Our Mind Technique to tap into your Limbic System and Upgrade the way you FEEL!

We wanted to give you an insight around thoughts and feelings today and we encourage you to really take this one on board as it can literally change the way you are feeling in an instant!

Thoughts create feelings.  Feelings can create actions.  Actions  create outcomes.  Outcomes create new thoughts.  Repeat.  Just ponder on that for a moment and re-read it.  It’s really important to understand.

OK, got that?  Let’s move on then and define a term we often use called "Self Talk."

Your self talk is that little voice inside your head that provides a commentary on your life.  It’s the internal verbalisation of your thoughts. Some people have quite a loud voice, others softer, but we all have it. Becoming mindful and aware of your self talk is a key element to what we will be teaching in this insight.

One way to become very aware is to notice your self talk and reflect on how useful it is to you. People often describe a sensation of almost listening to yourself talking.

If you picture what this “looks like” in the theatre of your mind, it could be the “enlightened and higher you” sitting on a magic carpet watching and listening to everything your mind is doing. You are entirely detached from everything and able to observe and commentate if necessary on what’s happening.

Think about this for a moment.  Can you picture this process happening?  If you can’t , re-read what we’re saying so you completely understand it and then try again.  This is one of the most important steps to becoming mindful and for some is a revelation!

I like to picture myself looking in a state of complete relaxation, peace and calm on my magic carpet.  I’m sitting there cross legged in a beautiful blue sky, deep in the recesses of my psyche, looking very Zen!

So back to your self talk.  Whilst sitting on your magic carpet, observing your thoughts and feelings, if you catch your self talk and thoughts becoming destructive or negative, pause for a moment.  If they are positive reflect on that too.

If you’d prefer that they were positive and you recognise negative self talk happening, simply acknowledge it and say something to yourself like “oh - there I go again” and then allow the thoughts and discussion to change to something more empowering.

Have you ever experienced a time when you’ve chastised yourself using your internal dialogue / self talk?  As you become more mindful you may see this happening frequently and it’s one of the keys to changing how you are feeling.

So all of these thoughts tap into the emotional side of your brain and trigger the neurons associated with feelings.  Feelings are produced by the firing of specific sets of nerve clusters in the Amygdala which is part of the Limbic system in your brain.

The Limbic system is fascinating.  I got the following definition from Google:

LIMBIC SYSTEM:  "a complex system of nerves and networks in the brain, involving several areas near the edge of the cortex concerned with instinct and mood. It controls the basic emotions (fear, pleasure, anger) and drives (hunger, sex, dominance, care of offspring)."

So do your thoughts serve you in a positive way and fire the right sets of nerves in your Limbic System?  If not, then it’s time to check in with yourself and start to gradually allow your focus to move from negative to positive thoughts.

Now it’s important to emphasise at this point that this is not just about positive affirmations.  Some people advocate that simply saying “I feel good, I feel good, I feel good, I feel good, I feel good, I feel good, I feel good” is enough to create a change in state.  This may work for some people, but it’s not the essence of what we are teaching.
 
One thing about affirmations is that you may be in a situation that is too complex to allow your intelligent / logical brain to translate the situation into feeling better.  A more suitable way to change your state is to check in with yourself.  Be kind to yourself.  Let your current thoughts and feelings drift past you on your magic carpet as you observe them from your vantage point.  Breathe deeply and start to migrate your thoughts to more constructive ways of interpreting any situation.

Another powerful way to reframe destructive self talk is to remove its significance by considering it to be like “mental or emotional weather.” If you find your brain is misbehaving and gravitating to less empowering self talk, consider the words to be like a storm passing. Observe the storm from your magic carpet. Sit there peacefully in the knowledge that weather is transient and shining sunshine is just round the corner!

This will in turn bring about different more positive feelings, which will create more empowering actions, which reinforces your thoughts and the cycle continues.  This is probably best illustrated with an example.

I’m going to write two paragraphs and they are going to illustrate your internal dialogue.  See if you relate to any of it and reflect on how each way of talking to yourself could bring about different overall feelings.

“What a shit day!  Why does my alarm always fail to go off.  I can’t believe I’m late again - I’m always bloody late!  Missed my train, even after running. God, I’m shit at running too.  It’s going to be one of those bad days, I just know it.  Everything’s going wrong.  I’ve got to face those people trying to block my ideas at work too.  Why do they hate me so much.  I need a new job, but I’ll never find one in this economy.  What a shit day!"

OK - so I’ve turned on the taps to full here.  I hope that none of you have conversations with yourself of this magnitude of destruction, but then some of you might!  I’m chuckling to myself at how hard it was to write that, as I’ve been practicing mindfulness for some years now and it was difficult for me to come up with those words.  It might be easier for you?  Either way, I think you will see the point. Now let’s try another version.

"I love it when there’s mist in the mornings.  Everything looks like an abstract painting and the moist air feels great in my lungs.  I must remember to plug my phone in at night.  I’ve missed my alarm this morning  and I’d prefer not to let that happen again.  I’ll buy another charger today and put it next to my bed.  I think I’ll listen to that favourite album I’ve just found on the way to the station this morning to change my focus after this little setback.   I’m not going to rush as I’m a little late already, but have called to let everyone know, so it’s no problem.  It will give me time to think about how to get more buy in from my colleagues for my project.  I think they must need more information as the ideas are sound.  I’ll arrange some 121 meetings today to get some feedback on how things are going."

So there we are.  It takes practice to transition from one way of thinking to another as a lot of what we do as humans is habitual.

I hope you’ve found this interesting.  Here’s a simple little exercise to do to make sure you are more mindful of your self talk, focusing and feeling better!  Try it and PLEASE let us know how you get on.  We love to get feedback. 

1. Regularly check in with yourself and ensure that you are being kind to yourself and not beating yourself up with negative self talk.
    
2. If you “Catch” disempowering chatter just reflect from the vantage point of your magic carpet and say something like “there I go again", and let it float past.
    
3. Understand that there is ALWAYS a more positive way to reflect on any given situation.
    
4. After it has passed, be creative in thinking of ways to change your focus.  Either reframe the current negative situation in a more supportive and positive light, or consider some other situation that allows a change of focus and more positive internal evaluation of where you are.  The vital bit is to get your self talk to reflect this using more positive and empowering words and phrases.
    
5. Breathe and be kind to yourself.

This technique works best when combined with making changes in your physical state. We will discuss this in a future insight. :-)

Until next time.

#BeMindful & #respectyourtemple

Nutrition Jargon Decoded - Did you know you’re made from Star Dust?

Nutrition is one of the pillars of your Strength Temple and we want to give you some insight into why we recommend that you provide your body with the best fuel possible.

We’ve all been gifted with an incredible machine.  It’s taken billions of years to evolve.  It self heals, it protects, it can think and reason.  It’s also made from star dust!  Yep - that’s right.  If you go right back to the essence of where the elements in your body come from they are only formed in the furnace of stars.

If you treat it correctly you will have something that money simply can’t buy.  It doesn't matter how rich you are financially.  You can not "buy" health and wellness; it takes study and commitment to a set of healthy habits.  Once you crack the secrets to motivating yourself and enter the positive reinforcement of results producing more action, you’re hooked and just get better and better, fitter and healthier, having fun along the way.  If you invest in your body by paying attention to the #7Pillars of your Strength Temple you will realise an amazing, energy rich life!

Today we’re going to talk a little about Nutrition.  It’s a complex subject and our intention is to give you some context for the various buzz words thrown at you via the media and books.  We won’t go into a great deal of detail here and if you find that you are drawn to the subject and would like more information there are a myriad of books and websites that deal with the subject, many of which are available via our bookshop.

Your nutrition comes from nutrients which are delivered to your body via your digestive system through your food and drinks.  You can also absorb some through your skin, but for now let’s concentrate on the more conventional route.

Your body is a massive organisation of incredibly small components called cells which have different structures and functions.  Nutrients are essential building blocks for your cellular growth, repair and functioning.  They provide you with all the energy you need to live life to the max and support your immune system in fighting off any bugs coming your way.

Nutrients are classified in a number of ways.  For the sake of this article we will be using some of the mainstream Western classifications.

The main nutrients are Macronutrients (Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats) and Micronutrients (Vitamins and Minerals).  Fibre and Water are also essential and none of our nutrients work in isolation as they all depend on each other!

Macronutrients:

Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats are Macronutrients.  Carbs and Fats provide energy to the body and Proteins provide the building blocks for cell growth and are part of our repair process.  You may also have heard of enzymes.  Our enzymes are proteins and support many of the processes in our body as we break down more complex nutrients into their component parts.

Micronutrients:

Vitamins and Minerals are our Micronutrients.  Our Macronutrients rely on these elements to release the energy within them in a form which is useful to our bodies.

