Keeping Up With the Holiday Marathon

Many of my clients complain they “simply don’t have the time to workout around the holidays” Life can be busy all by itself, add to that a shopping list a mile long, impossible to find gifts, tighter schedule and an even tighter budget and you could be in for a major breakdown or illness.

Pacing yourself at this time of year is difficult.  No one wants to turn down a holiday party or say “no” to a child’s deepest wishes but there are some ways you can do most of what you have on your holiday list and still make time for you.

Here are a few tips:

1. Consider sharing shopping duties.  If you know your friend is making a trip to a big box store for groceries or a gift ask if she would pick up a few things for you too.  The next time you make a list that includes some shopping locations, email it to her and offer to pick up some of her items when you go.
2. Try doing most of your shopping online.  There are certain things like, handmade or clothing items that you definitely want to touch and get a sense of the quality when shopping.  However, if it’s a mechanical item, robot or toy that is mass manufactured chances are the one you buy online will be just as great as the one you can carry home from a store.  Many online retailers provide free shipping this time of year too.
3. Group tasks together.  If you  have been lacking time to workout try getting in your morning walk at the mall before the stores open.  Try to get at least 3,000 steps in and a medium heart rate for you. When you are done whip out your reusable bags and go to town.
4. Take opportunities to workout, relax or pamper yourself as they come.  Many of us who care for our kids or are the point person in our extended families, have a deep sense of duty and rarely indulge in themselves.  I was one of them!  But I have changed my mind when I realize that I and my disposition are what is most important when caring for everyone else.  When your kids have a delayed opening at their school (which just happened today ironically) take the time to get on your elliptical or treadmill at home, take a bath or do a Pilates video on your computer.  Remember any  exercise during the holidays is good exercise and may keep you ahead of the calorie gluttony.
5. Say “no” if you have to.  It’s a great time of year for parties and gatherings.  Sometimes the schedule can be unrealistic.  Say “yes” to those invitations that actually mean something to you, let go of the need to “make an appearance” for the sake of doing so.   I chose not to go to a cookie party, the local tree lighting or the church bazaar.  I stayed home decorated my tree with my family and talked about our memories together.  I felt like I was in better control and had more energy for the event and  people I love the most 🙂
6. Use what you have.  I made an appearance last year at a local television station on how to stay fit during the holidays.  I focused on barre exercises because nine times out of ten I find myself standing at some counter somewhere or at my own kitchen.  You can perform plies, calf raises and glute tucks while you wait on line at the store.  You can do push-ups, hamstring curls and quadricep extension while baking cookies in your kitchen.  Grab a hand towel throw it on the floor, step on it for half slides to work the inner thigh.  By the time the cookies are done you will have completed a total body workout!
7. Bottom line, ask for help.  I recently hit a wall when I realized everything I wanted to get done in one day wasn’t going to get done.  I started delegating to my kids.  I asked my 19 year old son to do the grocery shopping, my 17 year old to vacuum and mop the floors and my 11 year old to wrap some gifts.  There was a slightly stunned look on their faces but they handled the requests well and I could tell they enjoyed being given a different responsibility.  This allowed me to clean the rest of the kitchen, start making dinner for our guests and bring up some ornaments for the tree.

I’m sure there are many more ways to keep your spirit bright but this list will help you get started.  Enjoy! Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas

Being Psychic and the MindbodyMaven Philosophy

Mindbodymaven and a note about psychic readings….

       A friend of mine said “Hey you know you may not want to mention that you are psychic when you give your Weight Loss talks or personal train people.”

I thought about it …..and yes there is a certain percentage of people who may be put off by that fact. They may feel offended because of their religious beliefs or fears. However, I’ve never had any indication of offense from any client ever. I will say that as a personal trainer/psychic I’ve been able to discern who should and who should not know what it is I do.

        I respect people for their beliefs and I am able to train without giving a reading. Likewise, I can read them if they are having difficulty making progress in their fitness goals. My clients have been honest and long lasting with me. When we part we often keep in touch for years after our time training together.There are no absolutes when I train or teach people about metabolism. It basically boils down to what will benefit the client and serve their needs best based on their perception.

         I don’t randomly talk to people about what I see psychically and I stopped giving readings at huge Expos or conferences. I feel it demeans the messages I have to offer. I am not interested in attracting the client who is interested in fantasy, feels the need to wear a copper pyramid on their head or is preoccupied with aliens. I have been able to control my abilities and direct them as necessary based on how God directs me.

