You made it!  It is the last day of boot camp.  Did you sprint to the finish line?  Did you crawl?  However you made it, you did make it!

As you think about the progress you made this month, I really want you to bask in your success for a moment.  You ate things you didn’t want to eat, when you didn’t want to eat them.  You exercised when you didn’t feel like it.  You worked through a cleanse.  You drank more water.  You said no to your favorite vices more often than not.  You made it happen!

I’m not sure what the scale is going to tell you, but I’m not really worried about that.  I can assure you that if you are remotely proud of your effort during Virtual Boot Camp, that you have gained muscle, lost fat, and your body is in better shape than it has been in a long time.  Be proud of yourself.  This program is very tough.  The foods are tough.  The workouts are tough.  The execution is tough.  My hope is that you have developed some life-changing habits, put another piece of the exercise/nutrition puzzle together, and have new ideas to plug into your daily life and new solutions and substitutions to the same old routine that has robbed you of your health for too long!

Now what?  What do we do now that this is done?

Boot Camp After Care

You have just finished a 28-day program where your exercise and foods were figured out for four straight weeks.  Do you still have belly fat to get rid of?  Do you still have some weight to lose?  Now what do you do?

First of all, I’d like to extend an offer for a customized plan.  I’d like to talk with each of you individually for 30 minutes, evaluate what is working, address what is not working, and build for you a plan for your next steps.  Getting started is the easy part.  The progress can be hard-fought, but the steps to get there are easy to build.  What you do from here, how you succeed from here, requires further insight…which means customization.

I’d like to build each of you a two-week game plan, built with enough variety and moving parts, that can be used for the next month or so.  The exercises will be staying put on the server, which means you are welcome to continue accessing them (start over if you want to).

The customized two-week food/supplementation plan is $50.  Contact me today if you would like to maximize your progress from this point forward.

In the meantime, here are some ideas to carry you with you as you think about life after Virtual Boot Camp.

NEW IDEAS FOR YOU!!!

1) Do another cleanse in six months.  You probably finished the Dual Action Cleanse sometime in week 3.  You are done cleansing for awhile.  I live in Minnesota and we don’t plow the streets in July because there is no snow to plow.  Many experts agree that it is good to do a cleanse once to twice a year.  I recommend looking at a cleanse (the same one or something different if you like) sometime around six months from now.  Between now and then, no cleansing!

2) Make sure you like your protein.  I recommend (in this order) Nectar Protein (I buy mine at vitaminshoppe.com), Whey Isolate 28 (found at GNC), and Proflex (from Melaleuca).  In my opinion, they all taste really good, and they are all excellent after a workout.  The rule of thumb for protein powder is to check the cholesterol.  The lower the cholesterol, the better the protein (soy is the exception…it has no protein, but is not as good as whey for repairing muscle tissue).  You will always need a protein powder for after your workout.  If you were my client, I’d have you take one of the three options mentioned above.

3)  If you really want to burn fat, try Access bars and CLA!  These two items are the best fat-burning supplements I have ever found.  Access bars are a patented Melaleuca product.  They taste AMAZING and are the best pre-workout bar on the market.  When we consume an Access bar (15 minutes before a workout on an empty stomach), our body is clinically proven to burn fat for the next two hours.  Eight Olympic athletes from team USA used Melaleuca products prior to the 2008 games in Beijing.  If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me.  Access bars will help you workout harder, burn more fat, and not be as sore.  What’s not to like?

I’m also a big fan of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid).  It is an omega-6 fatty acid (same relative family as fish oil/flaxseed).  CLA helps the body use fat stores as a primary energy source.  The stuff flat out works.  You need 4 grams of CLA (4 capsules of 1 gram apiece….2 first thing in the morning, 2 in the afternoon) to make it work…and you must take it every day for it to be effective.

YOU STILL NEED TO TAKE….

1) Your multivitamin!  I chose the Melaleuca multivitamin because they have the best science as far as I can tell.  It is virtually impossible to get all the right nutrients through food (with all the processing, altering, and chemical enhancing we do).  I don’t think anyone makes a better multivitamin than Melaleuca, and it’s the same price as a GNC version…with science that is light-years better.  Continue taking your multivitamin…our bodies need the nutrients!

2) Your Fiberwise!  Colon cancer is wreaking havor on our nation.  When a colon isn’t getting rid of toxins effectively, the toxins sit in the colon and get absorbed into the organ tissues.  Fiber is always going to be important.  Fiberwise is a great way to get your fiber…it hits 50% of your daily fiber needs in two scoops!