Minerals are inorganic compounds and come from rocks and ores and enter the food chain via the soil.  We get our minerals through the plants that we eat as well as through meat from animals that have eaten plants.  Examples of minerals are Iron (found in blood) Calcium (found in teeth and bones) and Potassium (vital in regulation of our bodies water balance).

Vitamins are organic substances and have many important functions.  Vitamins are involved in the function of enzymes as well as playing important roles in controlling our hormonal activity.  Hormones are our chemical messengers that regulate certain functions in the body.  Our bodies can make small amounts of Vitamin D and K, but other vitamins need to come from our diets.

So when you hear people talking about “paying attention to your macros” or marketeers pushing Micronutrients you now have some context.

The important thing with regards to Nutrition is to achieve a balance.  As with everything we teach, balance is the key to a sustainably fulfilling life.  We have several articles in our #7Pillars program which deals with achieving balance in your nutrition. (Note our #7Pillars program is due for release Summer 2016.)

We like to give you something to do with every insight.  Your nutrition is so important.  That’s why it has it’s own pillar in your Strength Temple.  You will have probably heard this before, but it’s so important it’s worth mentioning again and it’s definitely worth you chasing this goal today!

One thing that many people still fail to do in modern society is get a sufficient supply of fruits and vegetables.  So do yourself a favour today and treat your super body to some lovely nutrition.  Go and buy yourself a load of organic produce and make a beautiful fruit medley and a bowl of roasted vegetables.  Here is a recipe for our Strength Temple Vegetable Roast Up to get you started.

The Strength Temple Vegetable Roast Up!

We hope that this article has helped you decode the jargon. You now know your Macros from your Micros, and your Vitamins from your Minerals.  You know the importance of Proteins and you’ve heard about what Enzymes do too.  Oh - and you’ve found out that you are an amazing result of billions of years of evolution and are ultimately made from star dust.  How cool is that!

#RespectYourTemple

Steps to make “some" people less annoying!

I pondered for a while on the title of this insight.  I’m a big fan of creating positive and empowering topics to promote a sense of wholeness in people and this one had me stumped.

How do I tell people that I can help them to stop getting annoyed at their perceived inadequacies and imperfections of other human beings?

In order to do that, then I have to put it out there that we may have inner annoyances with some folk (even if we don’t verbalise or act on them.)  I don’t like to think that I have any, but do you know what? I do; and we all do and just acknowledging that is the start of making a change for the better!

So when I talk of annoyances I don’t mean the more traditionally defined prejudices aimed at protected characteristics.  Protected characteristics are things like sex, race, age, physical characteristics, sexual orientation etc.  Here at the strength temple we are proud to be acknowledged as a company that supports and actively promotes equality and diversity.  We even have our own policy in this regard - so if you’re annoyed by protected characteristics please make some changes if you want to stay part of this community!

No, what I mean is the person that just seems to annoy you on a regular basis, or the dude that “gets your back up” more than they should.  The ones that you just want to avoid or remove from your life in extreme circumstances for some reason.  Also the ones that just slightly get on your nerves.  These feelings are generally around another person's habits or actions and it’s not a big thing - but it can become one!

If you could find a way to stop the negative energy associated with feelings around these types of people that has to be a good thing - right?!

If you’re the type of person that doesn’t get annoyed with anyone - please scroll down now and leave us a comment below with your secret of how you do this!  You clearly don’t need this insight.  If not, and you occasionally find yourself getting a smidge annoyed with people read on - the solution isn’t that complicated, but it is powerful and it does work!

Insight 1:  Firstly - when you find yourself getting wound up by someone, check in with your self talk?  What type of conversations are you having with yourself in your head?  What type of words are you using to describe the situation and the people involved?

Being mindful of your self talk is something we often discuss as part of our mindfulness insights. It’s so important and powerful and even just monitoring how you are feeling when something annoys you, how you describe this to yourself internally and how this energy can flow into other activities in your day is a valuable lesson.  If something annoys you and you find yourself constantly processing this information and ruminating on it you can all of a sudden start to get annoyed with other tasks that would usually make you happy.  It's a kind of transference of negative energy that you can prevent if you know how.

So firstly - be aware of your self talk and stop it in it’s tracks if it’s negative.  Don’t let it snowball into a stream of negativity that can pollute other activities or relationships.

Secondly it’s time to use a technique that has dramatically changed the way I feel about challenging situations as soon as I started applying it.  It involves a slight leap of faith, but it really works.

Insight 2:  When you are faced with a situation that feels uncomfortable, or if someone is annoying you, stop for a moment and reflect.  They key:  What is this situation trying to TEACH you?  What is the lesson here?

It’s probably best described with an example.

Imagine you’re the kind of person who is tidy and that someone close to you keeps leaving their stuff everywhere.  The converse could also be true.  Imagine that you are less focused on keeping everything in it’s place and thrive on chaos and have someone in your life that is constantly tidying up after you or moaning at your general inability to put things in their place?  Either of these familiar?  Well for both types of people these situations can start very innocently and over time reach a point where they can literally break a relationship!  Everything else can be perfect, but this one thing can get out of control and be the thing that ruins an otherwise great partnership.

Let’s apply both lessons described above to this situation.

Insight 1:  Firstly, be very mindful of how you talk to yourself about the other persons lack of, or strict tidiness.  As soon as you notice yourself internally criticising put the breaks on.  Just say something like “oh - there I go again.  Let’s just pause things there and move to insight 2.”

Remember Insight 2?  That’s right - what’s the lesson that my mind is trying to teach me in this moment?  Well the lesson here could be that you need to discuss your feelings with the other person - perhaps something that you haven’t been doing.  It could be that you need to celebrate other people’s differences more and be thankful that we aren’t all the same - how boring would that be!  It could be that the lesson is you need to focus less on a particular person’s less attractive habit and more on all the things you love about them.  It might be that you generally need to be more patient with other people and don’t let small differences be the focus of your attention - after all, it really isn’t that big a deal.

The list can literally go on for ever and it’s a fun thing to try and come up with new ways to find lessons in everything that annoys you.

So just try this for the next 24 hours.  If it reduces your stress and gives you an increased inner feeling of clam (and it will) then perhaps continue with this new habit for a week.  If after a week it’s still working (and it will be), why not make it a part of your being and share it wth others.

Trust me on this one - I started using this a few years ago and it's changed my life.

So, be insightful, be mindful, be peaceful, be kind to yourself and others and don’t forget to…..

#respectyourtemple

If you found this article useful and interesting please click the share button below.  We want to help as many people as possible and your assistance is very dearly appreciated. 

Our key to being Happy more of the time

We encourage our clients to set goals.  We have a whole section of our philosophy dedicated to the “why” of what we are doing and powerful goals are the foundation to an awesome existence. Goals contribute to growth which is one of the 6 human needs as described by the teachings of Tony Robins.  We love Goals!

As part of the goal setting process, the reason that a goal has been chosen is worth considering.  Goals are simply vehicles to produce feelings that we desire.  It is for this reason that sometimes, when we achieve a goal, we may paradoxically experience a sense of dissatisfaction or disillusionment.  We had expected that achieving this “thing” would make us feel a certain way and sometimes it doesn’t.

It’s a fascinating subject and if you’re interested in further reading check out some links at the end of this article to some of our teachings on goals.

The reason that I mention this in relation to being happy more of the time, is that when we distill most goals down, they are simply vehicles to happiness at some level.  Often a feeling of peace and pleasure is also sought.  The thing with these feelings is that they are ALL transient.  They may be wonderful whilst they are manifested, but they will pass.  This is the fundamental key to understanding how to be happy or to experience a feeling of peace more often.  Let’s explore this a little more.

Our mind is truly an incredible thing.  It takes experiences and classifies them based on outcomes and how they make us feel.  It then decides whether to gravitate towards that experience again and looks for ways to create more positive feelings in our lives.  The thing is that if we start to allow ourselves to feel profound disappointment at the passing of happy moments, our brains can associate this as being too difficult for us and actually moves subconsciously to make sure we don’t experience this pain again.  By doing this we can actually start to avoid some of the deeply happy moments in our lives!

A good example off this is the person that experienced a deeply loving relationship.  That magical time when you fall deeply in love with a person and your whole world revolves around that part of your life!  If that relationship ends for some reason, it can cause the individual to actively avoid relationships in the future.  Ringing true of any of you?

So lets explore a way of using self talk (our internal dialogue) to think of a new way to make sense of thoughts and feelings in our mind.  Start to discuss with yourself the fact that ALL feelings will pass at some point.  How we feel about things WILL change over time.  Feelings you’ve had in the past (good and bad) have come and go.  They will come and go in the future.

