DIET OF THE HEART
Many of us feel compassion when preparing or eating animal flesh, and some even reject meat at childhood. This is not an accident. We all live in different spiritual realities and levels. What is interesting is that those of us who have had profound spiritual experiences often don’t trust them to be real. I believe this is because we are too immersed in, and attached to, our physical reality. We are basically in denial of the interconnectedness of our reality.
The way I see it, food cravings (though certainly not all of them) are directly connected to anxiety and fear. This may be because the mind has associated happiness with pleasure, and since pleasure and pain are closely related, suffering becomes a tasty experience. The body, on the other hand, craves food and sex for self-preservation and perpetuation, not pleasure. It’s interesting to notice that only the heart is rooted in love and kindness. It has no cravings that can cause us suffering. The heart cares for our being as a whole, and it also for others—happily and healthily embracing everything as a big family.
Much love!
Valeria
To be healthy is to be loving.
MOVING WITH CONTENTMENT
When you’ve found joy in your own heart, you’ll have a much different experience when exercising. There should be a body and mind connection where you are in the moment: enjoyment without fear—there’s less concern with your physical health. You are simply respecting the natural law of cause and effect— satisfaction before, during, and after your exercise sessions; you feel anxiety-free about your next workout.
Exercise is a great habit to cultivate, but it should not be an obsession. There should be no expectation to get specific results, apart from improving your overall health. There should be no guilt when you don’t exercise. The main motivation should be to live longer and be physically healthy so that you can do more spiritual work on yourself and also help others to do the same.
My advice is that you find your own unique way to connect with that deep feeling of love within you while moving your body.
Much love!
Valeria
To be healthy is to be loving.
UNHEALTHY MOTIVATIONS TO EXERCISE
Although physical health is an important asset, the reasons we engage in exercise can still become unhealthy. Being mindful about your motivation for hitting the gym or engaging in any physical activity is helpful if you are looking for spiritual growth and self-knowledge. Be on the lookout for these unhealthy motivations to exercise:
· The need to be thin to feel good every day.
· Pressure to look good and lean to attract a new partner or to please an existing one.
· Feelings of insecurity about a specific body part.
· Fear of not being loved by others if you are out of shape.
· Guilt for not exercising every day or more often.
· To release stress caused by a changeable situation.
· To release anger.
· To show off, get attention, compete, or provoke envy in others.
· To fight or to intimidate others.
· Out of pure habit and without enjoyment.
· Shame.
· Pressure to be a role model in your family, work, town, or society.
These are just some examples. Keep in mind that behind all these reasons to work out, there is fear, and it is fear that makes them unhealthy.
Much love!
Valeria
To be healthy is to be loving.
LET'S BE HEALTHY TOGETHER
If you are like me (someone who can’t stay away from physical activities), integrating fitness and spirituality is essential. How many of us have struggled to answer the question of how to take good care of our bodies, without falling for preconceptions regarding physical attractiveness and health?
The answer can be very simple, but highly complex and paradoxical at the same time.
The closer we live to our spiritual hearts, the less we tend to engage in physical activities as purely beautifying or self-cherishing methods—even when these activities promote good-looking bodies, health, and higher self-esteems.
At this point, we are wiser, joyful, and peaceful enough to work on our bodies, so we hang around longer to support others with our virtues.
Much love!
Valeria
To be healthy is to be loving!
EXERCISE THE MIND FIRST
The pursuit of a fit and healthy body can only be a wonderful thing when we’ve already recognized our spiritual hearts as perfectly fit to provide us with a life of happiness and peace. In other words, a fit body can make us smile more often as a result of all the compliments we get, improve our health, and give us a temporary “happy” feeling of accomplishment. However, without a content mind and a joyful heart, this feeling won’t last long.
Since our health and feel-good state depend on external conditions and constant hard work (which can propel us into an endless cycle), I propose the following: Let’s work on achieving a more stable feeling of happiness, rooted in kindness, that can then result in a healthy and fit body.
Much love!
Valeria
TRULY STRONG
During one of my “fitness role model” training days, I was climbing a high set of steps outdoors in an intense workout session. Many people passed by me, including an overweight mother who was having a hard time carrying her baby down the steps in its stroller.