3)  Replenex!  As an aging athlete, I can tell when I take my Replenex and when I don’t.  My knees let me know if I haven’t taken it for awhile.  Anyone who is overweight is putting undo pressure on their knees, hips, back, etc.  It is important to address the swelling of those joints and rebuild lost cartilage.  I have never found a product more cost effective ($12) that works as well as Replenex.  This is something we need!

As for the dietary recommendations, I am finishing up the resources on that.  You will be receiving three weeks of extra menus (my target date for those resources is Sunday night).

Lastly, I would love to hear feedback from you about the program.  My goal is to make Virtual Boot Camp a better program each time I do it.  I’d love to hear how I can make it better!

Thanks for taking this journey with me.  I’m thankful you have joined me for this experience.  If there is any way I can be of help to you in the future, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Yours in dutiful service,

Adam Erwin

Finish Boot Camp As a Winner!

One of the most exciting finishes in Super Bowl history came in January of 2000.  In Super Bowl XXXIV, Kurt Warner and the St. Louis Rams were clinging to a seven-point lead with mere seconds remaining.  The Tennessee Titans were a few yards away from scoring and tying the game.  As the clock expired, Tennessee ran the last play, a pass play.  Wide receiver Kevin Dyson caught the ball and sprinted to the end zone…only to get tackled on the one-yard line.  The Rams won the Super Bowl by a yard!

As we drive toward the finish, don’t get tackled today by circumstances or poor planning or lack of commitment.  Don’t fall one yard short.  Keep pushing, fight hard, and sprint to the finish!

Food for Thought: A Caloric Celebration?

Today is a celebration of sorts.  We are putting a good amount of calories into our body today in preparation for a light Day 28.  We want to step on the scale on Day 29 (morning after boot camp, before you go nuts with food!) and get a good set of measurements.  So…instead of celebrating on Day 28 and saying, “Great job, have some cake!”….we are kinda doing that today.

From the Personal Trainer: Medicine Ball Workout!

I have been talking about this workout for quite some time now.  Get excited about it!  It is fun, not too hard, and very different for your body.  Let me know how it goes….and let me know how you feel tomorrow!

Wellness Tip of the Day:  Get the Inside Scoop Before You Eat Out!

There is a phone application out there  that, if you punch in a zip code, will tell you which restaurants are in the area….AND will give you a breakdown of all the caloric information for their entire menu.  It will rank the foods based on calories, fat grams, sodium, etc.    If you have  a Blackberry, iPhone, or Android, download the FREE application called “Good Food Near You”.

If you are going out to eat, you will do yourself a HUGE favor by making your order based upon nutritional information instead of consuming 127 fat grams because you DIDN’T PAY ATTENTION!

Have a great Day 27!

What does victory look like for you today?  Is it getting through the day and eating perfectly from the menu?  Is it acing the workout?  Is it simply making it through today without falling to your most vocal vice?  What is it?

At this point in boot camp, some have lost their way, some are just hanging on, and some are gearing up for their big finish.  Which one are you?  Decide right now what victory looks like for you today, then go get it!  Without measuring what victory looks like, there is no way to know if you achieve it or not!

Define victory for today and go get it!  If there is any way I can help you today, let me know!

From the Boot Camp Barracks: Workouts Galore!

I cannot believe some of the cool workout stuff people are doing.  In addition to what I have offered, people are doing kettlebells (it’s
like a cannon ball with a handle…my next certification will be in kettlebells…if you haven’t tried them, you must!), kickboxing, spin classes, or their own version of craziness in their home.

If you would like to spice up your exercise to a greater degree, let me know!  I’d love to help point you in a new direction or give you new ideas for your current fitness situation!

On the Food Front: New Foods?

I need some help from you.  As I consider the next rounds of boot camp, I am thinking about adding a video piece for the cooking.  I know a man who is a chef and does a lot of video work.  I am thinking about adding in a 5-minute video for each cookbook item so Rob can show
people the best/easiest/tastiest way to make everything.  In addition, I am thinking about trying to simplify/change up the menu (collaborate
with Rob perhaps on new menu items) and still have the cooking video spot.  Your thoughts?  Good idea?  Bad idea?  Let me know!!!

Wellness Tip of the Day: Help Your Skin Heal Faster!