If we are experiencing negative emotions just say to yourself “there we go - a negative emotion that’s probably linked to a thought.  It may pass if I change my focus.  If not then it will pass over time.”  On the converse be aware that when you are in a sense of flow and deep peace and happiness that this will also pass at some point.  Continue to celebrate and perpetuate the feeling of joy, but don’t be afraid that it may pass.  Just live in the now.

The simple acknowledgement that everything is transitory means we don’t feel as much disappointment when the good times wain.  We just know that they will return again at some point in the future.  All of us have experienced good and bad feelings in the past.  They come and go.  This is the key insight to feeling more balanced.

So next time you are meditating, take a moment to check in with your feelings.  Just be aware of them and let them manifest and flow.  Think of them like a tide on a beach through the changing seasons.  Like the sea, your emotional states come in and out with varying magnitudes in different weathers.  The only constant is that they will come and they will go.  Learn to dance in the rain and go surfing in the winter.  When summer comes enjoy it, even though other climates may be around the corner.  Be generally mindful and kind to yourself.  If you practice this we promise you will start to feel more balanced and whole.  Oh and don’t forget to…..

#respectyourtemple

Here's the link to the Goal Setting Article.  We invested a lot of time writing this one - so please check it out :-)

Dragon Fruit #PurplePower

Dragon Fruit

So here's a short article on the power of the Dragon Fruit: where it's from, how to prepare it, how we like to eat it and why you should add it to your Strength Temple #Nutrition pillar.

Our founder Director, Richie Norton, has been in Malaysia recently training some racing drivers on the GP2 scene.  It’s been challenging keeping on top of clean eating with many of the dishes available deep fried, but we love the purple vibe of the Dragon Fruit which is plentiful in that part of the world!

The Dragon fruit is indigenous to Central America, but also grown in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand and Vietnam.  They have links to the cactus family and you get to the flesh by slicing the buds in half with a sharp knife.  The skin is quite soft in the ripe fruit.  Inside you await your surprise!  The flesh can range from white through to the deep purple (featured in our picture from Richie’s travels in Kuala Lumur.)

Simply scoop out the flesh with a spoon and add it to any of your usual fruit dishes.  When we find them in the supermarkets in the UK we love to cube them small and eat them with porridge.  Adds amazing colour if you get the purple ones and makes an AWESOME #PurpleSmoothie.
They taste a little like a cross between kiwi and pear.  Despite the vibrant colours the taste is quite mild and not at all citrus really as you might expect.  The small black seeds are edible and provide a pleasant crunch to the experience as well as acting as a mild laxative keeping you regular.

Dragon Fruits are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, polyunsaturated (good) fats, Omega 3 and 6, B vitamins, Iron, Calcium, Protein and Carotine.  At approximately 60 calories a go they are one of our “go to” foods and we hope you enjoy them too!

With love

#RespectYourTemple
 

Do you need a #TempleDay?

We’ve been discussing progress with goals and resolutions recently with a number of clients.  Sometimes a great start and bags of enthusiasm can fade.  It’s a good idea to revaluate your progress if any feelings of disappointment or setbacks come up to prevent you from straying from the path you've set yourself.  We want you to learn to dance in the rain ;-)

When we set goals we mainly do so because of how we think it will make us feel on achieving them as well as how we will feel during the process of attaining them.  Occasionally we might set some milestones or general expectations in our goals that we don’t achieve as quickly as expected.  Alternatively we might not experience the feelings that we expected on achieving the goal.  It’s during these minor setbacks that the real power of your will comes to action to ensure you don’t fall into the trap of becoming distracted or giving up and returning to old disempowering habits.

It’s a set of behaviours that’s also associated with an “all or nothing” type of thinking seen in some people.  So we've created the idea of a #TempleDay to get those of you who are waining back on track to being and feeling awesome during your journey through life!!
The concept of a #TempleDay is to decide that today, tomorrow or some fixed date in the future will be a dedicated day where you enjoy focusing on your Strength Temple by being mindful of your #7Pillars.  For those of you new to The Strength Temple or our 7 Pillars philosophy let’s recap!

The Strength Temple is our name for your overall being!  Not just your physical body, but your feelings of wellness, energy, joy and abundance.  It’s how well you give to yourself and others.  We achieve results in our Strength Temple through focus on what we call our 7 Pillars.  The 7 Pillars are Movement, Hydration, Flexibility, Mindfulness, Nutrition, Environment and Breath.  We provide programs to allow progression to mastery in each of these areas and this journey creates an incredible life and sense of being!

So if you ever feel like you’re losing your direction try just dedicating a single day, or even a shorter period of time, such as a morning, to focusing on your 7 Pillars.  Let’s consider this in the form of an example to give you an idea.

Jane had been really excited at the turn of the year and had completed the Strength Temple Goal Setting workshop and set some really awesome goals for the year ahead.  These had focused on feeling fitter and healthier by taking up a gym membership and setting some goals around running a half marathon in July.  She got off to a great start and had been eating cleaner and gradually building her miles running.

After a few weeks and a very enthusiastic start, Jane started to find some of her new habits were becoming more of a chore than a pleasure.  She found she was getting bored running on the treadmill and had reverted back to snacking on the wrong foods whilst at work.  Feeling disheartened she began to skip running sessions and by the end of January had pretty much reverted back to her old lifestyle.

If any of this sounds familiar to anyone - that’s cool.  Much of what we need to do when setting goals is change old habits and this can be challenging!  The key is to modify any feelings of setback and find ways to refocus and remind yourself why you wanted to progress on a path to a better you in the first place.

We advised Jane to be mindful of her self talk (that little voice in your head that can sometimes chatter negativity at you!) and to have a #TempleDay.  She picked the coming Saturday and arranged to do a number of things that would allow some focus on her #7Pillars and bring her back in alignment with what she was looking to achieve.

From the moment she opened her eyes in the morning we reminded her to take deep cleansing breaths and gently stretch as she reminded herself of the gifts already present in her life.  She focused on the fact that she was warm and in a comfortable bed.  She reminded herself of the support of her family and friends and remembered how fortunate she was to be holidaying this year in France.  After reflecting for a moment, she woke and immediately made her bed.  This is a great habit to set yourself up for a productive day and reflects a sense of order in your environment.

She then progressed downstairs and started her day with her usual coffee, but included some freshly filtered water to drink when she woke up to feed her hydration pillar.  She showered using her favourite organic products chosen for their aromatherapy actions and prepared for a long walk in the countryside with her dog.

Jane chose a route that she hadn’t tried before and took some friends along for the walk.  She made a conscious effort to be aware of the wonders of nature around her and went for her walk at sunrise to experience the wildlife she didn’t usually get to see.  She focused on listening to birdsong and ensured that she maintained positive breathing techniques.  The walk wasn’t rushed.  It was an exercise in living in the moment and enjoying the pure energy of being alive!

On the way home from her walk she visited her father for tea and to pick up some fresh, organic produce from his vegetable garden.  Kale, Cavalier Nero, Carrots and Leaks were in season and on returning home she made herself a delicious green smoothie to kick start her day and pay attention to her nutrition pillar.

We had coached Jane in balancing her lifestyle with some new hobbies and not making everything about nutrition and exercise.  Jane went shopping to purchase some new books on upholstery and did some eBay browsing purchasing an old armchair as her first project.

During the afternoon she prepared a meal for a dinner party in the evening prior to going for a run.  She decided to ditch the gym for the day and run in the local park.  It delivered some variety to her training and she did some research locally to find some other new routes to maintain variety in the future.

Her evening dinner party was very well received.  Jane made a number of dishes from our Strength Temple clean eating programs and she enjoyed sharing the love with her family and friends.

So that was Jane’s #TempleDay.  Yours might be very different!  They key is to do something that will address as many of your pillars as possible and to make it a day of sticking to your plans. 
Who knows, you might eventually decide to make every day a #TempleDay ;-)

In the mean time, we wish you courage in your journey.  Celebrate the great progress you are making and don’t forget life isn’t perfect.  If you get distracted, have a #TempleDay and get yourself back on track.

With love.

#respectyourtemple

Setting Goals & Your Best Year Yet!

OK folks.  It's that time of year when we all jot down a load of New Year’s Resolutions.  There is something very powerful about the turn of the year from one to the next.  When we really think about it there’s nothing to stop us setting some goals on any day of the year, but this tradition or “habit” is a cultural one for many of us, and it is a great opportunity to start moving in a direction that is more powerful for you.

So how does it go for you?  Doe this sound familiar to anyone?  “What shall I go for this year?  Is that realistic?  Will I stick to that one?  I know - let's put "get fit....."

Well it is a VERY familiar goal.  The number of people that join the gym in a New Year is very significant.  You may have already seen the subliminal messages going out on social media and around you locally.  Special offers will abound for memberships.

