Beautiful Aspects of Colombian Culture

My recent entry focusing on the Beautiful Aspects of Indian Culture fueled my inspirational juices. It got me generating views and ideas about the beauty in other things, and specifically my own parents' culture...

My family is Colombian - both my parents emigrated from Colombia nearly 29-30 years ago to the US. I was born two years later and thus became the first-generation child of immigrant parents, a situation that is ubiquitous and common throughout the United States. It really is the land of opportunity, especially considering their immigration policy - any person born on US soil is a US citizen. That's where my brother and I jump in. Having been born in New York and raised there our whole lives, we, like others in the same circumstances, became symbols of the bridge between old culture and new. In fact, when children of immigrants are born in the new country they undeniably give rise to a new culture. In our case it was the creation of an Americanized, hybrid version of Hispanic-American family and identity. Once you've been born, raised in the country, and thoroughly experienced the educational system, there is no going back :-).

As such, I definitely appreciate aspects of my family's culture for its really wonderful, joyous and positive traits. I am really grateful I was born into my family not only because we have an extremely strong, deep bond, but also because I feel that the qualities they personify from their own background transferred onto me in some degree. It is those qualities that enable me to enjoy life more deeply through dance, song, passion, love, affection, beauty and color.

Further below are a few elements that seem to represent the more wonderful traits of this nationality. It's not exhaustive and rather a basic sketch...

The Coat of Arms of Colombia - Interesting to note that it depicts a Cornucopia, or Horn of Plenty. Later in this post I use the term and illustrate it with a graphic from Wikipedia. Upon reading up on the Wiki page I see they present this Coat of Arms! Because it specifically has the cornucopia image. Very interesting how things work out! One unrelated item led me and tied directly back into the topic on which I was writing! Cool.

• Very friendly people. 

Mostly everyone in a town, neighborhood or surrounding environment in Colombia will know each other and greet each other at different times of the day: "Good morning" etc. Of course, this may be different in busy and more populous urban centers where the building matrix structure sort of limits the closeness and intimacy between neighbors. I haven't been to Colombia in almost 12 years so I am not necessarily atuned to the current realities of the country. However, from my summer trips there as a little girl I recall that this habit of greeting neighbors and knowing basically everyone (and their personal affairs! lol) was a quality ingrained in the genetic makeup throughout families and peers alike.
I remember as a little girl my father was very particular about me learning the politeness of greeting everyone in the morning with a chipper "Good Morning! and bidding farewell when leaving a family party/function. As a child I was shy and reserved and thus begrudgingly acted on these recommendations and etiquette pointers. Ironically, as I've gone through the years, today I am very enthusiastic about greeting all those I greet from morning to night as I too feel, now, that this is decent, polite, friendly and makes me feel connected with my counterparts and environment.

• Very festive, joyous and fun-loving.

Colombians generally love to have fun - they love dancing, drinking, sporting events, playing sports and especially soccer, which is a beloved national pastime. Colombians will gather amongst friends and families - there will always be music and alcohol. Most of the time, there will be food too, however, a party can easily thrive on good music and drinks. The cherished national alcoholic beverage is called Aguardiente:

Locally produce, national pride - One of the main spirits of choice: AGUARDIENTE CRISTAL DE CALDAS.

The other very much adored Alcohol is Aguardiente Antioqueño:

Spirits of Choice #2: AGUARDIENTE ANTIOQUENO. As you can see, various bottle sizes are available to cater to any party need, group size - or pant pocket - HA!

Colombians love alcohol, drinking and partying. This is a generalization, yes, and it's mostly true although not entirely applicable to ALL people. I will say that I don't think I've ever met a single Colombian who doesn't like to drink and party. Essentially, they just love having a great time, enjoying, and being in high spirits.
La Rumba = The Party.  
Donde es la Rumba? = Where's the party?

An example of how much enjoyment and appreciation goes into their drinks is finely illustrated by the following image, which has even a Tetrapak of Aguardiente Antioqueño!!!

The different bottle shapes, sizes and types of Aguardiente. There is even a Tetrapak pack option! Crazy. They have 1L box options, similar to the boxed wine in the USA.

Just a note that I don't drink alcohol due to the sugar content; since I prize my fitness and low-sugar consumption, drinks of any kind don't fit into my lifestyle. I love to dance and have fun and overall I will enjoy a party to the max yet I don't need spirits to enjoy deeply and fully.

I wouldn't consider the 'drinking' and alcohol predilection as a 'beautiful aspect' of the culture. It's just been linked with the party-loving, festive and jovial nature of the people. That convivial spirit somehow seems to be joined at the hip with drinking and party time. I guess anyone who gets a buzz and drunk will be festive and happy, more often than not... In sum, they are a bright and friendly, fun-loving, party-loving bunch.

• Colombia is a key world producer of Coffee. 

I love coffee, and so does 98% of the rest of the universe! :-) 

Colombia birthed the iconic Juan Valdez Cafe de Colombia image, easily spotted around most of the world.

Café de Colombia - Juan Valdez. El cafe mas amado de los Colombianos. The coffee most loved by Colombians. Juan Valdez is a fictional character created by the National Federation of Coffee (FNC - Federacion Nacional de Cafe).

