The guilt that comes along when not following through with planned physical activities is usually enough to spur on a recommitting within a few days time for me. But it has been WEEKS since I’ve been consistent with an exercise regime and, to be honest, I’m not even telling myself tomorrow will be THE DAY.

I’m in an exercise slump.

But is a slump a bad thing, or merely a turning point that marks a growth spurt in one’s life?

A friend was thoughtful enough to suggest that reasoning to me when I told of my lack of motivation. She pointed out that I’m not the same person that I was 10 years ago. I agreed, recalling that I spent hours at the gym every day lifting as heavy as I possibly could. That got boring for me and I turned to yoga. Sometime in there I even followed a running regimen (something I despise). Those changes were not bad, they just occurred because my likes and dislikes changed with maturation.

So an exercise slump does not necessarily mean one’s turning lazy. I mean, it could. But it’s all about finding a new activity to fill your time that is going to be healthy. There are loads of things I can do when I don’t feel like doing yoga – I could eat, watch TV, take up knitting or start making mixed tapes for all of my friends. But even though those activities will fill a void, they’re not going to serve me well over the long haul if the result is being physically inactive.

So, while it’s okay to have a change in taste for what you like to do, it’s important that you be responsible enough to choose a new activity that will keep you healthy. And finding a totally new activity might not even be necessary – it could be that all that is needed is inspiration.

Join me in a goal: take a yoga class with an unfamiliar instructor, or follow a new circuit routine that you find in a fitness magazine. Now is the time of year when we start to feel on edge because the weather is changing – so try something new to keep it fresh.

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Upon moving to the Lower Mainland, I did everything a yogi dog owner could do – I hit up the privately owned pet store on Commercial Drive and purchased a piece of plastic that creates a bio-energetic field around my dog so fleas and ticks won’t be attracted to her. It’s completely harmless to her (not like those nasty chemicals).

And it seemed to work. I’m told fleas are a big problem in this climate, and for the last two years that I’ve lived here my dog has not contracted fleas. But, then, we have also stuck mostly to sidewalk walks since I’ve lived here. Now we have found a park where bunnies are abundant so my dog gets an amazing workout and she has brought home fleas.

So my earthy, chemical-free, hippie approach to dealing with fleas has gone completely out the window. She got the shampoo treatment, the ointment treatment and every piece of flea-fostering material in my place has been sprayed with toxic chemicals made to kill.

Why is this relevant to health and fitness, you might ask? Because it highlights the fact that our generation has gone so far in the way of wanting to keep things organic and natural, we’ve ignored and dismissed some scientific advancement that DO make a positive difference in our lives.

The lesson I learned this week regarding my health is that sometimes it’s okay to risk a potential, unproven future health risk in order to make a “now” that is liveable. The benefit of medication in the present is sometimes worth the statistic. Don’t be stubborn to spite yourself – it’s okay to need the odd medical miracle; you’re just another creature of the Earth trying to survive comfortably.

It you’re in the first category, you’ve likely rolled your eyes a few times when someone in the second category is leaning against the machine you want to use. But don’t rush to be so judgemental – the chatterer might be onto something.

People are social creatures, and we need to interact with others for our mental well-being. Communication and human relations feed the soul, so why not get a little soul food while working out?

If you’re really not into small-talk, however, playing a competitive sport like tennis or squash as part of your exercise regime is a great way to socialize. The act of playing together allows two or more people to connect over a commonality, so you don’t need to force conversation to relate if that is out of your comfort zone.

Belonging to an athletic club that offers various amenities takes the socialization to an even more beneficial level. Families sitting around a swimming pool while the kids play and adults catch up teaches greater life lessons about human behaviour than does limiting your family’s exposure to the back yard, for instance.

People naturally want to be part of a group. They want to belong somewhere, and this is true even if your role in the group is to stay in the background and not say much.

Reach out. Connect. You need to do this for the sake of your overall health, so you might as well incorporate elements of socialization into your fitness routine. Even if you would prefer to keep your earphones in and stick to business, all it takes to connect is eye contact and a smile.

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The importance of fabric quality in regards to breathability and durability is a no-brainer. Quality clothing designed for active wear is going to keep you dry, and that’s key to good performance. Some sport specific pieces even take it a step further by using body mapping to allow for better ventilation in areas that overheat.

But why, might you ask, should one pay for fashion-forward designs and flattering details when purchasing clothes in which to sweat. Because, the right tucks and ruching are going to make you look better, and looking better is going to motivate you and make you feel better. And feeling better is the whole point of pursuing an active lifestyle.

If you’re constantly worried that your ill-fitted shirt is riding up while you try to perform lat pull-downs at the gym, then you’re not going to be focused and effective. And how can you possibly perform dead lifts if every time you squeeze up, half your pants are squeezing up with you?