       After giving a lot of thought to what my friend said I realized that I had come to my own conclusions about being psychic, basically my abilities are a part of who I am. For me not to accept and acknowledge that would be like not accepting that I’m female or that I’m 5’5″ tall. My goal after all was never to mislead people about who I am or what I can offer. My goal and sole intention was to help people in an area that could potentially improve, empower and even save their lives (and no that wouldn’t be something of an evil intention). I can do that in any number of ways, personal training, giving Reiki, mind body consultations and yes psychic readings. What has developed is the MindbodyMaven or, in other words …….me. Take it or leave it and Blessings to you either way. If you take it I would love to see you at my next event for a psychic reading at Enchanted Realms in New Milford CT (860) 350-3898  🙂

You Are Invited to Enchanted ….. A PSYCHIC EXPERIENCE + A Few Tips

I’ve given psychic readings and talks at many health, women’s, wellness, life expositions in my past. The highlight bar-none has always been the psychic reading.  Getting a reading helps clarify your life intentions, get information on your health, career, love life and future.  This Saturday the 13th I will be at Enchanted New Age Gifts & Fairytale Toys 285 Litchfield Rd, New Milford, CT 06776 from 12-4.  My fee for a reading is just $35 for 30 minutes and there are only 8 reading times available on that day.  Believe me I’ve “tested” out a few very well known psychics for hundreds of dollars more and I can honestly say that I give far more information than some of the “best” psychics out there.  I was actually told (by a participant) at one expo that I should charge more but my intention was never to make reading people my only source of income.  I had always intended to get an income from my personal training, counselling or Reiki sessions.  I feel when someone is in need of hearing a divine message you have to be flexible in how much it should cost, if anything.

I once gave readings at a health and wellness expo presented by the radio station WHUD.  Again the line was much longer than I thought it would be and I felt for the people at the very end of the line.  “Make a list of questions you have before you get to me” I’d tell people along the line as I rushed back from a bathroom break.  If you are interested in getting a reading you may also want to bring small recorder or use the recorder on your cell phone.  Start thinking about what you would like to walk away from the reading with:  a sense of peace about someone you’ve lost, answers to tough career questions or maybe you would just like to know who your spirit guides are.  When you begin to focus on your questions and intentions for the time spent with a psychic you draw that energy into your body and it becomes “visible” to a psychic.

I am so happy to help people decipher some of the more complicated issues of their lives.  It is so incredibly uplifting to be able to see into someone’s energy and communicate what their soul has been harboring in their auric fields and body.

My experience giving readings at small, intimate venues is far more fulfilling than rushing past dozens of people desperately seeking answers in a loud noisy venue.  That is why I’m thrilled to be able to once again give readings at Enchanted New Age Gifts & Fairytale Toys .

I hope to see you there!

The readings will begin this Saturday 12-4pm.

EnchantedRealmz.com

Address: 285 Litchfield Rd, New Milford, CT 06776

Phone: (860) 350-3898

Sincerely

Nicole Fevrier Davis

Certified Personal Trainer AFAA & NASM

Reiki Master

Author/Motivational Speaker

Unlock Your Body Secrets on DailyOm.com

MindBodyMaven.Wordpress.com

Skinny Behavior

Most people think if they decrease calories and increase activity that should help them lose weight.  Right?  Well that’s the case for some people, other people may have intestinal bacterial problems, hormonal imbalances or hidden food addictions.  What if you have one of these problems but just don’t know for sure?  What if your doctor doesn’t have the latest information on these topics and can’t advise you.

There are a few things that might help you get you where you need to be.  First be curious, read as much as you can about intestinal bacteria, food allergies and addictions. If you feel swollen after every meal or if you have a distinct reaction to a type of food, you may have a food allergy.  If everything you eat is difficult to digest you may need acidophilus or digestive enzymes.  Food allergies can cause certain food behaviors that may cause you to, even under the best of circumstances, eat poorly.  This may also be true if you are hormonally imbalanced.  These two issues (food allergies and hormonal imbalance) can be tested, find a holistic doctor that is familiar with these tests and become familiar with your results.

Once you have the information you need, commit yourself to the thought that those issues once addressed may offer you a different perspective on how to eat.  You may want to start pre-packaging veggies as snacks or viewing your meals as a way to nourish your physical goals, not as a punishment for overeating in the past.  Find the proper way to eat for you and your issues then support it with the right thoughts.

Thoughts create our reality and our behavior.  Very often thoughts are the very things we should be changing most if we really don’t have any other imbalances.  Find inspirational quotes, write down ideas or others revelations that helped them lose weight.  Create a mantra journal of great things and ways to think about your weight loss goal and pull it out when times get tough.  The combination of what we eat and why, our thoughts and physical activity should produce the greatest results.