So we guess what we’re trying to say is that this is a GREAT time to set some goals for the year ahead (but if you’re reading this in February there’s nothing to stop you taking control and following this advice on goal setting anyway)!

What is most frustrating for many people is getting past week 1 and sticking to their intentions!  We're here to tell you, that if you just make your list in a slightly different way, create some new habits and progress steadily with the right expectations, your chances of success are significantly higher than before.  So invest a little extra time in making your list this year, and really describe what you are GOING (not trying) to do in the year ahead :-)

The thing about goals are that you need to feel rewarded by their attainment, but you also need to be able to "enjoy the journey."  Many people split goals or resolutions down into a check list to make sure that they are suitable, and more motivational.

So get yourself some paper & pens, pencils, paint pots - whatever floats your boat.  The first thing we will do is a brainstorm of what you want to do.  It sounds obvious, but what you MUST do is write your goals / resolutions down! Take a good 10 minutes or more doing this.  Use different colours, put your favourite music on, turn up the volume, get right into it - remember it's YOUR life you're planning !

Make your ideas into a compelling list, draw pictures and doodles on them, make them fun - do whatever you like, but commit them to paper. Just write whatever comes into your head.  Do that first before you progress with this article.

You should have a good list.  Before we go to the next step, how does this make you feel? Just ponder on that for a moment and start to manifest how your life will be when you have achieved some or all of your goals!

Now take another colour pen (we like to use a big thick marker) and write H for High, M for Medium and L for Low Priority next to each one and rewrite the lists in High, Medium and Low Priority order.  Then for each list write Easy, Medium or Hard next to each specific resolution / goal. We want you to have a balanced list of resolutions.

Then we'd like you to pick your favourite Easy, Medium and Hard from each list, and start the exercise below with each of these.

Before we go on let’s just pause again for a second.  If this all feels like a lot of effort - have a word with your subconscious.  This is FUN.  You are planning a better you!  A more enjoyable life!  Really allow yourself to feel excited, and enjoy the process.

OK - for each of your favourite resolutions I would like to you apply the following technique to make sure that you have EFFECTIVE GOALS.  You may have done this before and it’s called the SMART technique.

SMART goals exhibit the following characteristics:

S - They are very Specific (a wider goal can be broken down into stages of achievement)
M - They are Measurable and have a means to track progress
A - They are Achievable
R - They are Realistic
T - They have a Time within which they will be achieved.

We want you to apply this to ALL of your goals.  To help you we’ve given an example of how to apply the SMART method to a common goal and one close to our heart - get fit!

GET FIT! can manifest itself in a New Years Resolution list in  a number of ways.  You could simply write - Get Fit.  Or you might write Join a Gym.

The problem with both of these is that Get Fit is not really specific enough.  Join a Gym may help you reach your goal, but there is no mention on how you will USE the gym.  You need to get specific.  So a good start might be:

"I will get fit this year.  This will make me feel healthier and give me more energy to accomplish my other goals.  It will give me a sense of achievement, and allow me to lose the 20 lb's I need to shift.  I will feel more confident, and will look great on the beach during my summer holiday.  My friends will comment on how well I am looking, and how my mood is elevated for more of the time."

Now that's specific!  You need to really understand your motivations for your goal (getting fit).  They will be different for different people.  Write them down so you are have a deep understanding of why you are going to do what you are planning.

So now we must make it measurable.  Specifically - how many times will you exercise per week.  What will you do and what do you see as the pitfalls in your plan?  How can you make preparations for when they occur, so you can stay motivated?  Also, getting “fit” isn’t just about exercise.  How will you modify your nutrition to feel amazing all the time and give your body the best building blocks for the new you? Write it all down.  Don’t forget you can go to www.testrengthtemple.com for advice on every element of wellbeing at anytime.  It’s still all Free as we build our community :-)

Remember - if you are not used to exercise, be kind to yourself in the early stages.  If you are not joining a gym, but going running, then start by walking and build up gradually.  There’s nothing worse for motivation than running off at the pace you remember you could the last time you excerecised to find you are in pain, a world of suffering and aching badly the next day.  Take your time.  There is no rush, just consistency and commitment that win the day with this one!

Please also choose some activities that you like!  It makes everything so much easier.  Recruit friends and family to join you too.  You will be helping others and getting that motivational boost you need by sharing your progress.

So you may be feeling really motivated and writing "I will attend the gym every day for a year”.  That’s commendable, BUT - be honest with yourself.  Is this Achievable and Realistic?  Will you have the time?  Is it a good idea and does it give you sufficient time for rest?  It's often better to set a goal that allows you to overachieve.  Why not set a goal to go twice per week?  There's nothing to stop you going five times and having a feeling of massive overachievement!  We would recommend that you write something like this.

"I will attend the gym at least 2 times per week on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings.  As my training plan evolves, I will review this on a monthly basis.  If I manage to get to the gym in additional to this base commitment, then GREAT!  I will start with walking and progress steadily and enjoy the journey."

The above also includes an element of the T in Time.  It also allows some space for review and overachievement which will maintain your motivation and start to make your new lifestyle an empowering habit.

So let's go back to our original goal - Get Fit.  Well - another thing about goals, is that they work better if you have a target, and also if you have support.

How do you measure "Get Fit"?  It could be by weight loss.  It could be that you prepare for an event.  e.g. Run 5k, 10k, Run a marathon, do 50 press-ups, 100 press-ups, 1000 press-ups!  Choose your longer term goal, and aim for it.  Do another quick SMART check on it.  Is it realistic?  If it isn't at this point, then break it down.

There is NOTHING to say that you can't run 100k of you are committed to do so.  What you will need is patience and the ability to break this goal into more manageable chunks.  Aim for 1k.  Celebrate.  Then 3k - celebrate, then 5k etc.  You will get there in the end if you keep moving, are motivated and apply the principles above.  Also, if you decide that you want to change your goal, then change it!  As long as you are still on your path to “getting fit” then that’s great.

Finally - don't go for an "all or nothing" approach.  If you fail to hit any stage of your goal, it's a learning opportunity, not a failure or an EXCUSE to stop.  If you manage to get to the gym once in a week, revaluate your goal.  Why did you miss your target this week?  Do you need a friend to come with you for more motivation?  Are you getting bored?  If so change your exercise plan.  Variety is the key - don't just do the same thing week in week out - you will get bored.  All this should be fun!

So here is a summary and an example of a SMART goal to "get Fit".

"I will get fit this year.  This will make me feel healthier and give me more energy to accomplish my other goals.  It will give me a sense of achievement, and allow me to lose the 20 lb's I need to shift.  I will feel more confident and will look great on the beech during my summer holiday.  My friends will comment on how well I am looking and how my mood is elevated for more of the time.

My definition of fit is as follows.  I will lose 20lb's in weight slowly and healthily through exercise and moderation of my diet.  I’ll get my inspiration on a daily basis by researching my goal.  I will get inspiration from www.thestrengthtemple.comI will get my resting pulse rate down to 65 beats per minute.  I will train to compete in the local 10k run in September this year.

I will draw up a training plan on Monday and stick to this.  I will attend the gym at least 2 times per week, and take up Tennis and swimming to provide variety.  I will ask my friends to join me to provide a welcome social element to my training.

I will continuously check on a weekly basis that I am progressing toward my goal and will not be affected negatively by any setbacks, but will learn from them and change my plan to suit my needs.

When I achieve my goal, I will CELEBRATE,  evaluate the process, and see what worked and what didn't.  I will then be excited to set a new goal, and continue to enjoy the process and healthy habit of getting and being fit!"

Now apply this to your other goals.  DO NOT SKIP THIS PROCESS.

If you have chosen a goal you feel will be quite challenging (something like stopping smoking) then you can also draw on a very powerful technique we teach in this article:

Powerful Thought Game to Change your Future

We hope this has helped you.  If you feel that your friends would benefit, please send them a link to our article.

We want to help as many people as we can lead a happier more awesome life.  It's what gets us out of bed in the morning!  We can invest out time and do all our work in committing these techniques to our website, but it's so much more powerful if more people are exposed to it.  Just a quick click, cut and paste into Facebook or Instagram would be great, or use the share button at the bottom of this article.

Thank you in advance for sharing :-)

Have fun - and stick with it.  We'd love to hear your feedback, successes and setbacks.  You can do it.  We know you can :-)

In the coming year The Strength Temple will be releasing a number of programs to facilitate you progressing to an awesome life both physically and mentally.  Stay tuned for this by subscribing to our newsletter below.  We don't send loads of emails, just occasional summaries of our best content and we never share your data.

Our Director, Rich Davis used this technique to train for a Triathlon a few years ago.  Crossing the finishing line was an awesome feeling for him.  Here’s a picture we hope will inspire you to really commit to crossing your own finishing line - whatever that may look like.  Good luck and don’t forget. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

GO FOR IT!