I passed her at least three times as she struggled to get down, but it never occurred to me to help her. All my mind could think was that by passing her as fast as I could and as many times as possible, I would inspire her to engage in exercise so she could lose weight and be healthy.
Later, a couple passing by called me strong and courageous. Had I actually been strong and courageous—enough to be listening to my spiritual heart—I would have stopped to help the mother and her baby.
Yes, I would still be exercising for enjoyment and physical health, but I would be motivated by love and compassion. It would have been an action based, not on “look how good I am,” but on “here I am and look, someone needs help.”
Much love!
Valeria
EXERCISING FOR THE WRONG REASONS
Most of us engage in exercise and clean eating for the wrong reasons. I did it for many years. I went through a rough period in my marriage when it didn’t matter how physically fit and healthy both of us were, our relationship wasn’t a happy one.
I stopped exercising for a few months. I gained about ten pounds. My body felt incredibly good (no more soreness or joint pain), though my marriage was falling apart. It didn’t take long for a heavy cloud of shame to settle over my head. Not even hours of meditation could save me from the pressure to go back to the gym and clean up my act. It had been about three months at this point, and the feelings of shame and fear were unbearable. How many of us exercise because we feel pressured to be lean and thin to fit the rules of society, please others, or because we are ashamed of our bodies?
Much love!
Valeria
LEAVING HOME WAS A DREAM!
The limited physical reality most people live in is a painful one. We entertain ourselves with achievements, pleasures, and excitements. But we also suffer dissatisfaction, confusion, and disappointments, and we lack wisdom in the face of sickness and death. It’s hardly fun to dwell on the past, worry about the future, and constantly fight to maintain what we think we have or to acquire what we believe we lack. This kind of worldly life is an endless marathon toward suffering, but it can be replaced with joy when you access the truth inside your own heart.
After investing many years in physical and psychological health, I finally realized that true health comes from knowing the depths of our own hearts and the nature of life. With this knowledge, all my external searches for happiness and peace ended and a joyful celebration began. You don’t need to find the way back home when you realize that leaving home was only a dream.
Much love!
Valeria
HAPPINESS AND SERENITY
Happiness and serenity have a lot to do with being in the present moment. However, many people do not achieve this state because they dwell on the past or become preoccupied with how to escape it by living for a “better” future. When we project (or stake) our happiness on the hypothetical achievement of a future circumstance, we sabotage our ability to be happy in the present. This reinforces a self-destructive mindset that likely will persist into the magical “future” we are hoping for.
To release yourself from this trap, you must shift your life toward a spiritual reality that transforms pain into joy. When you understand that the essence of your nature is not the thinking mind but rather a spaceless and timeless quality inside of you, compassion will arise and you will be free of unnecessary pain. Once you establish yourself in that place of love and kindness, everything will become love, or a lesson of love. While physical and mental health are valuable, realizing who you are at the heart-level is much more critical for happiness and serenity.
Much love!
Valeria
EXERCISE AND LOVING-KINDNESS
Exercise, diet, and even therapy can become traps for a painful reality; in some ways they can make it worse. For example, if you consciously (or unconsciously) believe you are not good enough or not worthy as a whole human being, you might work to become fit in pursuit of such worthiness. This mindset, however, creates the trap of sustaining habits out of fear, turning exercise and diet into negative forces and compounding the root problem as we live for our bodies through abusive mechanisms. Disharmony within the heart occurs when we forget to recognize that love and kindness are what life is all about.
Much love!
Valeria
INTENTION MATTERS
Where I come from in Brazil, an attractive body is worshipped as if it were a god. I was taught not only to strive for physical beauty, but also to be obedient, to serve, and to smile. It took years of suffering from inner conflict for me to accept my imperfect body and to find my way back to the intuitive faith in my heart. This heart had always known my true identity as a spiritual being, even though my rational mind could not accept that as truth. You might know well what I am talking about.
This was the main reason, for pretty much all of my life, that I pursued a fit and healthy body. To this day, daily exercise is still something my mind craves. What I do, then, is integrate exercise for the body with food for the soul! Every experience can become spiritual when we have the intention to be loving and kind.
Yes, we can enjoy our fit bodies as long as we know that true happiness only comes from our own hearts!
Much love!
Valeria
JOURNEY TO THE HAPPY YOU!