Ever burned your hand in the kitchen or gotten scraped up a knee while rollerblading (speaking from experience here…I am a rollerblading-knee-scrape legend).  Many times we run to the anti-bacteria cream, slap a bandage on it, and wait for it to heal.  Until now…

I am proud to introduce Mela-Gel!  It is Melaleuca’s famous skin care agent.  It is a gel that contains the planet’s best healing agent (tea tree oil).  It heals burns, cuts, and bug bites amazingly quickly.  It’s like the Jimmy John’s of skin healers!  Add Mela-Gel to your tool box of goodies to help your body heal faster when your skin winds up on the jagged end of the stick.

Go get ‘em today!  You are almost done!  Don’t give up!

This week I heard a story about a woman who tried to swim the English Channel.  As she neared the England shore, it became very foggy.  When she lost sight of the shore, she gave up.  She ended up quitting just 200 yards from shore!

Sometimes the goal seems out of reach or we lose sight of it for a second and think that it is too far away!  Don’t be fooled.  We are almost to shore!  Keep going!  Don’t quit!

Jimmy John’s Note: The Unwich

So you have a date with Jimmy John’s today.  The reason we are doing this is because you need to have a safe haven when you are on the run and need some nutrition.  Jimmy John’s can be found all over, so I thought we’d teach you how to maximize your order there.

The Unwich is best made this way: lettuce (unwich implies no bread), meat of your choice, veggies and greens of your choice, mustard as your condiment, no cheese.  If you build your unwich this way, it’s tons of nutrition for about 100 calories.  Now you know how to order today!

From the Boot Camp Personal Trainer: Special Note About Day 27  Workout

The workout for Day 27 is my very, very favorite.  It seems simple enough, but the day after the workout your body will tell you that something serious was going on!  I love it!

Because I love this workout sooooo much, I put it in for both the gym and home workout groups.  Since it involves a medicine ball (which is not on the equipment cost sheet), I am encouraging the home workout folks to do their best and be creative in finding a 6 to 10 lb. weight.  A dumbbell would suffice, perhaps a kid’s bowling ball.  If you are a home workout person, start thinking about what you can use in place of the medicine ball for the Day 27 workout!

Wellness Tip of the Day: Avoid Artificial Sugars!

Artificial sugars/sweeteners make us fat.  We need to do our best to avoid them.  Here’s why!

Our body has a metabolic response to sweet tastes.  When we consume sugar (which has a sweet taste), our tongue senses a sweet taste and our metabolism is told to get burning to compensate for the pending energy that results from sugar.  When we consume an artificial sweetener, there is energy rush…and the body learns over time to not respond to sweet taste.  So, after years of drinking Diet Coke, for example, our body doesn’t respond to real sugar (cake, ice cream, real Coke) because it has been re-trained not to respond metabolically to sweet tastes (artificial sweeteners) because they contain no energy.  All this to say….artificial sweeteners slow down our metabolism and make us fat!

If you learn one thing during Virtual Boot Camp, make it this: avoid artificial sweeteners (diabetics included!) at all costs!

Have a great Day 25!

One of the principles of Virtual Boot Camp that is important to take with you after the program is finished is the idea that we can eat whatever we want…sometimes.  When we watch our calories and behave most of the time, we can and should pump a calorie boost into our week.  Trouble is, many people have a cheat week instead of a cheat meal.

Moving around calories is key to keeping metabolism awake.  During boot camp I built Fridays and Sundays to be low-calorie days with a high-calorie Saturday sandwiched in between.  As you look forward, I recommend that you build small-calorie days to surround high-calorie days.  While the scale might jump up the day after a high-calorie day, your metabolism will kick into high gear and get things back under control IF you are getting low-calorie days into your week.

Wellness Tip of the Day: Lift Weights Before Your Cheat Meal

I believe I failed you in one specific area of VBC: I didn’t have weight-training days on cheat meal days.  Weight training boosts metabolism more than cardio does.  It makes a lot of sense to train with weights shortly before having a cheat meal.  When I designed the program, I thought cardio would be easier to implement over the weekend (even if traveling, going on a walk is usually feasible).  As I look to update the exercise portion of the program, I am set on putting weight-training as a part of every cheat meal day.  I give you full permission to train with weights today (I’d recommend legs) instead of doing cardio.

Have a great Day 24!

Lower Calories & Carbs Prepare Body for Day 24 Splurge!