#respectyourtemple

More Plants, less Pants & Green Smoothies

The Vitamins and Minerals in Green Vegetables are imperative for so many metabolic functions within the body that whenever a client asks me for weight loss advice, I will always increase their greens. Especially leafy greens. It makes a difference to their body composition, energy levels, complexion ... the list goes on.

However...

I wasn't always a vegetable eating, pantless saint.

I used to really struggle to get the veggies down. Most of the time it would be all about Protein and Starchy Carbs, oh and avocado ... that's green right? (FYI Avocado is green in colour but isn't classified a vegetable. It's actually a single seeded berry, so no it doesn't count towards your green intake; but still eat them, they are awesome).

When I realised that I really needed to get more greens i, I started eating more salad (clever move right?). I still didn't get the same joy out of a salad as I did out of Pizza. However, what I did start to realise was that after eating a salad I felt amazing. I felt light in my tummy. I felt nourished, refuelled and energised. I obviously didn't get the same feeling after eating pizza, no matter how much I enjoyed the process of eating it; it was never worth the feeling of bloat and heaviness that followed. 

I have since then grown to love veggies as much as pizza. So much so, I actually feel it when I've haven't hit my greens target. When that happens, I make one of these;

More Plants - Less Pants Smoothie

1 x big handful kale

1 x big handful of baby spinach

1 x small handful frozen mango

1 x small handful fresh mint leaves

1 x half cucumber

1 x half kiwi fruit

1 x Glass unsweetened almond milk

sprinkle of cinnamon.

Blend.

Take pants off.

Consume.

Enjoy.

x

Shona.

#respectyourtemple

Jaws, Adam Amin & The Human Spirit

About a week ago I was sitting reading BBC news at the end of what had turned out to be an awesome week and I saw some surf story had made the most read chart.

Now before I go into this I should say I’m a very average surfer; but I love it.  Not living by the sea means that I maybe get to go surfing for 2 weeks of the year when we make our family pilgrimage to Woolacombe, Devon (England).  I’ve been going for about 22 years so I guess I have nearly a years experience in total.  What I’m trying to say is that I’m writing this with some knowledge of the sport, but it’s not meant to be some expert commentary of surf technique and etiquette.  I'm more interested in the human spirit element of what happened and what followed.

So I’ve seen this article and am immediately drawn to it.  If you didn’t see it I’ll just give you some background.  It was about a man called Adam Amin from Sidmouth, Devon (UK).  He was 19 and had 5 years surfing experience and followed his dream to ride one of the most notorious waves in the world - JAWS.

He had been travelling on a shoestring, sofa hopping and generally living a simple lifestyle after just saving enough money from his lifeguard work and surf repair job to get out to Pe'ahi, Hawaii in his search of one of the biggest and baddest waves in the world.

Amin was out there at the same time that the Pe'ahi Challenge contest was being held.  Big wave riders from around the world converged on the break for a competition.  It was a dream come true for Adam to even be there, never mind think about paddling out.

He went down to the shore at 0530 on the morning of the competition to secure a place and was turned away by security.  Undaunted, he travelled 5 miles down the coast to a spot where boats were ferrying competitors and the media to the surf area.  He was turned away again being informed that all the boats were full.

Now this is the bit that starts to make the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.  Adam decided that he wasn’t going to miss this.  He wasn’t going to take no for an answer and he started to paddle the 5 miles under his own steam.  When he was about a mile or so into the paddle a jet ski came by and the rider started to chat to Adam.  After a short conversation he decided to give Adam a lift.  What’s even more awesome is that the rider was Greg Long.

Greg is an American surfer from California.  He’s the only surfer to win the Quicksilver big wave international, the Mavericks surf contest and the Red Bull big wave Africa event.  To say he was something of a hero to Adam would be an understatement.

So Adams luck had started to turn.  When they arrived at the surf area he quickly realised that he was surrounded by big wave surf legends;  Pro surfers from around the world.  It’s the stuff dreams are made of and he nearly didn’t get to be there.  How many no’s does it take for the average one of us to bow our head, and turn away from our goal?

The surf was good on this particular day.  Sets of waves were rolling in and the surfers were paddling around saying in a safe area waiting for everything to start.  It was at this point that Adam saw his opportunity and went for it.  The following is Adam’s commentary of the experience:

"Yesterday was one of the best days of my life, if not THE the best!!!!

I knew the contest for jaws was going to be on and therefore the road which leads to jaws was going to be closed off to the public. So I tried sneaking past security at 5.30 in the morning but they beat me there.

I then decided to go to Malico Harbour which is five miles away and try to get a ride with some boats heading that way.  They turned me down and said there is not enough space therefore I decided that this was not going to stop me from fulfilling my dream.
I decided to attempt to paddle around 3 headlands to get there. I started and got quarter of the way until a jet ski came up beside me and not only did they give me a ride with my board to jaws but the guy in the ski was Greg Long which is my hero and is a huge pioneer to the sport of big wave surfing!

We got there after much turbulence and I witnesses 40-50ft waves breaking in front if me! I paddled out with not much safety equipment with 5 other of my heroes sitting right next to me. We all spotted a huge wave in the distance and we all paddled out and I saw my opportunity to prove that I can surf jaws so I turned around while all the others were paddling over the wave and caught this monster.

I caught it and rode down what seemed like riding down a liquid mountain. I got to the bottom and looked up.... It was the size of two houses above me.  I then noticed that I was going to make it until there was a bit of white water blocking my way.  I got taken out by this white water just after riding along the face and it felt like the ocean collapsed on me.

I held my breath and took the beating as long as I could and finally made it to the surface of the water.  I then noticed huge waves coming towards me again and I got pounded again and again by huge waves.  I then got very tired and ended up very close to rocks until suddenly a jet ski rider picked me up and took me to safety.

What a legend, he took me to the channel and the contest started.  Moreover I watched the entire event from the channel for five hours while talking to all of my heroes of the sport in one place!  I was in heaven ;D

After the event I went home and noticed the awards ceremony was going to be across the street so I went there and talked and got pictures with all of them."

Now this story moves my heart.  It has everything I love about the true spirit of the human race.  The never say die attitude demonstrated by significant game changing people though out history.  Kinship and kindness shown to strangers as demonstrated by Greg Long giving Adam a lift to the channel.  A man following his dream and despite setbacks getting there to experience the sweet feelings of accomplishment.

It’s for these reasons that I was dismayed to read commentary from someone who described Adam’s actions as “reckless” and made other similar statements around him not having the right to be there.  For the surfers out there the picture I’ve attached here provides the perfect analogy of how I feel about this person.  I’ll call them “Warchild” for the sake of this article and I guess that there’s another lesson in here too.

The internet makes it very easy for certain personality types to act as “keyboard warriors” and put people down for doing things that might go against that persons belief systems.  Don’t get me wrong, everyone has a right to their opinion, but I feel that the practice of what I’d call cyber bullying is rife and I pity the person behind the keyboard every time I see an example of it.  Highly negatively skewed commentary should be avoided at all costs in my opinion.  Needless to say I don’t want to dwell on this aspect of the story and only mention it as it strengthens my feelings of respect towards Adam.

The Strength Temple are a firm believer that successful people are not defined so much by their achievements, but how they handle setbacks.  It’s this that sets people apart and transforms great people into legends.  Adam's response to the article is below.

"I just want to say something I have read recently about my story.
 
I have recently read an article about my actions. I have and always will respect people's opinion but this was hilarious when it came to them speaking about big wave surfing and how much they do not know about it. They specifically wrote it was "reckless or stupid" yet I knew for a fact that there was going to be an entire safety team before the competition.   They were sitting there on jet skis, on standby just waiting for it to start and I spoke to the ski riders to keep an eye on me, only if I go too close to shore but to leave me if I take a bad wipeout.

Billy Kemper & Adam Amin

There is an etiquette which still stands that if you can surf big waves without all the safety equipment and withstand horrific wipeouts then you are accepted to be a part of the scene and should only then be accepted to wear safety equipment such as, inflatable vests. That is exactly what I did and that is exactly what every surfer did before all the fancy gear came out just like the story of Jeff Clark who surfed mavericks for 15 years on his own with no equipment like that.
It does not matter whether I have been surfing for five or fifty years but it does matter to respect the ocean and how much it is a part of all of us. Someone reminded me that Kelly Slater grew up in mushy waves for his childhood just like me and maybe that teaches people to look at the ocean differently.

At the end of the day people need to remember that surfing, whether small or big, we have to respect the ocean."

So once again, for me Adam has turned a negative into a positive.  He’s used the haters to spread a positive message about the ocean that we all need to hear and head.

I hope that The Strength Temple can meet Adam soon and hear more about that day.  We already consider him to be one of our #TempleTribe as he stands for everything we hold dear in the human spirit.