If you are like me and are inclined to engage in physical activity, integrating fitness and spirituality is essential. For many, many years I struggled to answer the question, “How do I take good care of my body but not fall for preconceptions about physical attractiveness and health?”
The answer was very simple, yet also highly complex and paradoxical. The closer you live to your spiritual heart, the less you tend to engage in purely physical activities and beautifying methods, even if they promote a healthy body and high self-esteem. This is because your spirit knows that sickness, old age, and death are inevitable. The time we have on earth is too limited to concern ourselves with the impermanent aspect of our existence. Every second becomes a valuable chance to recognize our true nature and to realize who we are in the spiritual reality.
When you know that there is a lot more to you than a body and a thinking mind, but you don’t know how to access that deeper part, you end up struggling between the two. This journey in limbo can be interesting, especially because it can teach you to have compassion for your own body. The paradox is that even giving attention to thoughts about fitness and health can lead you to believe that you are a physical being whose psychological needs must be met in order to feel good or to be whole. At this level, you are not living a spiritual existence yet.
However, this is all part of the journey to reaching the happy you. Listening to the heart, so that we can live more and more as a spiritual being, can bring our existence to a conscious space where life becomes a loving and joyful adventure that renews itself with every moment.
Much love!
Valeria
BEYOND FORGIVENESS
A difficult past can trap us in negativity.
If you find yourself wandering away from the domain of the heart, you most likely are dwelling in the past. In my life, I have met all kinds of people—religious, spiritual, philosophical, psychological, young and old—who assured me that forgiveness was necessary for a happy life. I heard what they were saying, but it never resonated with the deeper truth in my heart.
When we understand that we are all prone to making mistakes, the idea of forgiving someone is not as compelling as treating those who have “wronged” us with compassion and kindness.
Think of how many times in the past you were unkind to yourself and others. If we are really honest, we’ll admit that we were unable to act differently.
To forgive implies that someone outside of ourselves has the power over our emotions, or that we have power over theirs. How about accessing true forgiveness that only the heart is able to offer? I don’t know anything more powerful than compassion.
Those who are compassionate understand the cause of their own pain and how unnecessary suffering can be avoided. Such understanding drives a compassionate person to be kind and loving toward everyone, including those who have hurt them in the past. This attitude transcends forgiveness.
Much love!
Valeria
LUCAS AND THE BIRD
Long, long ago, there was a young man called Lucas who believed so much in love that he became a musician only to sing and play songs of love. He played and sang his music every day in the middle of the town as loud as he could. The people in the town started to complain about his music.
One day the police came and arrested him. Lucas was sentenced many years in prison. There, they took his guitar away and he was ordered not to sing. After many months, he found a way to escape.
Scared, he crossed the oceans looking for the furthest place from the town. In a land thousands of miles away, he found a farm and asked for a job. The old farmer gave him a job. Lucas helped with the crop and took care of the animals in exchange for food, some money, and a small cottage to live in by the river.
The place was comfortable and serene. He planned to spend the rest of his life there. He promised not to ever sing a word about love again but also not to ever forgive the people who put him in prison. Although it was impossible for anyone to ever find him there, every time a bird made a sound outside, he got scared and anxious. The fear the police would come to arrest him wouldn’t let him sleep. He would chase the bird away and rush inside.
One day, Lucas talked to the old man about his problem. He asked him how to ignore the bird’s noise and sleep better at night.
The old farmer looked him in the eye and said, “You are not afraid of birds young man. You are afraid of the song. It reminds you of an old melody.”
“But what melody?” he asked, confused.
“The melody of your past. The song of love you used to sing. It’s a song you must sing again.”
How does this farmer know about my past? What is he trying to say? Lucas asked himself with fear.
The farmer continued, “You can either live as a man who is afraid of birds, or you can sing the song of your heart and become as free as they are.”
Lucas reflected on everything the farmer said to him. The next day, he got up from bed, dressed, and went straight to the music store and bought a used guitar. That same afternoon, on the porch of his small cottage, he sang and played songs of love. At night, a bird made a noise outside, waking him up. Lucas walked calmly to the window to watch the bird and, with a smile on his face, he said: I also broke my second promise.
"The pain of resentment is not stronger than the power to love that belongs to your heart. You are here to be free from resentment, but you must allow your heart to sing the song of love it was meant to sing."