From an early age coffee has been staple of our family morning routine. Coffee, milk, sugar...That's what revs the day for so many folks. Historically, Colombian coffee has ranked 2nd in global production, following Brazil. However, it now stands 3rd with Vietnam coming in 2nd place (International Coffee Organization Statistics).

• Flowers
  

Little-known fact: Colombia is the 2nd largest flower producer and exporter in the world, with The Netherlands being the top exporter  and producer worldwide, and especially in Europe (WikiRef-Flowers). In fact, Colombia is the top exporter of flowers to the United States which has led to a Free-Trade agreement resulting in lowered trade prices.

I was not aware of this fact and it's pretty cool!

• Emeralds 

  Colombia is the world's largest producer of Emeralds, representing 50-95% of world production (Emeralds)

• Colombians love soccer.

• They are sweet and affectionate; They are welcoming and enjoy having a good laugh.

Well, I will leave it at that for now. I think that sometimes when you are "in" the thing, it is a bit more challenging to objectively and analytically portray the various aspects that could be highlighted.

Every culture and nationality has its set of unique and vibrant qualities. The cornucopia of ethnicities, backgrounds, attitudes and customs is one of the factors that makes life on earth so fascinating and engaging. It's at the core of politics, international relations and globalism.

The cornucopia or horn of plenty is a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers, nuts, other edibles, or wealth in some form. (Cornucopia@Wiki)

Celebrating the abundance of perspectives ultimately leads to greater awareness; to a more optimistic, compassionate and peaceful outlook about life and the human experience.

Ironically, perceiving how different we are from one another makes us unavoidably also perceive all the qualities in which we are the very same.

By the way, today is Thanksgiving Day back home in the US. 

Very happy Turkey Day to all my beloved family, friends and acquaintances!!! :-)

The more things change, the more they stay the same! :-)

Beautiful Aspects of Indian Culture

 

Positively Inspired to Appreciate Indian Culture

 

For some spectacular and inexplicable reason last night I woke up mid-sleep for a sip of water and had a Eureka moment - I had the idea to dedicate a blog post on the beautiful aspects of Indian culture. Living in Dubai, there is a sizable Indian population, mostly all of my close girlfriends at work are Indian and we eat together every day. I also interact with many Indians outside of the office such as in my building and through social events/Meetups. All in all, these pleasant interactions, and mostly my lovely, caring and fun-loving girlfriends, motivated my desire to focus on the positive aspects of the pulsating and full-bodied Indian culture.

•  The cuisine is spectacularly, amazingly, remarkably, delectably, deliciously diverse!

Tons of flavors, spices, dishes, curries, masalas, veg and non-veg approaches. So much flavor. Furthermore, there is great depth to the philosophy behind food choices. Individuals and families choose to eat a particular way as influenced by their particular religion - Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism [Wiki Reference, Religion in India]. There are particular days of the month and year on which some foods are consumed and others are not.

Flavor and tastiness is the essence and at the heart of culinary fulfillment, at least from all that I have learned, observed and shared with/from my Indian friends. There is eagerness to share food, eat in community and to acknowledge the success of a well-prepared, tasty item: a curry, dal, paratha, biryani, chutney, chaat (savory snacks) and more.

Chicken Biryani from Hyderabad - looks amazing - wow! :)

Indian Dal Nirvana (Dal Makhani)

My Faves: Chicken Tikka Masala (mild), Palak Paneer - the spinach (beloved veggie) and cheese combo are delectable, plus with the spice you can feel the joyful party sensation in your mouth; mouthwatering cauliflower (another beloved veggie of mine) prepared with varied spices and flavor, yummo! Check this out:

Indian cauliflower, potatoes & peas. Wowzer! Save me a plate :-)

I also enjoy most dals and I really like parathas. *However*, my Indian girlfriends know me quite well already and know that, I don't eat these items because of the carb content...Alas. I've tasted the goodies yet don't normally indulge.

Nice-looking dish. Parathas, or Parotta, from Kerala. So much diversity and they can be eaten at any meal of the day, with either butter, a curry, dal, or yogurt.

 Oh, I almost forgot - I love the taste of samosas however those babies are deep-friend pastry dough so they are off-limits for me on multiple levels haha. I still appreciate 'em, though!

From Indian cuisine we can definitely appreciate the beauty of colors, fragrances, tastes, spices, food combinations, and textures (the mouth-feel). I think if you were to devise a matrix to list all the feasible food combinations for Indian dishes given the multitude of options, well, it would be a gigantic collection of resultant entries!!

I haven't even touched on desserts. Indian sweets are epic. 

They are rich, they are the real deal. Sugar, sugar and sugar :-). There are sundry dessert options which vary depending on the region and city; each area has its own particular food types, flavors and thus desserts. There are elaborate preparation processes, including use of chickpea flour, semolina, whole wheat, rice flour and GHEEEEEEEEE. The fabulous staple that is Ghee butter. An indispensable food item for any Indian home.

I have personally cooked with Ghee and enjoyed it - somewhat fragrant and tasty. I would use it again however I normally just keep Coconut Oil for cooking since it has a healthy fatty-acid composition and antibacterial, anti fungal properties.