While at the gym, in a yoga class, or out running in your neighbourhood, you should feel confident. When you’re doing something great for your health, you should feel great in the process.

And looking good does not need to be costly. If you invest in premium materials, you will be able to get by with just a few pieces because they will last a long time. But it doesn’t all need to be technical; don’t be afraid to have fun and express yourself with the odd ruffle or gather. Again, if it makes you feel good, and it’s not harming your body (or anyone else’s), then it is in line with contributing to your overall well-being.

It was… AWESOME! It was the hardest I ever pushed myself and my body hurts all over. I feel great!

I should have trained. I planned to. The moment my boyfriend registered us for the Chase (it was what I wanted for my birthday) I committed to jogging three times per week for the three-and-a-half months leading up to the race.

I went once.

I HATE running! I’m not good at it. I don’t know how to push myself past that point where I feel like I really need to stop. But that didn’t go over so well with my uber-competitive boyfriend. My run-walk was making him irate. He couldn’t fathom why I wouldn’t be moving as fast as I could at all times during a race.

Our lowest point was when he left me in his dust at the PNE (we were supposed to remain within 15 feet of one another at all times) and I yelled an inappropriate word at him amongst the jolly families lined up to enjoy the fair.

I must admit, I was planning his demise for the majority of the race. The back of his stupid head was sooooo mocking as he repeated, “Just let me know when you’re ready to run” every 20 seconds. But, guess what, I ran. I became so enraged by the constant assault on my ego that I ran (slow jogged) every time I thought it was physically possible, and THAT was a lot more than I would ever have imagined!

I would have done a lot better had I trained properly, and he deserved that much, but running has always been my nemesis. The reason being, I give up on myself too soon. But when faced with the possibility that I could actually be doing more than I was (tough love), I realized I have much more in me than I thought.

If you feel stuck at a certain plateau, it might be a good idea to hire a personal trainer to push you past your current beliefs about yourself. Another option is teaming up with a buddy who performs better than you, and then let yourself feel inferior until you’re finally not. You’re capable of more than you think – you just need someone to point it out.

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That “mini vacation” is what life would feel like all of the time if we mastered the art of staying present. There’s no need to worry when you stay in the present because there’s nothing to worry about. You can plan and act, but worry only arises when one is considering a poor future outcome. But poor future outcomes are mitigated when you spend your time planning and acting.

Until we master the art of totally experiencing every moment in its entirety, however, it’s helpful to utilize some exercises which will serve that endeavour. One trick that will zoom you right into the here and now is ridiculously simple, but extremely effective… just close your eyes.

You can start with a simple task like brushing your teeth. You will instantly become aware of how your hand feels, and how the toothbrush feels in your hand. Then you’ll notice that the movement feels exaggerated. Simply by taking away one of your senses that are typically a part of your routine experience, you totally change the experience!

Next, try closing your eyes during your yoga practice. You can keep your eyes open to transition between postures to start, just closing your eyes when you’re in position, and then you can experiment with more movement. Balancing postures in yoga will be extremely challenging, but even rather stable postures like Warrior 2 will feel unsteady with the new element.

Closing your eyes forces you to think about what you’re doing because it interrupts your mechanical ways of moving through the world. Interrupting regular patterns is an effective way to train oneself to live in the present moment. Come up with new ways to use this tool… flow through a yoga sequence with eyes closed, taste your food with your eyes closed, sign a cheque with your eyes closed, talk on the phone with your eyes closed. Be creative – live in the Here and Now!

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Martina draws a crowd and garners attention wherever she goes. Her impressive career and public image has made Martina a much loved favourite, but it’s her star presence that makes her stand out.

So what gives someone star presence?

There’s no denying that Martina is a stellar athlete, but is it her skills on the court that make adults and children alike grow quiet in her company? No. What gives someone like Martina star presence is the fact that all her life, her strengths have been celebrated by those surrounding her.

Martina has tennis skills not matched by the vast majority of the world’s population, so that makes her special. I’m not saying that her skill was inherent, however. It surely evolved out of a combination of natural talent, a hard work ethic and very high personal standards. But regardless how it came about, her skill makes her special.

Star presence consists of a big dose of quiet confidence that comes with knowing your positive attention is well-deserved because of your talents or accomplishments. True star presence is the result of having a good sense of oneself – being aware of your contribution to the world in which you live.

The reason star presence is reserved for a limited few isn’t because their contribution is any greater to society, but, rather, it’s because society has placed very strict rules around what talents and strengths should be celebrated publicly.