Day 23 and Day 25 are built with consideration to the crazy caloric intake (in comparison) on Day 24.  What we need to build into our lifestyle is the idea of planning which days to go crazy on calories, and going intentionally light the day before and the day after we eat tons of calories.

Planning is everything!  As long as our life post-boot camp contains a fair amount of planning, we will experience continued success.  It’s the old adage: Those who fail to plan are planning to fail.  Make sure you latch onto the idea of living out a food plan.  If you want help with making a customized food plan for life after boot camp, I’d love to help!  Email/text/call to discuss the details!

What’s Right with Virtual Boot Camp Foods?  What Can We Do to Improve the Menu?

I’m in the process of creating a Virtual Boot Camp Cookbook!  It will be heading to the press late this fall, and will be ready for the start of the year.  With that said, I’d like your feedback on what you would like to see on the menu.  Overall, I’m looking to simplify ingredients a little bit, add a little more variety, and continue to increase cost effectiveness at the grocery store.  If you could, name some specific items you’d like to see in boot camp (kabobs? pasta? breads and dairy are out…but give me some ideas!).  Thanks for the feedback!

Wellness Tip of the Day: Apply Holds to Your Weight Lifting

One of the hardest things to do is hold a weight in a position where the muscle is working really hard.  For example, if you are doing bicep curls and you stop the dumbbell when you elbow is bent 90 degrees (DB is probably just above your hip) and hold it for, say, 30 seconds, it will be a killer. Or, if you are doing a chest press with dumbbells and you hold the DBs a few inches above your chest for 10-30 seconds, ouch!!!!

We have three different kinds of muscle fibers that make up our muscles.  Most exercises only use one or two types of fibers, leaving the unused fibers dormant.  Holding a DB still when the muscle is forced to work the hardest actually forces the muscle to use ALL THREE TYPES OF FIBERS!  If you really want a great workout, perform a hold

As we move into the final week of boot camp, preparation remains the key to success.  Making time to exercise, renewing your commitment to hit all the marks, and taking time tonight to get ready for tomorrow are likely to be the determining factors in week 4.  If you are ready for each day and armed with your plan of attack, all will be well.  If you are not ready for each day, it is likely you will fall short.

Prepare, prepare, prepare.  Make the workouts happen!  And don’t forget to hit every mark.

From the Boot Camp Barracks: Discouragement over 12 lbs?

I heard from a boot camper today who is not pleased with her 12 lbs. of weight loss.  I have known from the beginning that her schedule has been incredibly demanding…work is very hectic for her right now and she isn’t always getting her workouts in.

If you are losing more than 1/2 a pound a day, be excited!  Especially with exercise being hit or miss, be really excited!  I know sometimes that our effort feels like 20 lbs of loss when the scale only says 12.  Wait for your body to catch up to your effort.  And turn it on this week to finish strong!  It is very possible to lose 15 lbs. in 28 days!

From the Trainer: Boot Camp Workouts Get Harder

I really encourage everyone to dig in and give the workouts a strong run this week.  While things were simple in the beginning (and simple can be good), I LOVE  the stuff for week four.  We get to expand our horizons a bit.  Do your best and enjoy the most challenging and rewarding week of exercise yet!

Wellness Tip of the Day:  Pack Your Lunch

Tosca Reno, author of “Eat Clean Diet Cookbook”, encourages people to pack all of their food into an insulated, lightweight, zip-up lunch pail.  If we put all of our day’s food in it, we can attack the pail over the course of the day until all the food is gone.  Once the pail is empty, we are done eating for the day.

I took an insulated lunch pail to a softball tournament…and it was awesome.  All my food stayed cold.  It wasn’t cumbersome like a big cooler can be.  What a way to go through your day.  If you click on this link, you can see the lunch pail I am in love with.  I know…I’m a dork.

Quote of the Day

“Don’t tell God you have a big problem. Tell your problem you have a big God!”  – Author unknown

Adam Erwin is a nutrition-minded personal trainer who lives in Minneapolis, MN.  His online program, the Virtual Boot Camp, is a 28-day program designed to combine on-target nutrition and exercise to result in a powerful four-week plan of attack.  To learn more go to www.rapidresultsfitnessmn.com/virtualbootcamp.html.

As I look through Day 21, the layout screams success.  You will breeze through the food  and the cardio is relatively easy.