That brings up another game-player: COCONUT.
Coconut plays a significant role in a much of Indian cuisine, which I think is so awesome because I Love Coconut. There is great usage of Coconut Oil and Coconut milk, the latter especially for creamy curries. Coconut use is also central to Thai and Sri Lankan cuisine.

Coconut rocks, in all forms and manifestations, so when you add it to dishes, well, that automatically elevates the quality and nutrition to be savored.

Food texture is significant in Indian culture not only in terms of mouth-feel, but also in the hands-feel. 

I mention this because a typical aspect of Indian dining etiquette is eating with your hands. It does not happen all the time, utensils are also used, and method depends on the region. Individuals can choose depending on location of meal consumption (perhaps at work in a multinational setting there is more knife-fork usage) and the circumstances. Meals eaten at home will tend to be with the hands. My friends tell me that eating with your hands makes food tastier :-). Just a note that this is not necessarily 100% applicable to ALL people...it just depends on personal preference and such.

Confession - there are quite a few times when I am dining at home alone and I LOVE eating with my hands, picking the chicken apart with my hands, etc. Most of the time though I prefer eating with chopsticks if the food befits such utensils.

To summarize, things I adore about Indian cuisine: the variety of flavors, colors, fragrances, spices, dishes - I cook with tons of spices and masalas; the coconut oil and coconut milk, which I consume on a regular basis; and the overall vibrant nature of the cuisine. It's almost like you can feel an energy and passion through the vast variety. Beautiful aspects indeed!

Now that I've thoroughly and lovingly fixated on Indian food, I will highlight other charming aspects :-).

• There are rich, complex and deeply rooted historic traditions that continue to be important pillars even in this 21st century.

• India is the birthplace of Buddhism -  a pivotal, life-altering philosophy that has undeniably shaped the development of human consciousness through the centuries. Buddhism has introduced and allowed us to contemplate notions of reincarnation, cycles of life, karma and dharma, and conscious awareness. I suppose for me, these are beliefs that resonate with my soul, which is why I deeply appreciate that they were formally introduced to the world in a structured, didactic, theological manner.

• India is the birthplace of YOGA. Need I say more? :)

• India is the birthplace of Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Medicine, or alternative healing.  This one really speaks for itself!

• Many spices with curative health-promoting properties come from India including: Turmeric/Curcumin, Saffron, Cumin and Oregano, to name a few. By the way, I swear by Oil of Oregano in terms of staving off an impending cold/flu, it has anti-parasitic properties for intestinal and gut health, and is antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. I keep an ointment bottle of pure Oil of Oregano for daily use.

• There is great love and celebration of music and dance as we see through Bollywood. In fact, I think it's the only culture in the world that has full movies performed with song and dance throughout. 

• The people are generally friendly, amiable, and enjoy a good laugh and joking around.

• The traditional clothing, saris, are beautifully ornate, colorful, graceful and elegant.

• Education is highly valued, prized and encouraged. Indian children are taught from an early age to study well and to challenge themselves academically. Intelligence and academic pursuits are seen as valuable and respectable.

• Family centric and very devoted, especially the women. I've observed that mothers and wives are very devoted and do not think twice about completely prioritizing their family's needs. It is really sweet to see this type of dynamic, when there is no doubt and a complete knowing that their family comes first. This contrasts with the more individualistic societies of the West. Not that I am particularly preferring one side over the other (I am a typical embodiment of that Western self-focused, individualistic mindset), however, I feel and appreciate the beauty of that sincere, heartfelt devotion and sacrifice. Ultimately, the woman's devotion and hard work is the glue keeping families together and functioning; it upholds the longevity of the family unit. I really admire my lady friends who are living examples of this key trait.

 

Holding up the fort. Strong lady, she is.

Closing Words...

I feel so grateful I've met my friends and that they share so much of their world with me. I've learned to tolerate spicier food :-) and I appreciate much more the diversity and multiple layers that make up the Indian cultural identity.

National identity is changing around the world for many cultures and new generations are introducing their own unique set of values, views and behaviors into the mix. The cultural milieu of where we are raised and the degree of Westernization and Globalization also impacts how much of the traditions the new generations embrace and carry forward. Some elements of traditional cultural identity are being left behind in exchange for modern ideas and norms; and some aspects of tradition will remain fixed in their character for the rest of their lives. Both inclinations are OK and in fact they are inevitable and unavoidable. The more exposed we are to the ability to CHOOSE, the more we all realize we can powerfully shape the direction of our lives and our character. This is the thinking of those 'young people' (myself included).

I know I've only scratched the surface in terms of my awareness of Indian culture. I'm really pleased with this start! We all start somewhere and there is only greater room for expansion over time. I look forward to enjoying even more beautiful aspects of the abundant, lush, dynamic, soulful, historic and sparkling Indian culture.

Gorgeous artwork - Indian artistry at its best: Henna.

My Life Is All About Me - Self-Esteem

 Aloha! :-)

Lighthearted morning thoughts for self-esteem:

Captain of my soul, captain of my ship, captain of my life.

I can hardly wait for the next turn, something wonderful is awaiting me.

