Fit Therapist

From a very young age we starting learning about the world around us and adjust to our environment for survival. From the way we act, think, behave, react and interact with others. Our learning comes out in practices, health habits, past times, spirituality and lifestyle choices. All of us are culturally connected to the things we eat whether we prefer rice and beans or oxtail and peas. We are additionally influenced by life events. For years scientists have recognized a link between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the development of eating disorders, i.e. binge eating. Trauma is an actual or perceived life threatening even  often leads to a stress reaction (anxiety, fear, depression, anger). Often times in order to deal with that anxiety people turn to food, alcohol or other substances to mask, avoid or "stuff" the pain. Research shows that 1 in 4 people who binge eat  have PTSD Symptoms of PTSD and Binge Eatin g 1. Stressful memories, flash backs and trigg...

My blog posts always inspire what I am struggling with in my life or issues my client's mention to me. I was thinking today that I have had a lag in motivation to go to the gym due to hitting a plateau in not only weight loss but in life. Things have been consistently average which isn't made but often times holds you back from moving forward. So whether you are looking to move forward in your weight loss, career, or in your relationships, here are five ways to get over the hump! 1. Take a step back and evaluate! Question yourself and your techniques and give yourself an honest answer. You might have to journal or go to a quiet space to reflect on this. Are we using the best approach for the best results? Are we committing enough time to this goal? Are we committing enough effort into this goal? Where can I approve? What can I do more of? What will motivate me to push forward? How can I create some new found enthusiasm around this goal? 2. Take a look at your stress levels...

Recently I have been feeling a bit down due to just going though the motions of my daily life. Yes, even therapists get down sometimes too! I wake up go to work and help my clients. After a 9 hour day, I head into 5 pm traffic to go to the gym. Hit my usual workout and go home to eat, shower, go to bed. Just to do it all the next day. I am the kind of person who likes to set goals for myself so I don't get this stagnant feeling! I hate the feeling! Since I just crushed my goal of passing my states license exam. I am craving something new.  How to do I stay inspired while doing the same ole thing everyday? Then I remembered Viktor Frankl's logotherapy! Frankl was a neurologist, psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor. He is the famous author of Man's Search for Meaning. Frankl believed man searched for the meaning of life under all circumstances even suffering. Frankl thought that life meaning was created in three ways: 1. By experiencing something fully or feeling love...

I think all of us can agree that sometimes you mind can be your best friend or your biggest enemy. When we start a goal we are motivated to change. We are thinking positively and hopeful about the future. Over time, that will power is not enough and we go back to our negative thought patterns that took us out the first time. Therefore, the first step to any change is conquering your mind. Humans by nature are pessimists. All of us think negative from time to time, some more than others. In order to move forward we have to fight that with more positive alternative thoughts. Can't I just tell myself "stop thinking that stop thinking that." The answer is no! If I tell you to not think about a pink elephant now all you can do is think about it. Your brain processed the "pink elephant" and not the "not."  First we have to recognize when we are having these negative thoughts. Sometimes they are so common and natural for us we don't even realize whe...

 This is a two part blog to follow up on my last post  Cravings and Why Willpower is not enough . It is proven that the only long lasting technique that proves success in any goal or resolution is to develop a habit that feeds your goal daily. Progression towards your success is a process. It is like growing a plant, you have to water it and give it enough sunlight to later bare the results of your work. So think about what your goal is and how overtime with effort that can transform into something of substance for you. Willpower is fleeting and unreliable. If that is our only source of drive, you will most likely give in before the middle of  2017. Whether your goal is to lose weight or start reading everyday, think of the steps you would need to take for example reading for 10 minutes before bed. Here are 7 steps I take with my clients in coaching them to reach their goals using the SMART technique! Step 1: Write your goals! Writing it down is kind of like a contra...

Websters dictionary defines willpower as "energetic determination." Whenever I ask someone where willpower comes from they say something like "internal strength." It is the desire to control your impulses. It that internal drive that some of us seem to have more of than others. To me this is a not very well defined term yet it is that one thing that everyone wants and believes will move them forward in all of their goals. I need to find the "willpower," the "motivation;" like it will fall out of the air straight into your lap. The truth about willpower!  The truth is will power is considered by some researchers to be a limited and fast reduced resource. The term they use is "willpower depletion." Saying "no" takes a mental toll on you and that is where this "internal strength," comes from. Willpower is like a muscle that after continued use can reach this point of depletion where we give into our cravings or ...

The holidays can be an amazingly stressful time of year! Between shopping, decorating, and dealing with that one miserable aunt who wants to share the misery with the family. It can be difficult to deal with! Talk about stress! Here are some helpful tips I've given my clients to help them survive the stress! 1. Pay Attention : This time of year can be difficult for some people whether it is seasonal depression, social anxiety in the malls or dealing with the loss of a loved one. Everyone is on edge. Pay attention to the feelings that are coming up for you. Recognition is the first step in resolution of the problem. 2. Take Care of Yourself: Make sure you are not putting your health on the back burner. Don't neglect you workouts or nature walks to tackle your to do list. Holiday tasks will get done another day but your health is forever. Don't skip meals or sleep. This is how our body is fueled and restores itself and are key to health and wellness. 3. Prioritize You...

