/availability issue.( There is the option to include plain non fat yogurt but it has to be organic.) Very specific information is coming about this very important phase. This is the most important part of the whole program. We are attempting to reset our taste buds, really feed our bodies all of the nutrients we need and eliminate all chemicals, additives and processed food.

The "3 day detox" is a tough thing to do for most of us. We will need the support of this blog, each other and our "challenge partner". I know I will be on the phone w/mine in the evenings when my sugar cravings kick in. To help you (and me) have a successful experience, for these couple weeks before we start, you can do a lot of preparation.

I have been making small changes that I know will help me in our 3 day detox. I suggest you make some changes too:

1) Stop using sweeteners in coffee/cereal/yogurt etc.

2) Eat fresh/handmade meals instead of anything canned/frozen/packaged

3) If you are a big sweet person (like me) gradually eat less sugar every day and replace your sweets with fruit.

4) If you are a "salt" person, reduce your salt intake.

5) Double your vegetable portions at your meals.

6) Keep journaling. Especially during the times of day that emotional eating is an issue for you (or if it is not an issue for you, journal when you are stressed/lonely etc.) Write about how you feel about yourself, your life and what you would like to be doing as you write. You can't get this wrong. The more you write, the more you learn and grow.

7) Focus in on your "true goal". This is such a huge step. It should take you a while to figure out what your goal really is.

6 week challenge count down (and to do list)

I have heard from many of you via Facebook, email etc. and know that many have not yet heard about the challenge but will shortly. Although we had wanted to start our challenge today (on Valentines Day) I am putting it off for a few weeks for very important reasons. First off being that I have not had time to tell everyone and get them started. The "to do list" is vital before any of us can start and I haven't even given it yet. Secondly, I am away next week. I will be announcing it in my classes this week once again. I know that not having Liquid Strength® for a week is hard on many of you. (The more you work with me the more you miss it's mind/body connection and how it makes you feel about yourself and life in general). The wonderfully talented instructors who agreed to help me by subbing my classes will not be teaching Liquid Strength®, but I encourage you to take their classes and challenge your bodies by doing something new. It is also a great time to take all you have learned in my class about "finding your comfort zone outside of your comfort zone" and putting it to use.

It is vital that I hear from you if you are planning to do the 6 week challenge. I am making a list of participants and I am pairing you up. If you do not live in NYC, please tell me a bit about yourself and share with me your "homework". Every year I am honored to be trusted with very personal information and it is never shared. My celebrity clients as much as my regular clients are all under a sacred trust and anything that they share with me is never shared with anyone else.

I expect our start date for the 6 week challenge to be mid March. We will need that much time to get everything done.

To do list for the 6 week challenge:

1) Buy (or find) a 3 ring binder with pockets and get some lose leaf paper.

2) Do your physical tests (directions in past blogs but you need to do pushups and walking lunges)

3) Take "before" photos, take measurements and if can take a second to see me, get your body fat taken on your arm.

4) Journal for a few days to take measure and learn about yourself. Some of you will have physical goals and some very personal emotional or lifestyle goals. Both groups will be working on both issues BTW. I will be blogging later about the "rules" for this year but there are some changes from last years and we will all have mind AND body goals. The journaling is vital to help you "find" your goals and gain some insight of what work you need to do. Journaling entails a complete food diary but more importantly writing about your day, thoughts and taking time away from television, computer, smart phone, work and other jobs to spend some quiet alone time with yourself.