Take advantage of this day to prepare for the start of week 4!  The last week of VBC has some great dishes, a great layout, a celebration day (Day 27), and well-planned caloric staggering.

From the Boot Camp Barracks:  Time to Measure

I usually don’t ask clients to step on the scale or measure their waist, pant size, etc.  However, as we rev up for week 4, I’d like you to check and see where you find yourself.  If you are on target with your goals, keep it up!  If you are not where you want to be, turn it up!   You are beginning the home stretch of VBC.  Find out where you are, compare it to where you want to be, then work hard to make up as much ground as possible!

And…let me know how you are doing.  If there is something I can do to help, I’d love to help!

From the Personal Trainer: A Look Ahead

As we approach the final week of boot camp, I will have a whole bunch of goodies for you.  I will have product recommendations (the cleanse stuff is out, new fat-burning tools are in!).  Get ready for the next round of fat-burning, muscle-toning, and body change.  For those of you looking to make the most of your post-workout weeks, I will equip you with the tools to get there!

Wellness Tip of the Day: Eat Jimmy John’s!!!

Life on the run is a reality for many of us at some point.  One of the biggest problems my clients have is they don’t have a viable solution for those days when they are hungry while out and about.  Enter Jimmy John’s!

Recently, I sat down with an owner of a Jimmy John’s franchise to learn what makes them a healthy solution to my client’s crazy day.  Your answer: they have super fresh ingredients (less preservatives on veggies, cut their meat fresh daily, make their bread fresh daily!) AND they offer something called the unwich (a lettuce wrap instead of high calorie/high carb bread).

Jimmy John’s is on your menu this week.  When you go to Jimmy John’s, here is what the order needs to look like:

Unwich (lettuce wrap), turkey/ham/or roast beef as meat options, no cheese, veggies as you desire, and honey dijon mustard instead of mayo (this is a big deal, people!!!).  This combination will provide you with about 100 calories, 14 grams protein, 6 carbs, and 7 grams fat.  It doesn’t get much better than that when  you are on the go!

If you can’t go to Jimmy John’s without getting chips and a soft drink, don’t go.  We are trying to win.  If ordering from the unwich options listed above is not going to happen for you (if you are going to succumb to the bread/cheese/mayo that makes up 90% of the calories of a Jimmy John’s sandwich), stay home!

However, if you can master this Jimmy John’s order, you will have a lifetime solution for the “I’m on the go, I don’t have food with me, what should I eat, Adam?” question.

Quote of the Day

Saw this today and it impacted how I spent my time today…which will impact how I spend tomorrow…and the rest of the week.

“There are four steps to achievement.  Plan purposefully.  Prepare prayerfully.  Proceed positively.  Pursue persistently.”  -William Ward

Adam Erwin is a Minneapolis-based personal trainer who combines nutrition and exercise in a way to maximize body change.  He works with clients all over the Twin Cities, but specifically in Eden Prairie, Medina, Wayzata, Chanhassen, and Edina.  To learn more about his boot camp programs (in person and online), click to www.rapidresultsfitnessmn.com.

How is your body responding to boot camp?  Many of us can find ourselves caught in the comparison trap when we hear a success story that is beyond our success level (Jenny has lost ten lbs., I’ve only lost eight….or Mandie is down two pant sizes, I’m only down one).  When these success stories come, do your best to celebrate instead of compare.  The program works differently for everyone, and everyone had a different starting point with their body when boot camp began.

And some of us are just ready for Day 29….to be done with this thing.  If you remember “Finding Nemo”, the character Dori, voiced masterfully by Ellen DeGeneras, was always saying, “Just keep swimming!  Just keep swimming!”  We are not done yet….but we are in the stretch run!

In order to make the most of this stretch run, here are a few things to consider…

Boot Camp Success Consideration #1: How is my sleep?

When we sleep well, we recharge our body, keep stress at bay (and the belly-fat hormones that a stressed body activates), eat less, repair from exercise more quickly, think more clearly, and function properly.  If your sleep is not what it should be, you may be on the short end of the stick with your boot camp results.

Boot Camp Success Consideration #2: How intense is my exercise?

When the exercise program calls for ten reps, that tenth one should be a struggle.  The goal is not just hit the number I’ve asked you to hit, it is to work so hard that you BARELY hit the number I’ve asked you to hit.  Most people treat sweat like a four-letter word…which it isn’t.  Work hard when you exercise…be intense…sweat!