"Wherever you go, go with all your heart."  —Confucius

I nourish the universe and the universe nourishes me.

I am the center of my universe. I am my own point of attraction. I am a creator and co-creator. I am divinely inspired.

Many of the above thoughts and reflections are borrowed from Abraham Hicks either verbatum or in summarized fashion, and I've also been inspired today by Deepak Chopra's 21-Day Meditation Challenge. Their messages are really beautiful and poignant; I recommend listening to them if you make some time.

As I was walking back home this morning from the gym something dawned on me...I understood that despite my attempts and desire to deeply connect with a partner and give my love to another, in the end, life keeps pointing me in a particular direction...Directing me towards myself.

That I should take the chance of this life and these somewhat formative years of my life to focus on my self-development and to do things for my own sake rather than being inspired by the love and passion that could be felt for and triggered by a romantic partner. For so long, I have not  explored deeply and consciously the things that make me happy and that feel fun to my inner child. It almost feels like living on standby "Adult person" mode, in a slight sense yet not completely.

In the past few weeks and months, I've been on a journey to understand and identify the things that give me joy, fun, happiness and satisfaction. This journey got kick-started by the end of a relationship, which is pretty standard. In terms of experiencing great fun, a big chunk of it is through exercise, for sure! I love to dance and take any opportunity at the gym studio after the weight session. I love being outdoors in nature and pampering myself. A key ingredient that is vital for my happiness is to feel like I have vibrant, warm friendships with kind, warm and well-meaning, like-minded friends. Relationships are probably at the top of my list, and the very top one and most crucial is the relationship I have with myself.

The experience of being a single woman, living alone overseas and being completely independent has clarified to me that I want and need to be my own best friend, to always support myself and have my back. I can always count on me and I can always look to myself for guidance and answers. I am that strong. We all are, deep inside.

I think that if any of us were to look back over the course of our lives so far we would appreciate that through thick and thin, through all the hardships, victories and obstacles, you have always been the constant. The one person that has ALWAYS been there - even when feeling depression, even feeling sadness and then of course in joy, happiness, bliss, passion, eagerness and excitement for things - that person has always been YOU. You have always been present and in attendance no matter what the occasion of your life. That is a constant and it will remain this way forevermore.

Isn't it wonderfully great to acknowledge and feel this truth, unmistakably and undeniably?

Beautiful wisdom. Soulful and helpful.

Proof is in the pudding...or Tricep Pushup - Getting Stronger :-)

Today I enjoyed an awesome Arms workout - yes, the guns: biceps and triceps :-D

I got my workout lineup from Bodybuilding.com and approached it as biceps first, followed by Triceps. The reason being that yesterday I read an article indicating that it's more sensible to do all exercises for one set of muscles (i.e. Biceps) and then switch to the other (Triceps) since they are antagonistic muscles and so exhausting one group leaves the other group in a weaker, less primed state to bear weight. Not that I subscribe 100% to this idea but I figured I'd give it a shot - why not!

Doing all biceps movements in sequence, and supersetting for the most part, effectively fatigues the muscle. I also noticed that doing one muscle group at a time allowed for greater focus and concentration on that muscle group since I wasn't switching back and forth from one mindset (muscle group) to another. It's actually pretty cool to feel that greater focus because you feel that you are really targeting it and working for its particular growth - like nursing a child, haha.

What motivated this particular post is the discovery that I am indeed getting stronger!!!
I know this without a shadow of a doubt because today I was able to belt out 4 sets, 10-12 reps of Triceps Pushups (hands shoulder width apart, targeting the triceps). I did each of the 4 sets with solid form!!! For me that is WOW.  Exactly one year ago when I started focusing on weight training 100%, I could barely eek out 6-8 reps w/Narrow-Hand positioning - I felt quite weak in that particular move whereas I was stronger in the traditional pushup (wide hand placement). It was incredible and I could scarcely believe it were it not for the fact that it was me, moving up and down, efficiently and absolutely. Wow, it felt awesome :-)

It's incredibly uplifting and empowering to witness with your own eyes that you are changing for the better, improving, that you are transforming day by day and growing stronger.

That's me and how I felt at the gym after each set of Tri Pushups - Woo hoo!!! :-) Pat on my back :-D

Also note that these are real pushups - no modifications. In fact, I've never performed modified pushups since I feel it's a movement to be done with integrity in order to really test your performance and reap its rewards. Best thing to do if you're starting out is to build up the volume. If you can only do 1-5 reps, then start there and build up gradually adding 1 extra push daily. Also, the body should be in a straight line, bum in line with back (not piking up towards the ceiling, which subsequently makes the move easier). If you're doing the Tri-Pushup, the elbows should be kept close to the waist and not pointing/bending outwards. The image below (lady in red) illustrates it really well.