Be kind to yourself.  Many people assume that eating fat, sugar and carb filled foods means you are being “good” to yourself.  I was at a party once where the host said “Ice cream anyone?  Anyone want to be fat and happy?”  This is a mental pattern that she shared with the group that I couldn’t identify with less.  Her first assumption was that there were no food allergies in the room, I am however, lactose intolerant so ice cream for me means pain, nausea and suffering for days.  Turning something down because it won’t produce the desired weight loss results, doesn’t mean you are depriving yourself it means you cherish yourself enough to edit out the foods that won’t ultimately get you your goal nor will that result make you happy.  Make that connection in your mind early on,  refer to your journal of quotes or even pictures in your mind of how you want to be.

Reward yourself.  I have some of my clients keep a food/workout journal.  At the end of each week I give them a gold star if they’ve made their goal.  I will often suggest they reward themselves with a non-food event.  Events and experiences are by far a better way to recreate a positive behavior toward food and eating patterns.  My clients have rewarded themselves by getting their nails done, getting a massage, taking a day off from work or taking a special course that reinforces their current good behavior.

Meditate.  Slow down your mind to feel what it is your body is struggling with.  If it’s stress, it will disappear.  If it is behavior you will find you are less likely to repeat it when you are consciously aware of the pattern.  If you can’t manage a good workout, use your meditation time to go for a walk.  Moving meditations like Tai Chi or labyrinth walking is physical activity and mindfulness in one event.

Sleep well.  Cortisol levels are greatly affected by sleep or lack thereof.  Not enough and you will probably rush to the sugar to keep you going all day.  Too much and your metabolic system will slow to a halt.  If you are having difficulty sleeping some get by with a homeopathic sleep aid, others need something a little stronger.  I often use brain entrainment CD’s by artists like Steve Halpern.  Or just soothing background noise on a pre-recorded sound machine.  Find what does it for you and use it consistently.

Above all recognize that weight loss and behavior changes require persistence.  It takes  at least 3 weeks to establish a new habit and beyond that time is when you usually will see the most significant weight loss.  Be curious, think differently, be kind to yourself, reward yourself, meditate, workout and sleep well. THAT’S what you need to create weight loss without feeling bad about it.  Good luck!

Go!

So you’ve made some decisions about what you want to create for yourself in the New Year.  Congratulations!  Now take a little time to get your plan and put it in action.

Studies have shown that creating a specific plan with backup alternatives should the original plan go awry, are more successful than vague statements like: ” I’m going to lose weight this year”.   While it is true that you want to have a firm go to mantra you should also have that specific plan in mind when saying it.

So instead of just saying:  “I’m going to lose weight this year”

Back it up with this: “I am going to take 3 cardio classes and 2 strength training classes a week this year.  I am going to rest on day 6 and take yoga on day 7”

Instead of: “I’m going to eat clean and have a healthier diet this year”

Back it up with this: ” I will eat only whole foods with at least 15 grams of protein with at least two meals every day.  I will drink at least 40 oz. of water a day and I will stop eating carbohydrates after 4pm.”

Instead of:  “I’m going to get swole”  Helpful hint here people swole is not a word.

Back it up with this: ” I am going to gain 10 pounds in muscle this year by weight lifting 4 days a week in a split program that includes 15 minutes of cardio.  On day 5 I will run 1 mile and work up to 4 miles.”

You can do this with any goal though.  If you want to find the perfect job, then create the mantra and map out exactly how that will happen.

Instead of: “I will find my perfect job”

Back it up with this: ” Beginning Monday I will make a list of my work assets and start a search online for companies that match my personality and goals.”

Or use this to focus on family ideals.

Instead of: “I’m going to spend more time with my family this year”

Back it up with this: “Every Wednesday night will be family dinner together night and every Sunday I will take my family on a hike or walk together.”

These should be written statements that have details you can tweak later if need be.  Also be mindful of your timeline, it may be difficult to change your schedule to accommodate those activities you want to cultivate.  Keep a timeline in mind saying “By the end of January I will have mastered (blank) by the end of February I will have started my new diet”  etc. You may want to try changing one thing and keep it that way for a month and then move on to the next thing and keep that up for a month.  Gradually you will find that those New Year’s resolutions are now your new lifestyle that made your dreams come true!  Now go get it!  And have a very Happy New Year!

Get Set……

So it’s New Year’s Day and the haze is beginning to wear off from the champagne and good wishes from last night.  If you haven’t thought about what you want for the New Year this is often the day of reflection (and recovery) for a lot of people.  Take the time you have today to start a vision board or journal.  Be deliberate and specific.  Take stock of how your life is going right now, make a checklist.  Relationships, health, fitness/diet, creativity, family, business, finances, volunteerism, mental stimulation, work/life balance etc. this step is simple because you are just taking inventory of how your life is right now.