Adam - you have our upmost respect and thank you for doing what you did.  Stay grounded and calm in your approach to your next challenge, whatever that will be.  Whenever a “Warchild” comes by (and there will be others), stand tall and proud as we know you will ;-)  Just as you did before; do the work, do your research, consider the risks and make your play with respect and dignity.  We can’t wait to see what you get up to and want you to know that you have our deepest respect and support.

Rich Davis

Director - The Strength Temple

#respectyourtemple

Spicy Coconut Rice with Poached Eggs

OK so it’s a real quick recipe today.  I’ve just knocked this up for breakfast and it was absolutely amazing.  I’m planning on doing a pretty intense workout this morning and needed some carbs to get me in the mood!

The rice base is an excellent ingredient to use in many dishes, so I've made a little extra here to save for later and have with some fish.

Ingredients:

2 sticks of Celery
1 large carrot
1 green pepper
1 baby leak
3 spring onions
1 large clove of garlic
coconut oil
4 eggs (2 per person)
wild rice (as much as you would cook for 2)
1 tin Coconut milk
1 teaspoon freshly ground chilli powder
Watercress
Freshly cooked beetroot
Salt, Pepper, Fish Sauce (optional)

Open your tin of coconut milk and pour into a saucepan.  Add your wild rice and start to simmer.  Whilst this is cooking….

Take your celery, carrots, green pepper, leak, spring onions and garlic and cut into very small cubes.  If you haven’t done this before it’s quickest if you cut them into strips them take the knife across them to get your cubes.

Heat some coconut oil in a large pan and gently sweat off the vegetables with the teaspoon of chilli powder.

By this time the rice will have been been cooking for about 10 minutes and will have reduced in volume a little as the rice absorbs the coconut milk.  Add this rice and milk mix to the vegetables and stir.  If you're using fish sauce, add about a table spoon at this time.  If not then season with salt as you usually would.

Leave this on the heat until the rice is cooked.  It’s a little bit like a risotto, but because I used wild rice, there is less starch so it’s not as sticky as you’d usually expect with a risotto.

When the rice is nearly ready (it will take about 20 minutes if using wild rice) get some water on the build and poach your eggs.

To serve place the rice on a plate and top with some fresh watercress.  Add the eggs in the middle and then place a quartered cooked beetroot around the edges.

Hey presto!  A delicious breakfast that will keep you going all morning.

Enjoy!

#respectyourtemple

#Video: Sun Salutations from our #yogi Shona Vertue

So this will be the shortest post so far.  Short is good.  Short is to the point.  Short of vibrant energy and happy smiles is what you WON’T BE if you follow The Strength Temple #7Pillars 😉  Here's some wisdom from our resident Yoga Guru; Shona Vertue.

The foundation of every yoga posture lies in the Sun Salutations.

So, while we may not all get the chance to do  a 90 minute yoga class every week, if we can practice the Sun Salutations every day, we are building and maintaining the strength needed to tackle other postures. Oh, and to just have a generally better time in our bodies. 

Do this with me in the mornings to really enliven your body, mind and inner goddess (or god).

x

Miss Vertue.
#respectyourtemple

Clean and Green - Kickstart with Chlorella

So we're staying on our green theme with this article today.  We’re doing this because IT’s SO IMPORTANT and we want you to live a long, healthy and energy abundant life!

Phytonutrients give foods their colours, flavours and aromas and include substances like carotenoids and flavonoids.  These essential building blocks of life are linked to prevention of certain diseases including cancer.  We explore this area with an article below from our wonderful contributor Elizabeth McQuillan.

Chlorella is a great addition to any smoothie and adds super green colour

A visit to the local health shop leaves those of us without qualifications in herbology or supplement-ology pretty lost. Potions, tinctures, capsules and tablets – that are presumably meant to be good for us in one way or another – vie for position on the groaning shelves.

Most recently I had noticed an upsurge in the selection of green pondweed products. Chlorella seems to be flying off the shelves, and I did wonder what the heck the stuff actually does. The Japanese have known about the benefits for years, and actually cultivate their freshwater weed.

Algae are eukaryotes, with the contents of their cells parcelled into membrane shrink-wrapped organelles. The green slime acts as an effective powerhouse; capturing energy from sunlight during photosynthesis and reproducing at a phenomenal rate.

Chlorella is a slimy “superfood”.

Discovered in the 1950s by a Japanese scientist, chlorella growth factor (CGF) is an extract of the green freshwater alga, chlorella. Its cells divide themselves into four every 20 to 24 hours, and it is thought that the substance that allows this rapid expansion is CGF, which is produced during photosynthesis and makes up just 3 – 5% of the alga.

Significantly, CGF is believed to contain high levels of the nucleic acids RNA and DNA (our genetic fingerprints). The significance here is that as you age, your production of RNA and DNA slows down, and this growth factor is thought to kick-start the body’s ability for cell renewal. We can consume RNA and DNA in a range of foods, but chlorella is by far one of the richest supplies of the nutrient, containing 17 times more RNA than sardines.

Japanese scientists in the 1960s carried out tests that also suggested CGF may promote the tissue repair. After giving schoolchildren two grams of chlorella on a regular basis, after 112 days they discovered the children had grown faster and gained more weight than others who were not taking the algae. Since the same substances and processes that accelerate growth in children are thought to also promote the repair of tissue damage in adults, the scientists concluded that CGF has the ability to stimulate the body’s healing processes.

Chlorella can help to heal specific conditions of cellular breakdown such as ulcers, promote healing and repair in injury and illness, as well as boosting the good bacteria in the gut.

You can pick Chlorella up in various forms (tablets and powder) from health food shops.  Amazon UK supply a number of products as well and our UK readers and get them via the links below.

Elizabeth McQuillan

#respectyourtemple

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£21.99

£11.99

Immune Boosting Eastern Soup

This soup has just gone down an absolute STORM on our social media platforms.  I guess it’s that time of year (in the UK) where we need this stuff to fight the bugs and fortify our bodies against the cold.

Having said that, this would be awesome in the summer served chilled from the fridge with some crushed ice mixed through as a type of gazpacho.  We’ll definitely be doing that in 6 months!  In the mean time, here’s a note from Richie Norton on this awesome concoction.  ENJOY!……..

 🤒🌿 After my little stint in the Middle East, the adjustment to the UK winter weather and germs being sneezed all over the place, I've somehow picked up a cough that won't shift (yes I'm human after all)! 🤒

If you've been feeling a bit under the weather or hoping to fight off the winter lurgy, I'd recommend you try some homemade veggie super soups like this green beast 🌿It’s full of antioxidants, vitamin C, E and fibre necessary for a healthy body.  It’s really simple to make. Go on - get your apron on and don’t hold back.

Ingredients:
 
• Rainbow chard (dietary fibre/fat free) • broccoli • spinach • carrots • ginger • bunch of coriander, basil • spring onion • clove of garlic • S&P (chilli if you fancy some heat and coconut cream to garnish.)

Method:

Heat through you vegetables in homemade stock.  It’s important that you don’t boil them to death and destroy many of the nutrients.  Just a gentle warm through is sufficient.  When it’s just right,  pop it all in a blender and take it to your desired consistency.  With some blending practice you can go from super smooth to slightly textured.  We sometimes split the soup into two batches, and blend some to super smooth and mix the rest in to leave some variety - it’s up to you and we’d encourage you to experiment.
 
This one got drizzed in coconut cream (naughty) as our final garnish!

Enjoy, let us know how you get on and don’t forget to…..

#respectyourtemple ;-)
 

Let's focus on your Glutes ;-)

Not only are glutes apparently 'on trend' right now, they also make for a strong, healthy and pain free body!

Women especially are very much at risk of having under developed glutes because we wear high heels.  Although high heels do a lot to make us feel sexy, they actually bring our weight forward to the balls of our feet, causing us to make every movement a knee dominant one, rather than a hip dominate one (**knee dominant movements predominantly use Quads and Hip Dominant movements predominantly use gluten and hamstrings).  Combine this with lots of sitting in chairs and you have yourself a very under-active and potentially weak Gluteus Maximus or worse, a saggy bum.

So, here are my 5 top tips to grow beautiful and strong glutes!

1. Low reps AND High Reps - The gluteal muscles are predominantly slow type fibres, meaning they do respond to high rep training. However they are made up of about 32% fast twitch fibres, which means that you need to include some low rep, heavy weight exercises to the routine if you really want to see them grow.
   
   Start with heavy weight compound movements first, such as Dead lifts and Barbell glutes bridges, then finish your workout with some more isolated movements such as Reverse Hypers on a swiss ball to get blood into the muscle and increase the 'pump'.
    