The feeling of self-empowerment and growing stronger is irreplaceable. I guess the key is to be consistent, continue with your training, challenge your body with gradual progressions of heavier loads for all exercises. Sometimes we don't know what we are truly capable of, we don't push our limits and stay in a comfort zone assuming we're not "there" yet (to go heavier). Well, you won't get "there" if you don't try the heavier weight in the first place! I say this as a reminder to myself in large part because I've noticed that the one time I trained with a Personal Trainer in NYC (Legs) he was great and pushed me to heavier weights, which I thought I wasn't able to handle but which turned out to be challenging yet manageable. It showed me that I tend towards weights that don't truly test my capacity even when I am focused on going heavy...it's almost like I've designated a zone of maximum discomfort for myself. While it is indeed challenging, it doesn't reveal the greatest strength and highest capacity my resilient and strong body can withstand.

With this in mind, I have been approaching, and will continue to do so, training in the coming days are unique opportunities to try the heaviest weight I can handle and use it a baseline, and to retest this maximum weight (the well-know 1RM, rep max). It takes a lot of work, consistency and proper eating for women to gain lean mass - we don't just bulk up or build muscles as soon as we lift Dumbbells etc. We don't have the necessary amount of Testosterone to easily build such mass. Anyhow, point is, my goal is not the 'bulk up' but rather to grow stronger as I already am and to see more overall muscle definition as I go...Muscle definition can only come about by lowering body fat, which is the layer covering up our muscles and which shields any definition or cuts.  And so, slowly, slowly, I will continue training by lifting as heavy as I can (using good form of course), and as importantly - Eating Well! I have personally experienced that one's physique is a result of how we eat and even minimal tweaks in a nutrition program can impact body development. Yes, as they say: a tone, muscular and fit body is 75-80% nutrition, and the rest from work in the gym.

It's a combined, multi-pronged effort and it easily becomes a lifestyle if you want to successfully achieve your particular fitness and/or physique goal(s).

All I know is that I'm having fun and really enjoying the training process.

My original goal was to reach 15% Body Fat, down from 25%...I reached 20% in August and I've continued training at a good pace and intensity since then. I haven't re-measured since August 22nd however I feel confident I'm on the right track by the way I feel and what I see in the mirror. Minor changes but they are changes nonetheless. Besides, I wholeheartedly accept that progress takes time and I am not employing any drastic diets or other extreme schemes. My thinking is that I want to be able to achieve the body of my dreams by eating in a sustainable manner - that I can see myself eating this way in 1 year, 5 yrs, and even 10yrs. So far, so good, and I feel satiated. I've discovered I love the taste of fats and protein, and not so much the starches - I can do without them however I intake healthy options like sweet potato, protein cakes/squares which I bake with coconut, amaranth, oat, and fava bean flour (this unusual one caught my attention and it tastes alright).

Eating nutritiously and with a workable nutrient split. As of this weekend daily macro-nutrient targets are:

• Higher protein = 155g 
• Higher fat = 45-55g 
• Carbs lower in consumption relatively speaking = 50g-75g per day, and aiming for no more than 25-35g Sugar daily.

I've been using MyFitnessPal.com to track daily consumption and I recently realized we can log our foods from desktop, online (duh, Jen) (I had been using my iPad exclusively), making it far easier to input data from my desk. It's a terrifically helpful tool  - thank you to them!

Tomorrow is Legs and Chest, some abs, although I'd love to give my legs some more rest and hit them on Thursday. That's what I did the past two weeks, so maybe I should train them tomorrow to mix it up a bit to surprise my body. Variety is the spice of life!

Message from the Universe & A New Poem: "Listen & Witness"

So many beautiful blessings abound. :-)

Today the universe has been sending me a specific message via Yogi Tea bags, blogs I've read and a Deepak Chopra meditation (from Oprah & Deepak's 21-day meditation challenge: https://chopracentermeditation.com/challenge and click on 'Message of the Day').

Extract:

We may carry long held ideas that were given to us by others about who we are that influence our perceptions about what we want in life. Today, as we meditate together, give yourself permission to let go as you sink into the meditation. Let your heart and soul speak to you as we travel within to hear our inner song of truth. Breathe deeply and receive. Today is a day filled with transformational opportunity. Today we let our hearts lead the way for all of the answers we seek live within- all we have to do is listen.

The message is: "listen more". Listen to what? I wonder. To what the universe has to say? to what my friends and family are saying, literally? To what the surrounding circumstances, occurrences and actions of others are communicating?
There are countless messages in the multitude of things we see and encounter. It's only a matter of choosing to focus on a particular thing and deliberately interpreting it for meaning or a message. At the end of the day, the messages anyone extracts are subjective and will present lessons that one person may see and value yet not the other.

So my consideration is to heed this advice and, thus, I will be more observant. I will listen to the people, situations and elements around me. Sometimes the answer is right in front of our very own eyes yet we assume we must seek it out through the distance. We just don't see it, or ignore its simple, straightforward and uncomplicated existence.

These days I prefer to think that life should be easy, enjoyable and pleasant, and that things generally work out when we look at the bigger picture and frame within its context. Perhaps I just need to listen to nature and appreciate the fact that we're finally experiencing the Winter season in Dubai. The evenings are cooler, mornings remain gray for longer and also fresh, and there are stronger winds ruffling the leaves of the many Palms that adorn this arid yet spirited city.

Habits, and Good Morning Legs & Glutes!