Much love!
Valeria
Gratitude and Your Health
It’s that time of year when many people begin thinking about everything they have to be thankful for. Although it’s nice to count your blessings on Thanksgiving, being thankful throughout the year could have tremendous benefits on your quality of life.
In fact, gratitude may be one of the most overlooked tools that we all have access to every day. Cultivating gratitude doesn’t cost any money and it certainly doesn’t take much time, but the benefits are enormous. Research reveals gratitude can have these seven benefits:
1. Gratitude opens the door to more relationships. Not only does saying “thank you” constitute good manners, but showing appreciation can help you win new friends, according to a 2104 study published in Emotion. The study found that thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek an ongoing relationship. So whether you thank a stranger for holding the door or you send a quick thank-you note to that co-worker who helped you with a project, acknowledging other people’s contributions can lead to new opportunities.
2. Gratitude improves physical health. Grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and they report feeling healthier than other people, according to a 2012 study published in Personality and Individual Differences. Not surprisingly, grateful people are also more likely to take care of their health. They exercise more often and are more likely to attend regular check-ups with their doctors, which is likely to contribute to further longevity.
3. Gratitude improves psychological health. Gratitude reduces a multitude of toxic emotions, ranging from envy and resentment to frustration and regret. Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., a leading gratitude researcher, has conducted multiple studies on the link between gratitude and well-being. His research confirms that gratitude effectively increases happiness and reduces depression.
4. Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression. Grateful people are more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, even when others behave less kind, according to a 2012 study by the University of Kentucky. Study participants who ranked higher on gratitude scales were less likely to retaliate against others, even when given negative feedback. They experienced more sensitivity and empathy toward other people and a decreased desire to seek revenge.
5. Grateful people sleep better. Writing in a gratitude journal improves sleep, according to a 2011 study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being. Spend just 15 minutes jotting down a few grateful sentiments before bed, and you may sleep better and longer.
6. Gratitude improves self-esteem. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology found that gratitude increased athlete’s self-esteem, which is an essential component to optimal performance. Other studies have shown that gratitude reduces social comparisons. Rather than becoming resentful toward people who have more money or better jobs – which is a major factor in reduced self-esteem- grateful people are able to appreciate other people’s accomplishments.
7. Gratitude increases mental strength. For years, research has shown gratitude not only reduces stress, but it may also play a major role in overcoming trauma. A 2006 study published in Behavior Research and Therapy found that Vietnam War Veterans with higher levels of gratitude experienced lower rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. A 2003 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that gratitude was a major contributor to resilience following the terrorist attacks on September 11. Recognizing all you have to be thankful for – even during the worst times of your life – fosters resilience.
We all have the ability and opportunity to cultivate gratitude. Simply take a few moments to focus on all that you have – rather than complain about all the things you think you deserve. Developing an “attitude of gratitude” is one of the simplest ways to improve your satisfaction with life.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! :)
Source: Forbes Magazine
Every Minute Of Exercise Lengthen Your Life
At a dinner party, someone was cheerily justifying the piles of money he spends on a personal trainer. He feels so great that it’s worth every cent, he exulted, “And the best part is the return on the time! Every minute you spend working out comes back to you because you’ll live that much longer!” Leveraging the health benefits of exercise can also inspire entrepreneurial ventures, such as starting a fitness business. For those in the Empire State looking to transform their passion into a profession, understanding how to file for LLC New York is a crucial step, in ensuring your business operates legally and smoothly.
Here is the math by Tom Anthony who holds a Harvard physics degree:
Computing years of life gained after age 40
Running for two hours a week should gain you about four years of life. “So that is roughly 100 hours per year for your remaining 40 years or 4,000 hours in total for all 40 years. In one year, there are 24 hr/day X 365 days = 8,760 hours. So four additional years is 8,760 hr/yr X 4 yr = 35,040 hours of life gained. To gain these extra hours, you expended 4,000 hours of running. So the payback ratio is 35,040 hours gain/ 4,000 hours expended = 8.8.
Running for an hour gives you 9 hours of extra life.
Brisk walking for an hour gives you 2.9/8 X 9 = 3.2 hours of extra life.