The next step is much more fun, in each area see if you want to improve on a few things, visualize what you would like it to be.  Don’t make the mistake a lot of people make by comparing what you have or don’t have to what your best friend has.  There will always be someone who has more or less than you do, so go for what is right for you not what was right for someone else.

Be creative with your thought process and shoot for the moon!  If you want to meditate more then imagine yourself meditating every morning, noon and night. Ask yourself where you want to be in one month, two months and three months that will help you acknowledge your smaller victories and keep you on track.  Even if  you get at least a 20 minute meditation at some point in your day then you will have accomplished part of the goal.  Aim for the very best and if you get to “good enough” and it has had a positive impact on your life then you’ve succeeded.

When creating your vision board focus on how you will feel, think and be when you’ve accomplished your goal.  Let those feelings and new attitudes become a part of your daily mental thought process, keep reminders around you.  Create a mantra and repeat it daily on your way to work.  Get a small card, cup or stone that you see all the time to remind you.  Then be aware, surround yourself with supportive people, keep a routine that reinforces your actions to bring you to your goal.  Make your process easy to get to and repeat it over and over again.  Give yourself ways to get inspiration periodically.  Read articles about people who have accomplished what you want to accomplish and keep notes on how they got there.

There will be periods of time when you think you will fail.  Believe me I know!  I created a goal list in 2008 and I am finally at the point I wanted to be.  Part of the difficulty was that some parts of my overall goal were dependent on other people and other processes.  Try to create clear goals that you have complete control over.

Set dates on a calendar, one of the practices I found to be very helpful when working at Lifetime Athletic is their dedication to supporting each other.  Once a week I’d meet with my supervisor or (ADH: Assistant Department Head) and review how things were going and what I wanted to accomplish that week and by the end of the month I was usually right on target or impressively close to it.  Find a friend, co-worker or family member that believes in you and will make a good sounding board for your progress and give you lots of support for the next hurdle.

No matter what take time to appreciate your process.  Some goals come easier than others, some are more complicated and multi-faceted.  In any case you’ve dedicated yourself to these goals and made a commitment to the truth of who you are.  You’re doing the work, your building your skills and transforming your life for the better and that is always a good thing.

 

Get Ready…Reverse those addictions

The time spent between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is a time of reflection, recuperation and reversal.  …”What?” did you hear that right?  Yes you did.  This is probably not the type of advice you would think.  It is however, the perfect prep time before you start gearing up for those New Year’s resolutions.

I use reversal to get myself and my body ready for more successful New Year’s resolutions and happy and forward moving New Year.  By that I mean that we all tend to develop food addictions and bad habits while we are indulging at the numerous parties and events we feel compelled to attend.  Combine that with lack of sleep and utter exhaustion and you’ve got a hot mess of slower metabolism, over abundance of calories and not enough physical activity to balance it.  Your body and mind are sluggish and even when you think your ready for a good workout, you will probably need a little more rest and preparation to accomplish it.

I like to hibernate a bit after the big Christmas rush, instead of moving ahead full throttle I put it in reverse.  I was literally up and active 19 hours Christmas Eve.  I get up early (around 5am) prepare a variety of dishes and, wrap, bake and start entertaining by 2pm when our open house starts.  Then my family arrives for dinner around 4 and by 6 we open gifts, pop crackers and we finish the evening with desserts, coffee and kisses goodbye at 9pm.  Then it’s off to church (10pm mass) after we return, the kids are off to bed and I’m up playing Santa until 12:30am.  I’m sure I’m not the only one with that kind of schedule.  I feel, as many of us do that Christmas happens once a year and we will only be exhausted for a brief period and then we will get our minds and bodies back on track.

However, it’s the getting back on track part that tends to be super difficult.  Not just the rest and recuperation part but the reversal of those food addictions and habits.  Your body has been used to a little extra alcohol, a bit more calories and less sleep now for the past 3 or 4 weeks.  That coincidentally is the time required to create a new habit.  So these new special indulgences have now become habits.

In order to create a new habit we need energy.  Our bodies require rest to create that energy.  So I reverse the previous habit by indulging in sleep.