17 Nov 2013-

On Habits & Today's morning workout: Legs/Glutes =)

 

•  Warmup on Treadmill on an incline, 10 minutes

• Leg Extensions = 50lb x 30r (warm-up) / 50  x20r / 60 x 16r
• Hamstring Curl = 50 x 12r + 
• 1 Leg Ham Curl = 10lb x 5r per leg
• Hyperextension = 20r
• Smith Machine Squat = 70lb x 6r / 70x6 / 70x6 (Tough weight for me but I am going heavier)
• DB Back Lunge = 20lb DB/12r, 3 sets
• Good mornings = 35lb x 15 / 45x 15r / 45x 15r
• Pulley Str8 kick-back = 40lb x 15r + 5 Pulses/ Set 2, +12 Pulses/ Set 3, +10 pulses
• Pulley Lift for inner thigh = 20lb x 12r / 20lb x 12r/ 20lb x 12r per leg
• BB Hip Thrust = 45lb x 10r
• 1 Lying down Leg hip thrust, feet on bench = 15R per side with 1 foot extended up.

 

Now on to habits...

Habit is a powerful thing. Once you get used to a particular action and routine you just automatically fall into it without much thought. This is why talk about creating healthy habits is so spot-on. Life can get busy with different responsibilities and we tend to gravitate towards the actions that seem easier. The smart way to go about things is to create a setup that makes it easier for you to engage in the healthy or desirable habits (behavior) to achieve your goals, whatever they may be. Normally people will refer to creating healthy habits when it comes to embarking on a fit and healthy lifestyle and/or you have specific body transformation goals. I suppose you could apply this philosophy to other areas of life. If you are trying to pass a course and need to prepare for the final dissertation or exam, then create habits that permit you to more easily be in a setting conducive to writing, studying, etc.
If you want to improve foreign language skills you could start leaving index cards with words in the foreign language to trigger you to define the word and think about the language a bit more than you otherwise would.

I definitely have habits around my workout regime. Waking up at a certain time (5am or 5:15am) is a fundamental and extremely powerful one. The time you wake up and start the sparkling new day is directly linked with your levels of restedness and can ultimately shape your schedule. For instance, it impacts the time you go to sleep, the types and scale of activities you do at night, it thus reflects an altered lifestyle, and early starts are also conducive to being more productive since this is when you're at your freshest and most alert. However, this is coming from me, already a morning person :-), so perhaps my friends who are not early risers would beg to differ on the last bit.

Other habits include coffee prep process, setting up the laptop to listen to some inspirational video clips, and getting the log book ready to write down the upcoming workout. We are creatures of habit so it's sensible to set up some good patterns of behavior to easily fall into them.  There are habits in marriages, parenting styles and work habits...practiced behavior, repetition breeds familiarity and comfort, hence the willingness to repeat. The more you repeat, the less you think about the action.

Similarly, we can have bad habits, and somehow these seem to be easier to do and harder to eliminate - they're like chewing gum that gets stuck on your shoe sole - pesky, persistent and you seem to always have the most minimal residue no matter how hard you try to remove it!

Thoughts, too, are a habit - hence the saying "Habits of thought" or "habitual thinking"...

If we accept that thoughts create our future, and thoughts are a habit, then it's plausible that habits are intrinsic to creating and shaping our future.

Keeping specific habits can be the key to success in a given domain, field or towards a goal. However, we should also remind ourselves to not be slaves to habit or mindlessly functioning in a mechanical way. It was Emerson who wrote, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds". Indeed...action without reflection is going through the motions without connecting fully, heart and soul, with the activity. Not being 'in the moment,' on a regular basis, can quickly lead to disinterest and self doubt. This is when we are prone to giving up... Don't give up!!!

So the kernel of truth could be: think about what you want and what gives you intrinsic pleasure and satisfaction in doing it, what makes you feel good - and set up some habits that nourish and cultivate paths towards that end goal of satisfaction. Reflect on why you are doing what you are doing so as to be fully rooted in your actions. We can better prime ourselves to do what we want to do, get what we truly want and enjoy the process. Seems like an enjoyable and enriching way to experience life. :-)

Life keeps getting better & better

17 Nov 2013 - 

Here we are, a new start to the work week...:-) Happy to be here.

I had an amazing weekend, they are getting better and better and I love that. Went to the movies, went on a yacht ride with nice Latinos in Dubai and met two girlfriends in the park yesterday. I also cooked, baked, went to the salon, gymmed on Friday (Biceps, Triceps, Shoulders, Abs), washed and vacuumed! Good girl.


I am so pleased that life is growing happier and better by the day. It seems to be linked with my increasing appreciation for each day, each friend, each loved one, all the great blessings of my life - I think the key is gratitude, constant appreciation and consistent awareness of those elements (people, places, situations, opportunities) that generate a feeling of joy, well-being, satisfaction, and more.

One thing I've been doing in the past 2-3 weeks is making lists of things for which I am grateful. I am also more observant about the coincidences and the unexpected good things that turn out in my favor. Simple things - earning a free coffee, the traffic parting in my favor, kind waiters, hearing the right thing at the right time. The idea of keeping a list of positive things is one I adopted from Abraham Hicks - thanks so much, Abe! :-) Indeed, I am saying yes to life and that seems to provide a positive momentum forward to attract more of the situations, people and feelings that I like.