Biking for an hour at less than 10 mph gives you 4/8 X 9 = 4.5 hours of extra life
Rope jumping for an hour gives you 10/8 X 9= 11 hours of extra life
Calisthenics for an hour gives you 8/8 X 9 = 9 extra hours of life
Source: Common Health
Popcorn and Fitness
I eat homemade popcorn 2-3 times a week. I add grass-fed butter and Himalayan salt to it. It's a fun and delicious snack!
If you’re looking for healthy foods to snack on, try adding popcorn to your list. This “king of snack foods” packs more healthy antioxidants than many fruits and vegetables. Popcorn is a naturally high-fiber whole grain food that can be eaten without the guilt of many other snacks you’d enjoy while watching the latest basketball game on your wide screen. In addition, researchers have recently discovered that popcorn contains large quantities of polyphenols, antioxidants that can reverse damage done to the body by unstable molecules called free radicals. Ninety percent of these healthy polyphenols are found in the hull of the popcorn, so steer toward freshly-popped as opposed to processed. The results—unlike the popcorn—should be taken with a grain of salt. As with other foods high in antioxidants—such as red wine and chocolate—moderation is key. Avoid dousing the popcorn in salt or butter. And keep eating your fruits and vegetables. Unlike popcorn, they are also filled with important vitamins and minerals.
Popcorn Benefits Breakdown:
- Popcorn is a whole grain fiber and is roughage, meaning that it helps to keep you regulated.
- Popcorn has more iron than eggs, roast beef, codfish or milk. So, eating a few handfuls of popcorn can be just as good as drinking a glass of milk or having a roast beef sandwich, especially if you are trying to increase your protein intake.
- Popcorn provides your body with calcium, not as much as you’d get from milk. But still, since many of us are trying to increase our calcium intake, it’s good to know that popcorn has this important healthy item.
- Popcorn is high in vitamins: thiamine, riboflavin and niacin, as well as, all of the B Complex vitamins. All of which the body needs since our bodies do not produce vitamins on their own, and we have to supply it with them.
- Popcorn provides protein. Since we all know that increasing our intake of protein is one way to help us build muscle, then knowing that eating popcorn can help us with that is a great thing.
- Popcorn is low in calories. One cup of unbuttered popcorn is only 25 to 55 calories per cup making it a dieter’s dream!
Source: Men's Fitness
RIPPED DIET - Lose Fat Fast!
The ripped diet is super simple but not easy to follow. You need to do it exactly like this or it won't work. But if you do it, you will lose as much fat as you want!
Here it goes:
RIPPED DIET PLAN
MEAL 1
Probiotics in the morning before breakfast. (I recommend Garden of Life - 1 pill a day)
- 4-5 egg whites (boiled) with fibrous veggies (spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers...)
MEAL 2
- 04 oz lean protein (chicken, white fish, white meat turkey) with 1-2 cups cooked fibrous vegetables of your choice
MEAL 3 - snack or dinner
Non-fat meal recipe:
- 4 tablespoons Greek yogurt - fat free
- 2 scoops Tera's Whey (chocolate is my favorite)
- 1 teaspoon spirulina
- 1 teaspoon matcha green tea
- Liquid stevia - from sweet drops
MEAL 4
- 04 oz of fatty protein (lean cut beef, salmon, or lamb) with 1-2 cups cooked fibrous vegetables
P.S.: No alcohol, no sweets, no fruits, no extra oils can be added (if you cook with oil it needs to be coconut oil and very, very little), and no carbs (you can have 02 oz of boiled sweet potatoes on the days you workout legs or 04 oz of extra thick oats made with unsweetened almond milk).
Drink a gallon of water a day.
Adding lemon to your meals helps - you can also add soy sauce for taste.
Sleep 7-8 hours.
TRAINING
You need to work out twice a day.
Workout 1 (in the morning; preferably on an empty stomach)
- 45 minutes or 1 hour of low impact cardio: walk on the treadmill - full incline - speed of 2.5 - max 3.0 (DO NOT HOLD ON TO ANYTHING - free hands!)
Workout 2 (late afternoon or night)
- Strength strength training: you won't be able to lift as heavily, but it can still be intense. Several reps for every exercise - 1-2 hours training.
Do this and you will have a ripped body in the making!
Contact me if you need help or have questions! :)
"Fit - Healthy - Vibrant"
Get the movement started!