I was scrolling though my social media today and noticed many women who are posting selfies "fat shaming" themselves. I saw women writing things like "under this fat," "I hate my body," "fluffy," "this isn't healthy." It saddened me to the reality of women today with the unrealistic expectations society places on a standard of beauty which pushes women into dieting or extreme exercise. 50% of commercials targeting a women audience mention physical attractiveness not to forget a profiting diet and beauty industry that is getting rich off  pills and waist trainers by exploiting these women's struggles. This leads to mental health concerns including low self esteem, body image issues, depression, anxiety,  and eating disorder, just to name a few. I decided to do some research and found  women experience an average of 13 negative thoughts about themselves daily, while 97% of women admit to having a "I hate my body," th...

Now that I have graduated and am working as a full time therapist in an adult outpatient treatment center, this blog will no longer follow me through the pursuit of my career but addressing issues I come across in practice and life. Since graduation, I have pursued new fitness goals as a figure competitor. Since May I have competed in two shows with the National Gym Association. In my first competition, I placed 3rd place in novice (a category for individual participating in their first show) and 4th place in overall figure (for people in the category of all ages, heights and experiences. Not to bad for my first show, I must say. In my second competition, I received 1st in Figure short class and 4th overall figure. Next season, I hope to better my physique and receive professional status within the NGA. I also hope to experience competitions in other natural organizations. With these changes in my personal and professional life, instead of writing from the perspective of a "fu...

I listened to a wonder presentation today at The Faulk Center for Counseling . It was on Parenting in the Digital Age by Dr. Edan Alcalay , a Delray Beach Child and Adolescent Psychologist. The presentation covered a wide span of material from marketing geared towards children, the psychological effects of too much "screen time," as Dr. Alcalay calls it, and preventative factors. It is obvious that technology is a significant and growing part of our culture. We have gone from a world of reading the newspaper to reading articles online; from sending a letter to sending a text message, and from having a conversation in person to chatting on Facebook or Skype with lol's and jk's. While it is amazing and extremely convenient, How much is too much? Dr. Alcalay stated that according to research children below the age of 10 should not have more that 45 minutes of "screen time." From 11 to adulthood he claimed no more than two hours, not including school and wo...

An article was passed on to me today entitled #FitFam: 11 Reasons Why The Fitness Culture On Social Media Needs To Be Stopped . I had some many thoughts about my fellow blogger, Kayla Inglima's opinions I had to respond with a post.   It surprises me that she can be so outraged by people trying to improve their health and their lives. This described "cult" is what others would call support. This "self induced lifestyle" she describes as a form of torture takes strength and discipline.  No, people who are health conscious  do not self loathe after having a cheat meal. Healthy, and I emphasize healthy, individuals do not restricit themeselves completely, they maintain self control of their eating. Nor do healthy foods mean "tasteless" food.    More healthy habits need to be a topic of discussion. More awareness needs to happen about what we are putting in our bodies and the effects it has on our health and s usceptibility  to illness. Americans should th...

I began meditating a little over a year ago and while I do not do it as often as I would like, I have noticed a difference in myself and my perspective on the world  when I meditate. There are so many benefits to taking these few minutes to quiet you mind that I truly believe meditation can help anyone. 1. Meditation has been proven to reduce stress and increase relaxation.  As American's we are conditioned to work hard and be responsible. We put a lot of pressure and stress on ourselves through work, school and just living life. People from other countries say that we do not know to relax. Meditation is a simple technique that can help change your mood within a matter of minutes. 2. Meditation increases happiness. Studies have show   that meditation helps fight many psychological symptoms including depression, anxiety, obsessions, and anger. 2. Meditation causes your brain to expand. Our minds are the most amazing thing on this planet. If we do not give it a res...

The past couple weeks have been extremely challenging for me personally and professionally on my path to my career. The responsibilities of life can be overwhelming at times. However with great challenge comes great reward. All we can do is keep pushing forward with our dreams. Just keep reminding yourself of the following things.  1. If you want something and are passionate about it; pursue it … wholeheartedly! While it may seem hard at times, it is proof you are getting closer. Nothing in life worth having is easily obtained.  2. Be Brave, Be Strong because no one is going to stop you but yourself.  3. Fall in love with the process and learn from the difficulties, as this is going to make you more appreciative when it is obtained.  4. Take a step back, a moment to appreciate how far you have come.  5. Remember why you started this journey. 6. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. You just haven’t reached it YET.  7. Lastly never stop le...