Friday's Training & a crazy pre-workout!

Friday's workout was unplanned since I normally take rest on Friday and Saturday to then resume on Sunday ever more energized. However, that morning I was feeling particularly desirous of working on my arms - specifically my arms and fortunately these were the body parts that were in queue (day prior was Legs. 
So it was. 
However, the Pre-Workout was hugely unplanned, a surprise. What was it? Birthday chocolate cake. Yes, I still have the several (huge) pieces from my birthday (Oct 25) which I had not eaten since that day, in fact I didn't try any cake on that day or since then. However on Friday I was feeling a tad light-headed and needed some energy. I didn't want to spend the extra time making a new pot of coffee and I wanted a relatively quick boost and I knew good ol' cake would provide the required sugar/glucose spike required to energize without making me feel full. As if the cake wasn't enough, I had a few sips of the 1/2 bottle of Diet Coke in the fridge, which is a rarity in my home now (avoid carbonated drinks). 

And off I went on my merry way. For some odd yet wonderful reason I didn't give that (dubiously named) pre-workout meal a second thought. It was a blip on the radar and figured into my overall daily calories. In any event I took this opportunity to label it the carb refeed/reload day since I basically eat low-carb the whole week and require glycogen replenishment yet which I don't incorporate in a calculated intentional way. In that moment when I was contemplating what to take in as fuel I was listening to my body in terms of what it needed, and it was the perfect opportunity to enjoy a piece of cake: early in the day thus will mostly burn it off, no breakfast meal prior to it, and I was going to the gym afterwards. These key factors essentially mitigated the damage. 

I ended up having an amazing workout of about 2 hours at least, saw my friends there, and finished up strong. 

Point is you just have to listen to your body, and not zealously label a particular food as evil or vilify a particular moment of eating something that is not on your list of permissible foods. Cake is highly unusual for me. We are not machines and if you just go with the flow in those rare moments and do not castigate yourself, i.e. you don't freak out - things work out anyways. You just have to trust yourself enough to be aware that you are consistent 90% of the time with proper nutrition and have an overall disciplined approach which curbs indulgences overall. 

There's no need to make a mountain out of a molehill :-). Think long-term and appreciate the fact this is a minor blip on the large screen of your life and the multitude of future workouts and clean meals.

It can be easy to blow things out of proportion, especially the more perfectionist you are. However, with some proper objective rationalization and perspective you quickly lower any potential anxiety or concern. Just ignore it! :-) 

 

 

 

 

 

True Love means… :-)

Sat 16 Nov 2013 - 

Key realization of the day (so far): "True love" means releasing notions of owning another's undivided and complete attention. (i.e. ownership of the loved one). It simply means embracing in the heart the image, memory and essence of the loved one and wishing them always the very, very best, with a smile, knowing you deeply love them and accept them as they are today and now. That is all that matters.

I love living in a state of flow. :-) May it always be so! <3

Letting Go - poem by JArcila, 12 Nov 13

Letting Go

I thought I'd never see you again
and here you are,
Here we go again.

One more ride, one more time?
Will it work out now?

In all our time together, something was off!
I never really felt fine,

always yearning you could be mine

Then I felt doubtful, felt some regret

My question now: is it even worth a try?

I think it's best to let it go,

let things be, apart.

That's how life intended us to be-

In thoughts but not real life.

Look there!
A dreamy cloud floating airily across the sky

passing through and scattering soon enough.

That's how life intends us to be,

this is what I've learned to see.

By J.Arcila, 12 Nov 2013

:-)

ps. I love this poem! :-)

Loving Fitness, Loving Life

It's no secret that I love to exercise, I really, really adore it :-).

I experience such joy and deep delight when I am in the gym, weight training, doing some plyometrics, bouncing around to keep my heart rate up, dancing and finally stretching. I am not sure how it works or where the dynamism, eagerness, passion and energy originate but they are all there, and then some! :-)

I feels like s an incredible blessing and gift of the Universe that I have a hobby that is healthy, uplifting, life-affirming and positive - and it is an activity that I can do as much as I want, to my heart's content. As I've written before in another blog post [http://jarcila.blog.com/2013/11/06/gymming-brings-friendship/] going to the gym can also be a fantastic way to make new, genuine, awesome friends. Gymming is also awesome because you can do it almost anywhere in the world! Even some of the poorest, most conservative and closed off cities will have a gym and I have a sense that almost anywhere in the world there are bound to be folks (men mostly) who want to be muscular, strong and like to lift weights. Even if there is no gym, you can do plenty of bodyweight exercises whether it is in a park, a mountainous area, beach/pool area, and so forth.

For all these reasons I love going to the gym and weight training. This morning it was Day 5 of my training and will rest up tomorrow and Saturday. I'm currently working with a 5-day split. These next 2 days will be devoted to R&R, time with friends, personal care, and basic home duties.