2. Do the Barbell Glute Bridge (variation pictured above). It was made famous by Bret Contreas (the glute guy).
   
   It's definitely one to get into your program and one that has certainly made a difference in the development of my derriere.  Contreas says; “When the knees stay bent, the hamstrings are placed in “active insufficiency,” which means that they’re shortened and cannot contract with maximal force.  Since the hamstrings can’t produce sufficient force, more work is placed upon the gluten to get the job done.  This is why bent legged hip extension exercises such as bridge patterns work so well in hammering the glutes.”
    
3. Eat Well, and enough.  Starving yourself or even eating low nutrient quality foods is not going to help you put some junk in that trunk.  When I say junk, I'm talking about the good type - not the dimply type.  Cellulite, although caused by a number of factors including hormones, is also caused by toxicity build up.  Getting alcohol, cigarettes, drugs and processed foods out of your diet can make a HUGE difference.  We want peaches back there, not oranges.
    
4. uscle Growth takes time and consistency.  The odd kick back is not going to get you anywhere.  If you want growth of the muscle you also need to consider the progressive overload principle of training.
   
   Progressive overload is simply the principle of doing 'more' over time.  However, that 'more' can have so many different variables, from more weight, to more reps, to just more complex movement patterns.  If you're not changing the program and increasing the difficulty in some way (with perfect form of course) you won't really see a change.  This is where a really good, programming Personal Trainer will be able to help you out.
    
5. Activate the Glutes before you begin a leg workout.  You simply have to wake them up.  Especially if you spend all day sitting on your butt, you can't just expect it to turn on when you hear gym music.
   
   The gluteals need to be activated with specific, isolated movements.  Clams with resistant bands, band walks, body weight glute bridges are all great recipes for a highly alert buttocks!

So let's focus on your gluten this week.  Let us know how you get on :-)

Happy Training.

Shona Vertue x

#respectyourtemple

The Power of NO!

Well there’s an interesting title.  "No" is usually associated with bad people.  It’s something we don’t look forward to hearing as it means we’re not getting what we’ve asked for.  It’s used by people stopping our progress.  People who just aren’t team players; but HANG ON ONE SECOND!

The power of a kind, well placed and diplomatic no is one of life’s greatest lessons and it’s careful use can open a gateway for your growth and ultimately a better outcome for everyone.  Let’s explore how you can use this often underused word to make everyone happier in the end; most importantly YOU!

How do you feel when you think of the word “no”?  What does it mean to you?  It’s an interesting thought exercise as it has different meanings to different people.  Are you the person that finds it easy to say no?  Perhaps you’re using it in the wrong way, or too much?  If you’re the type of person who is run ragged and finds yourself putting off important personal things at the expense of helping others or keeping appointments, then you should probably use it more.

The thing is, it doesn’t have to be a negative thing.  It doesn’t have to mean you won’t do something or help someone.  It may just mean that you won’t be doing it in line with someone else’s agenda!

So consider this for a moment.  The next time someone asks you to do something, PAUSE.  Just take a moment before that habitual “Yes, OK” response and ask yourself a question.  Is it necessary to say yes right now?  Do I want to do this at all?  If I want to do this, shall I agree now, or shall I postpone to another time when it is more convenient for me?  By asking these questions it will interrupt your pattern of immediately saying yes, or feeling you have to say yes and give you an alternative outcome.

This may seem like basic simple stuff, but I’m telling you now it’s potentially life changing!  Very quickly you will find that you’re working more closely to your plans and still satisfying the stakeholders that matter in your life.  It’s a wonderful thing!

Another interesting result of saying no is that it opens up a potential negotiation.  If you start with no and the other party remains persistent in asking for your time, then try asking for something in return for a yes!   “OK, I’ll do that for you, but it means I’ll fall behind with another project.  Could you do me a favour and organise a meeting with the team so we can delegate some tasks?”  If you start with no then you might get a little more balance in the transaction.

Try some of these things in the week ahead and let us know how you get on.  Repetition is the mother of skill, so we recommend you practice often by saying no :-)

• A great place to start is to decide what you’d like to achieve in the next few weeks.  All those things that you just don’t have time for.  It might be visiting family, going on a date, getting your hair cut, going to the gym, doing your Christmas shopping, cooking yourself and your partner or family a fresh meal.  Have fun with it and make a list.  You’re going to get to do all these things and having a clear picture of the outcome of your new habit will provide leverage and allow you to better follow through with the experiment.
   
• Book your activities into your diary.  If in two weeks time you  have decided to visit your friend in Scotland for 3 days, then book it in.  If something comes up that conflicts, you know what to do.  Just say no.  How did that feel?
   
• If someone asks if you can meet them to go through a proposal or idea at work make sure it’s on your terms.  If you can’t do it because you have other commitments, politely give them a time when it IS convenient.  If they can’t make that appointment then just say no.  See what happens!
   
• If you’ve got children you might be familiar with this already!  If they ask for something, say no.  If they are persistent then negotiate by saying they can have what they want if they….. clean their room, do the vacuuming, mow the lawn, clean the car.  It delivers a clear lesson that there is value in any personal transaction and it will assist them in later life.  It might even turn them into a top negotiator!

Often people who habitually say yes are taken advantage of by some individuals.  If someone asks you for something and you’d really rather not do it, SAY NO!  This is one of the hardest ones for many people (whilst others find it extremely easy).  You may be surprised at the other person's response.  Stick to your guns.

In the end if what we’ve done is to raise awareness of the fact that you can say no and give yourself some time to do the things your want and need to do, then it’s served it’s purpose.  If it’s given you food for thought, then our mission is accomplished.  Just don’t forget!

Finally I just thought I’d share something.  This lesson crystalised after an opportunity came by for me to catch up with the legend Chaz Davies.  For those who don’t know Chaz, he’s a World Superbike rider (Aruba.it Ducati Team) and an incredible human being.

My schedule was super hectic and I was really struggling with my inner dialogue around trying to make time for the adventure to visit Chaz at his home in Wales.  It meant that I would have to say NO to a number of people and projects and I was really struggling with the whole process.  In the end I made the right decision to say no and arrange to make the long journey into the countryside.

Arriving at Chaz’s extreme sports playground, you are spoilt for choice on what toys to ride, starting the days with a highland cross country runs chasing the sheep around, then ending with a endurance trials bike challenges through his private woodland… Needless to say this was one of the best action packed weekends I’d ever experienced.

In years to come I will not remember the things I thought were urgent, but I’ll never forget that time with my mate riding our bikes and just loving life.

Try saying no a little more often and see what happens.  It’s LIBERATING!

#respectyourtemple

Anchors & Healthy Chocolate Thick Shakes!

Interview with Shona Vertue on Anchors and her Thick Choc Shake for health!

TST “So Shona.  Great to have you with us today.  We want to explore anchors and how they may affect our eating on a subconscious level.  Tell us about some of your food memories from when you were at school."

Shona "Well, when I was little, one of my favourite things to do with my Dad was to have a Chocolate thick shake from Macdonald's. I became really attached to this Thick Shake because it reminded me of the time I would spend with Dad. It was comfort food."

TST “Ok, so that’s a perfect example of how we can create anchors which associate a particular thing with a feeling.  Over time this can mean that we crave that thing when we need to go to that same feeling.  Do you still drink them?"

Shona “Well I gave up MacDonalds some time ago, and I have to say it’s the only thing I really missed.  I guess it’s because of the thoughts of the great times I had with my father.  I think I was searching for comfort, but I found that replacing it with something better for me hit all the Anchors and kept me healthier and feeling better."

TST “OK cool!  So you effectively used the anchor that you’d already developed, but replaced the old habit with an empowering new one?"

Shona “Yes, that’s right.  I invented my own recipe for a thick chocolate milkshake and I have to say I actually prefer it to the old one so it’s a massive step forwards.  I still get the lovely smooth chocolate hit and feelings of comfort, but also some great fuel for my body which doesn’t have the crash effect of the old version packed with processed sugars."

TST “Thank you Shona.  So it’s a great lesson for all of us.  When you crave a certain food, just stop to think for a moment why that might be happening.  What feelings are you craving?  Try and find another “vehicle” to satisfy your needs.  This can be a food, but it can also be a number of other activities or things.  Maybe even a nice glass of filtered water to replace a bad habit.  Perhaps go for a walk in the fresh air.  Or invent your own healthier version like Shona did!

Here’s Shona’s recipe for her Healthy Thick Chocolate Shake.  We’ve tried it and it comes highly recommended.  As usual go organic with all your ingredients and enjoy!"

MacShona's Thick Superfood Shake

1/2 - 1 Avocado (depending on size)

1 Tablespoon Raw Cacao Powder

1 ripe Banana

1 cup rice or oat milk (maybe more if you like a more runny consistency)

1 teaspoon Manuka Honey (If you like it a little sweeter try adding a couple of dates as well)

3-5 Ice Cubes

Sprinkle of Bee Pollen

Place everything in a good quality blender and hey presto!  MacShona’s thick Superfood Shake.