The theme for February as we all know it as Love. My boss has proposed a February Challenge of "28 days of loving yourself." In this challenge she suggested doing three sun salutations, a series of yoga moves displayed below, everyday for the entire month of February. I began practicing yoga over a year ago due to a back injury and fell in love with the practice. It is a complete exercise for your mind, body and spirit. Yoga is proven to not only help with physical aliments but decreases stress and increase self awareness. Needless to say over the past month and a half I have abandoned my practice. Consequently, I took this challenge wholeheartedly. On day two of the challenge, I realized I did not know how much my body missed yoga. This month I challenge you to do something for yourself that will help show you love yourself whether that be three sun salutations a day, performing daily meditation, going to your favorite place or spending time doing something that feeds your s...

I have talked about getting fit in 2014 and how to train your brain for over all physical and memory health, however there are some resilient factors that mentally strong   people display that lead to overall emotional and behavioral wellness.  In all honesty, the world is a dog eat dog place and evolutionarily speaking, we as humans need to adapt to better survive. According to the article by Amy Morin, a fellow psychotherapist, there are 13 factors that mentally strong people carry out that I will provide my opinion on below 1.     They Don’t Waste Time Feeling Sorry for Themselves Instead of having a pity party, mentally strong individuals are proactive in making their situation better. Like I said, life can be difficult and I am not minimizing anyone’s situation, however those who are most resilient don’t wallow in their sadness and troubles. 2.     They Don’t Give Away Their Power No matter what happens to you or wh...

With the new year approaching, tons of people will make the goal to get fit in 2014. Being fit and healthy has been a year round goal for me and since the gyms will have an influx of membership in the next coming weeks I decided to begin Insanity . I have just completed my second week and I must say it is truly INSANE! I consider myself to be in good shape for women my age. Before, I worked out three times a week and had adequate nutrition. However, Insanity has definitely intensified my workouts. I am working out six days a week and following their nutrition plan of five small meals a day (for the most part). I altered my schedule and am training my body to wake up and work out before work. Personally if I waited to after work to conquer these challenging work outs, I would talk myself out of doing them. On top of Insanity I have continued my yoga practice, part of my exercise routine I can not live without. I have a...

With Christmas around the corner, everyone is running around for their last minute gifts. Fortunately, you can buy happiness this holiday season. Behavioral science and social psychology studies from San Francisco State University and the book  Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending , by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton draw on quantitative and qualitative research explaining how to buy joy. These studies suggest that  Buying Experiences, Not Possessions leads to Greater Happiness . Going to a concert, on a vacation or a dinner with your partner not only fulfills your needs for social connectedness and satisfaction, but it is the gift that keeps on giving due to the fact that it creates fond memories that you can access for the rest of our life. We do not get bored  of these memories like we would a material object. Consequently, people who purchased experiences displayed less buyers remorse than those who bought "things."  So this holiday season  instead...

Since I enjoy my field and learning I have come across some good reads. One book I picked up in between semesters was the 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. This book talks about how people express affection over 5 "languages" including words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time and physical touch. It seems like a simple concept but rarely to couples ask their significant other "How do you feel most loved?" We just assume that our partner feels love the same ways we do whether that be saying "I love you," holding hands or even taking out the trash. Everyone has their own way of expressing and feeling love. I have taken the test to assess my love language once when I was single and yet again in my relationship. While the results changed slightly, I still had the same overriding love language of "Quality Time." When getting into a relationship, I asked my boyfriend to take the test as well. Luckily we speak the same languag...

With obesity on the rise in the United States, more Americans are becoming aware of their unhealthy behaviors and incorporating more healthy alternatives through diet and exercise. However, when considering overall health it is important to mention your brain. As we age, our memory and concentration fade, especially after we finish our schooling. It is important to keep your mind sharp to prevent from decline and have an overall healthier you for years to come. Even in my young age, I have realized studying and remembering things are not as easy as it was in my undergraduate studies.  Therefore, I decided to become more active in my brain health. Every day, or almost every day, I participate in fun and functional “brain training” games at Lumosity . My scores have gone up, partly because of continual practice but I have noticed my memory and concentration have improved.  Other ways to train your brain include reading, puzzles, math problems, learning new things, etc. These ac...

My father posted an amazing story today on 20 Things a Father Should Tell His Daughter .  This was a great list for every father to keep in mind while raising young girls; although my dad never said this verbatim he had the gist of it. Personally, I believe that my father has played a huge role in the woman I am today. He taught me how to be strong, independent, and that I could do anything I put my mind to (including driving stick shift and building Ikea furniture.)  From an early age, my mind was set on being a therapist (I know an abnormal dream profession for a young child). Through my studies, I have learned the importance of attachment in the development of our children. "Attachment" is the bond that infants form with their caregivers and this leads to not only how we develop mentally, personally and emotionally, but affects our personality and development of future relationships.   According to the U.S. Census Bureau , 24 million children in America live in biologi...