Generally on R&R days I may go rollerblading, swimming, or go for a morning walk on an empty stomach to stimulate fat burning in an easy-going, pleasant manner. This is touted as being highly effective if you want to burn some fat more effectively: doing light cardio, 45minutes max, in the morning before breakfast. For reference you can check our Ben Greenfield Fitness (http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/search/fat+burning+fasted+walk) and Elliott Hulse's YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgRcrUU4hEU and www.youtube.com/watch?v=lozkwiyVefw‎).  I love both of these guys and all the incredibly helpful information they put out there.

Light cardio includes: going for a walk, gardening, rollerblading, swimming...an activity that will raise your HR just above resting HR but not so taxing that it will send your cortisol levels through the roof and thus negatively impact your adrenals and send your hormones into emergency mode. It's really easy to do and you will likely feel the effect throughout the day.

When I do such fasted walks I reach home quite ravenous and need to be a bit more disciplined and conscientious about the amount of food I will consume. To avoid overeating I make more of a deliberate effort to measure my servings and to think more consciously about what I intend to eat and why. For instance, rather than just mindlessly munching on nuts while I make the eggs & veggies, I deliberately take 2 Brazil Nuts and set them aside taking bites at a time, include more veggies (since I am really hungry) and use the measuring tools to accurately measure 1 TB Hummus (if I will have it) and the 4-5 egg whites. One thing I am endeavoring to do more and more is taking ! TSP of Coconut Oil as soon as I am back in the kitchen: 

• B/c Coconut Oil is amazing - It has MCTs (medium chain triglycerides), antibacterial properties and its fatty acids can help boost brain function, increase feelings of satiety. Plus it tastes really yum (if you get the Organic, non-commercial type). 

I also find it's good to take the 1 Ts of coco oil right away since it is Fat which will send signals to my body that it need not go into Starvation Mode and thus avoid fat storage. If you do excessive exercise on an empty stomach for long duration you will inevitably trigger the fight/flight response, thus promoting more cortisol which is linked to belly-fat storage and it will send your hormones into an overall tizzy...which we seek to avoid, of course. At least that has been my experience as a female. 

It's best to be in a consistent state of low-stress, feeling good, and well-rested for optimal physical performance and fat burning. If you want to build muscle you need to train, eat heavy and intelligently, and sleep well. If you want to burn fat, you also need to train intelligently, eat even more intelligently, and sleep very well so you can continue to feel good, recovered enough to go strong on the next workout and to optimize cortisol levels high when they need to be high, and low the rest of the time).

I probably get such a kick out of weight training because it releases dopamine (neurotransmitter that generates good feelings and happiness). Furthermore, muscle-bearing activities strengthen bone density, stimulate Human Growth Hormone (HGH) production which is critical for muscle development, bone restructuring and collagen [Read more: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/sclark41.htm]. FYI, HGH is released through exercise and sleep - which ties in well with the previous mention of the value of consistently good sleep.  Not that the latter elements factor into the main reason why I enjoy weight lifting....it is just a fun feeling of getting into it, 

feeling good, vigorous, active, alive, mobile, sassy, sexy, feisty, capable, efficient, alert, moving, deliberate, focused, self-centered and self-focused, hopeful, inspired, and motivated from a je ne sais quoi...In short, making things happen :-) and having fun!

I recently blogged about my more thoughtful approach to training: http://jarcila.blog.com/2013/11/06/gymming-brings-friendship/

One of the most important things for anyone to consider as they begin on a journey of fitness is to appreciate and enjoy the process...Many times we do have short-term goals, however, if you want to transform your body and achieve the physique of your dreams, and maintain it, then it's good to always remember that this is a long-term experience, one that you will be be enjoying for the rest of your days. And so, there is no need to be desperate or anxious about reaching an X point, because then what? If you wish to keep up that X point you likely need to maintain, which means abiding by the same basic, fundamental principles that guided you to your goal. Getting into fitness really impacts your lifestyle, and in fact it can become a lifestyle and life structure for many.
Take it one day at a time, get informed, research, gather knowledge, listen to people who have been working in this field for a long while and who physical represent some of the elements that you admire. Get inspired by reading transformation stories (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/trans.htm) and keep it up! Fight the good fight consistently and believe in yourself and that yes, you can do it.

Everyone is different and we all see results at varying speeds, and through applying different methods - there is no cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all...For instance. I am a slow fat burner which means it's really easy to be a curvaceous and hold higher levels of body fat...Which means I have to be a disciplined girl in the kitchen and the gym :-D That;s Ok, that's me. You may be naturally lean and thus easily maintain and naturally thin body, which normally means the person has a harder time putting on muscle mass and needs to increase calorie consumption if looking to gain mass. Point is, we are not all the same and it's vital to do some self-experimentation and read up on the different methods to identify the one best suited for your body type, conditions, circumstances and goals.

I love fitness yet I am not 100% sure I would make it my life's work. For the moment, I really enjoy being passionate about a subject but not having expectations or responsibility to it...In other words, I enjoy the freedom, ease and self-directed flow that my current relationship with Fitness is. Perhaps, little by little, one step at a time, I will attract the necessary elements for me to gradually enter into this world more officially. For time being I am having fun without any expectations except from myself. Perhaps one day I will also have fun in a more expanded realm of Fitness in a way where it has greater purpose beyond just me feeling good.

I could go on but I'll nip it here :-)
Over n out!
-Jen :-)