Boot Camp Success Consideration #3: How is my meal-plan execution?

Everyone has a tough day now and again.  Surprises at work, surprises at home.  Every day should not be a tough day.  And…when a tough day comes, commit to conquering the next day to get back on track.  I talked to a guy who has seen zero progress since he started boot camp.  No pounds lost.  No inches lost.  No nothin’.  As I began to ask about how his days were being executed, it became very clear that his execution was off the mark in a major way.  He would say, “Well, the program said chicken so I had a chicken caesar salad at Ruby Tuesday’s.”  Okay, that’s 900 calories and over 98 grams of fat, buddy!

Be sure to execute the meal plan as strictly as possible.  This is  not forever.  You are almost finished!  Be strong and give it your best.  You will be so glad you did!

Wellness Tip of the Day:Work that Cardio…then Work that Calcium!

Did you know that the most important function of calcium is to (no, not help with bone density) help muscles contract.  When you exercise, calcium is being used up to help those muscles move.  And when you are doing cardio and your heart is contracting and pumping blood, calcium is at work.  Whether you are exercising vigorously or overweight and not moving around at all, calcium is needed to help that heart work.

The reason I chose the calcium supplement I chose is that, in addition to it being a great source of calcium, it is also made in a way that mimics how calcium is consumed when we eat fruit, vegetables, and plants.   As far as your body is concerned, when you take your calcium pill that I selected for you, you are receiving a large quantity of calcium straight from concentrated fruit!  Kinda genius…the product is….not me.

Go conquer your day….and remember to take your calcium!

Adam Erwin is a nutrition-minded personal trainer who braves the great white north in Minneapolis, MN.  His online body change program, the Virtual Boot Camp, equips people with a successful plan for exercise and nutrition for 28 consecutive days.  To learn more about Virtual Boot Camp and Adam’s work, visit www.rapidresultsfitnessmn.com.

I’m not a major horse racing fan, but one of the most famous calls in all of sports is the annual Kentucky Derby…”and down the stretch they come!”  These horses, at full speed, are entering the final leg of the race, the last push.  As we hop into that final leg of this race, I hope you are full steam ahead.  As we look toward the last full calendar week of boot camp, gear up and make it a great one!

From the Boot Camp Barracks: Progress Beyond What Our Eyes Can See

I received an email from Kris yesterday.  You may be experiencing part of what she is experiencing.  Kris received some comments yesterday from others about how she looked thinner and one person commented on how she seemed to have lost a good amount of weight…but she can’t seem to see what others see in her.

I worked with a couple in November.  I went to their house three times a week, prepared their workouts and menus for every day, and watched their bodies change before my eyes.  The problem was that they didn’t see the change…until the before and after pictures were developed.  At that time, they got a chance to see what everyone else had seen…a lot of progress that happened gradually.

If the scale hasn’t exploded for you or you aren’t fitting into a size -6 pants, take heart.  Most of us lose weight and fat in our face, arms, and legs…and that can be hard for us to distinguish.  Once you look at the before and after pictures, I believe you will be very proud of yourself.

ASSIGNMENT: Take a minute right now and write down 3 things you have noticed that are improved.  Thinner in one area?  More energy?  Smoother skin?  Write down these three improvements and put this piece of paper where you will see it every day!  The stretch run is hard….it will be important to remind ourselves why we are putting forth all this effort!

From the Boot Camp Personal Trainer: Chest and Back Day!

I love the next 10 days because we get to do things with our workouts that challenge us in new ways!  Be sure to build room in your day to workout.  Eating great is important, but it won’t do for your metabolism what working out will do.  Conquer chest and back day today!

Wellness Tip of the Day:  Learn to Breathe With Your Belly!

Most Americans breathe by focusing on expanding their lungs.  We are the only culture to breathe this way.  Most cultures breathe by expanding their diaphragm…that space below your rib cage where most people think their stomach resides.  Try inhaling and pushing your tummy/belly button out as you inhale.  Take a nice full breath in.  Hold it for five seconds, then exhale for five seconds and draw your belly button toward your spine.  THAT is breathing with your diaphragm.  Did you know that if we breathed this way all the time, that we would send more oxygen throughout our body, cleanse our lymphatic system more effectively, have more energy, and even stop snoring!!!!  Google Diaphragmatic breathing to learn more about over-ruling the shallow breathing patterns most Americans use!

Have a great Day 19!