Shona Vertue xx

#respectyourtemple

Breath - are you going deep enough? Try this...

#Breath is one of the #7pillars of your Strength Temple.  Our guest contributor, Elizabeth McQuillan explains why.......

Few of us pay much mind to our breathing. Like walking or talking, we accept it as something that just happens, an incidental adjunct to getting on with life. However, each lungful of precious air has the capacity to help us heal, burn fat and energise the entire body.

Sadly, we just don’t do it very well. Without “trying”, simply consider your breathing. If you are like most folk you pull a shallow breath in that barely inflates your lungs. Now really try to breathe in, and notice what happens. If your shoulders have lifted towards your ears, and your chest moves upwards, then you are doing a good job of inflating the apex of your lungs. That leaves a big void of lung tissue redundant.

Years of breathing in this way, exacerbated by holding tension and stress in the neck and shoulder area, means the body is rationed in vital oxygen. It cannot possibly function to best ability. Without inhaling enough oxygen (O2), or exhaling enough carbon dioxide (CO2), problems can manifest in the form of mental fogginess, fatigue and reduced tissue function.

Current recommendations for non-medicinal treatment of stress, anxiety and even depression are rooted in cognitive therapy used alongside the practice of “mindful” breathing.

The sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for our fight-or-flight response, can cause all manner of knock-on unhealthy effects when placed under constant stress. In chronic stress, where cortisol and adrenaline are continuously being pumped into the system, it is not uncommon to find depression, muscle pain and tension, insomnia and gut troubles.

Deep and mindful breathing is one of the best ways to offset these effects. It quickly kickstarts the parasympathetic nervous system, which counters the sympathetic response and invokes relaxation. Breathing like this swings the pendulum so that the body chemistry changes to take us from a status of high alert, to feeling altogether more chilled out.

Shallow breathing is also not our friend if we are on the quest to burn fat and lose weight. To metabolise fat stored in the body, our system needs plenty of O2, and a deficit means that what we do have is channeled to more essential places.

Available oxygen will not be used for non-vital body functions (ie fat burning) and will be directed instead to vital functions. Breathing awareness will increase the oxygen circulated by the blood, and the increased oxygen supply will enhance the cells’ ability to turn the stored fatty deposits to energy that the body can use.

In cases of poor general health, cancers, viral illness and poor organ function, it is important to consider the wellbeing of our lymphatic system. This is part of our immune system and is essential in the disease-fighting process. It collects cellular waste, and carries it away for disposal.

Shallow breathing and immobility allow the lymphatic system to become sluggish and congested, organ function to become compromised, and a build-up of toxins to stagnate within the system. This can lead to oedema (perhaps seen as swelling in the feet and ankles) and may even trigger cell pathology.

Since there is no pump to circulate lymph, we rely on arterial pulsations, organ compression, body movement and muscle contraction to do the job. Importantly, we need the pressure changes in the thorax that breathing provides. Shallow breathing simply won’t provide adequate means to get the lymph moving.

Stig Severnisen - Can hold his breath for more than 20 minutes!  Picture courtesy of Wikipedia.

Deep and mindful breathing will also increase sporting performance by providing an increase in lung capacity. World Champion freediver, Stig Aavall Severinsen – the first man in the world to hold his breath for over 20 minutes – certainly has the technique down to a fine art.

Remember how a baby breathes, with its tummy rising and falling. Each day set time aside to stand, sit or lie down in a quiet place for five minutes. Don’t force your breath, but allow the air to be drawn into your lungs, and feel your tummy rise. Relax your throat, neck and shoulders, trying to pull the air deeper into your lower chest.

Gently let the breath out (without disturbing an imaginary feather under your nostrils). Play with the breath, and imagine pulling the air into different areas of your chest and body. Be quietly aware of sights, sounds, smells and thoughts that come to you. Don’t dwell on them, but acknowledge them and let them go.

If you practice mindful breathing, the benefits start to manifest themselves really very quickly. Skin is clear and glowing, health and wellbeing improve and there is definitely a renewed calmness and control within life. Well worth a try.

Elizabeth McQuillan x

#respectyourtemple

Are you throwing away your Avocado Seeds?

Vitamix Blended Avocado Seeds

So here's the thing.  We love Avocados at The Strength Temple and eat them regularly.  As well as tasting amazing (especially when sprinkled with a few soft flakes of Malden Sea Salt) they are so nutritious for you.  For example, did you know that the best part of the avocado flesh is the stuff just under the skin?  Yep - that's right, the really green stuff that you might miss if you don't scrape those skins out properly.  Don't leave this "green gold" behind or you are missing a trick.

The secret though is that people are throwing away the most nutritious parts - the "pit" or "seed".  The key is in knowing how to prepare them.

What we like to do is save a few up and let them dry out a little on the window sill.  After a day or so, pop them into a quality blender (we use a Vitamix or Sage Blender, and won’t be held responsible for breaking inferior blenders with this method!) and blend to a crumb.  The picture inset is of some Avocado seed crumb that has oxidised after blending (like an apple might go brown after cutting.)  You can prevent this by squeezing some lemon juice over the crumb or just savour the rusty redness!

The resulting product has a nutty taste and we like to use it as a topping for porridge or salads and as a lovely addition at the end of the cooking process in a curry.

If you are interested in some in-depth science behind the nutritious aspects of the humble Avocado check out this article from The Worlds Healthiest Foods or surf over to our friend Darin Olien’s website "Superlife" for some more learning!

Oh - and don’t forget to come back and leave a comment for us below on how you like to use your new ingredient.

#RespectYourTemple

Protein Banana Loaf

Let's face it, we're not quite there yet.  Finding health food cafes with gluten free & sugar free treats is not an easy task for most of us & certainly not cost effective once you do find them….

Get your baking hat on, get the kids involved, make it fun & make you're own tasty creations.  Personally I find it significantly more satisfying; you know what's gone in it & tastes better when you make it yourself!

This Banana loaf is great as a slice with your breakfast smoothie or after a workout when you’re body is craving some nutrition love.

Recipe:

1 cup coconut milk • 1/2 cup protein powder • 2 ripe bananas • 1/2 cup egg whites or 2 eggs • 3 tbsp coconut flour • 1 tbsp vanilla extract • 3 tbsp coconut flakes • 3-4 medjool dates (depending on your sweet tooth) • hand full of smashed walnuts • 1/2 tsp baking powder.

Directions : blend together • pour in loaf tin (greased with coconut oil) • sprinkle shaved almonds on top • bake 180c for 45-60mns (until browned)

Can't wait for the coffee run!

#respectyourtemple

#Video: Fancy a Quickie?

Breath is one of the Pillars of your Strength Temple.  It's there for a reason as it's so important for health, both physical and emotional.  One of the most amazing ways to focus on breath is through Yoga practice.

Here’s a beautiful article from Shona Vertue around treating yourself to some Yoga love.  We thrive on this at The Strength Temple and invite you to let Shona into your lives too.  She’s a force of nature.

How many of you find the thought of practicing yoga intimidating? Daunting even?  Putting the body in compromising positions, confronting situations, discomfort, stillness … it’s pretty scary stuff right?

I’m going to be honest here and tell you that it scares me too. And no word of a lie, about 2 minutes into my daily practice my brain has pretty much written a thesis on why I should stop and do something else.

That’s where the #yogaquickie concept came from … I thought – 5 minutes every day (or #yogaeverydamnday in the land of instagram) is better than 90 minutes once every month or fortnight.

6 minutes of deeply concentrated, joyful and breath-synchronised movement, is far more beneficial than 90 minutes of a pseudo-yoga class with a front row ticket to your own internal monologue ranting on about your likes and dislikes, to-do list and see-through lululemon pants.

10 minutes, 5 minutes, just 3 deep breaths even – it’s all yoga. To me an advanced yoga practitioner is determined by the quality of the connection between their body, mind and breath, not by how well they can impersonate a german pretzel.

I live in a busy city, time is more valuable than money and ironically more scarce – so I understand the need for fast, effective results. In my experience as an elite gymnast, yoga teacher, personal trainer and massage therapist, I know that nothing works better and faster than good old consistency (remember that concept of sticking to something for longer than it takes to go through your Facebook news feed?)….

So – give me roughly 3-5 minutes. Every day. Try a quickie, and see how you feel.  I've quite flexible!  Don't force any of the moves and only do what feels comfortable.  If you are unsure speak to your trainer or GP before you start on any type of new fitness campaign.

You’ll be amazed that you’re actually doing yoga. Every damn day and your body will thank you for it.

x
Miss Vertue

#respectyourtemple