Make a point over the next month to raise the star presence of the population around you. Recognize strengths in people and tell them that you do. Tell people how their strengths positively affect you, and watch their sense of self solidify before your eyes.

Learning to accept uncertainty is a Buddhist teaching, but there’s no need to climb a mountain in order to challenge oneself with this lesson. In fact, there’s a very real-life ritual we go through every month that shows us quite quickly how we lack in this area. It’s a humbling little event along the path to great wisdom that I like to call… PAY DAY.

Pay day really takes you on an emotional roller coaster, doesn’t it? One minute you’re planning your route via the most downhill roads as to not hit “E,” and the next minute you have a big fat cheque in your hand and your boss is suddenly a pretty likeable guy. One minute your situation is so dire you’re ready to sell all your worldly possessions and move into your dad’s camper van (please don’t sell that yet, Dad) and the next minute you’re justifying that $4 coffee.

It’s not the money that makes you feel safe, because, let’s face it, you’re still one unexpected expense away from the camper van. The thing that makes you feel safe is that you’re grasping onto that moment in time. And then say that unexpected expense does pop up… the thing that makes you feel so desperate is that you believe lack is your new state of normal.

Why can we not exist outside of the realm of something as worldly as money? I know that might sound simplistic, but, seriously, we go through the drama every month and we can’t separate ourselves from the false sense of security and insecurity we feel?

Your challenge: When you feel comfortable financially, still make an effort to find the gas-saving hills. And when you feel like you’re destined for the street, resist the effort to pick out curtain patterns for your dad’s camper van. Just try to accept that both states will not last, but you will.

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As a class, we were big into making others feel successful and supported regardless of where they were in their practice. I won’t say we all wore hemp and dreadlocks 24/7; but there was a lot of chanting – and we might have made a web out of a piece of string to signify our unity as a group. But just once.

Competitiveness definitely wasn’t encouraged in that forum. In fact, much time was concentrated on studying anatomy so we could recognize why one pose could be expressed so differently amongst students. It’s true, our bodies are so unique and bone on bone compression will stop some people from going deeply into a posture while another might not even feel challenged by it. And you can’t change your bones. You also can’t change your proportions, and limb to trunk ratios play a big role in one’s expression of a pose.

Of course, a lot of personal restrictions can be overcome. As one practices regularly, range of motion will be gained through flexibility and strength, and it is here where I do see room for competition in yoga.

I’m a very competitive individual, and even during my lovey-dovey yoga teacher training I still pushed myself to do the things I saw others do around me. Sure, I wanted to be as good as everyone else, but more so I wanted to achieve my own personal bests. And still do.

I still don’t agree that one can judge the effectiveness of a yoga pose from what it looks like on the outside. One individual could have their chest on their knees while not feeling the least bit challenged, while another could be actively pushing themselves past their edge with the slightest tilt forward.

But watching the competitors aim for perfection in their routines motivated me to take my practice up a notch, and it’s amazing what you can accomplish when your standards are raised. In addition to going deeper into my poses, the new found determination and drive I absorbed from being around those competitors made me feel like I was paying more respect to the practice of yoga in general.

So, while I still won’t encourage making your yoga practice be about competing and winning against other practitioners, I will encourage you to try approaching the mat with some game. You have to push past where you are now if you want to be anywhere else in the future.

Three o’clock rolls around so you resort to a shot of caffeine to get you through the last couple hours at work. A few hours later, you’re on the couch and coming up with excuses why you should just stay there for the rest of the evening instead of hitting the gym.

Energy spikes and plummets throughout the day are very common with the “normal” high-caffeine, high-refined carbohydrate diet to which we’ve grown accustomed in North America. To counter this cycle, it’s very important that you adjust your diet to include nutritious meals and snacks that are high in fibre and, thus, will digest slower – feeding your body a continuous source of energy instead of overloading your body and then depriving it.

But in addition to healthy and balanced caloric consumption, one can also turn to their mat for that mid-afternoon boost, or that kick start that will get you off the couch.

Oxygenating the blood is a sure-fire way to give oneself a mental and physical boost of energy. Do this by practicing Pranayama, or controlled yogic breathing techniques. Taking deep inhales, retaining the breath, and then slowly releasing it will enrich your blood with oxygen – clearing your mind and invigorating your body.

Another way to send oxygen to your brain and enliven your body is by performing handstands. Pull your mat up against a wall in your home (free of artwork) and, planting your hands about a foot away from a wall, gently kick up in to a handstand position. This movement is going to do a few things… it’s going to raise your heart rate, send blood to your head and muscles, and cause you to bring your energy and focus into the present.

So next time you feel like you need a boost, turn to your mat instead of the extra-large double double and see how much better you feel throughout the rest of your day!