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Frequent naps and lounging in bed for 12 hours is not unusual for me during my time off.  I also increase my water intake.  Instead of eggnog and wine, I drink more water.  I have been known to take a gallon jug with me and try to drink that and one more during the day, for the few days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Then I gradually begin to workout.  The day after Christmas I usually go for a long walk, the next day I will try a run, the next day I start an interval program.  I gradually increase the intensity of my workouts until I feel enough energy to attempt something more challenging.  Usually I’m feeling much stronger and less polluted within a few days and by the time New Year’s day arrives I feel fully capable of handling my resolutions with ease.

This “transition” stage is often overlooked as most people tend to focus on January 1st as the day of resolution launch.  As with most successful plans, we usually need a solid foundation to build on first.  Set your stage for success by preparing your mind and body to be ready for the new resolution you challenge yourself with.  Whether it be weight loss, endurance training or any health and fitness goal, this plan will help you find successes early in your program.  Early success equals motivation to accomplish more and is key to your long term commitment to yourself.

Look for “Get Set….” coming in a few days to help you stay on track 🙂

Be Better Balanced

I watched as a beautiful 48 year old woman in relatively good shape teetered back and forth on a Bosu ball. She looked nervous even scared of the 6” high aparatus that she would eventually master within minutes. This was an important moment for me as a certified personal trainer to observe her proprioceptive abilities and her agility. So many people over the age of 40 begin to worry about their balance or their ability to negotiate difficult terrain, narrow walk ways or stairs.

It was no surprise to me that my new client Sandy’s goal of balance came second on her list, the first was overall tone. After that were numerous smaller goals, to lose 5 pounds, create a smaller waistline etc. “I want to get my sense of balance back, if possible” she said.

Sandy’s goal is important as a fall in your 40’s can set you back a little but a fall in your 50’s, 60’s or 70’s can be devastating even lethal. Most people don’t realize that as we age our range of motion, our circle of physical influence diminishes with lack of physical activity. That lack of physical activity prevents our inner ear’s ability to practice balance. The inner ear and our proprioceptive senses need to be challenged on a daily basis just as you would challenge any muscle group to make it stronger, adaptable and more likely to respond well under stressful situations. In fact, it is recommended by the National Academy of Sports (or NASM) Medicine to include both agility and balance exercises in all phases of an individual’s exercise program no matter how much of a beginner or advance exerciser they are.

I am certified in Tai Chi for Better Balance by Dr. Li of the Oregon Institute, it’s a great program that creates an exercise habit of balance, proprioceptive ability as well as lower body strengthening. Although this particular program has limited availability there are other exercises you can do daily to improve your balance over time. Some of the beginner exercises are both a part of the Tai Chi for Better Balance program as well as the NASM model of personal training.

The best way to start is to create a safe yet unstable environment in which to test and explore balance. You can first start on the floor feet parallel and knees slightly bent, then shift your weight completely to the left leg and tap the right toe in front of you, to the side and behind you without any weight on the tapping toe, repeat on the right side. After you have mastered this attempt the same exercise with your leg extended in the air no weight on it. The next step might be to stand on a Bosu ball or other balance board and repeat the same exercise. The idea is to continually progress challenges and integrate them into your workout. After experiencing just a few minutes of balance exercises my clients adapt quickly usually within minutes. They may get frustrated or feel uncomfortable, they may feel they look “silly” but our inner ear thrives on what seems to be uncomfortable to us. Sandy said “Ok I don’t like that I look stupid, let’s not do that again.”

When working with balance we should also release any pre-conceived notions of how we should look while practicing balance. Never let your ego prevent you or your body from doing what’s right for you, you will be safer and happier for it 😉

I’M GIVING READINGS TODAY AT WHUD HEALTH AND WELLNESS EXPO!

Hi! It’s my pleasure to announce that I will be appearing at the WHUD Health and Wellness Expo at The Crown Plaza in Suffern NY today from 12-5. I have two talks I will be giving at 2 and 4pm. Come stop by get a reading, order an energy portrait or pick up a meditation CD! I would love to see you!

UNLOCK YOUR BODY SECRETS ON DAILYOM.COM

Press Release
Sherman CT, June 1, 2015. Is there a way to identify imbalance, illness and disease before medical testing does? Is there a way to psychically “read” your own body? DailyOm.com will launch UNLOCK YOUR BODY SECRETS June 2nd. The first and only known step by step online course that teaches people how to intuitively read their own body.

UNLOCK YOUR BODY SECRETS is a course written by Nicole Fevrier Davis who is a CPT, Psychic, Reiki Master and Speaker on the mind/body connection. As Nicole states “No one knows your body better than you do, you are your first line of defense in disease detection or any imbalance. I want you to feel empowered by that thought.” Nicole uses art, visualization and meditation audio tracks to bring students into a heightened state of awareness that brings clarity to any situation residing in their bodies.

DailyOm.com has been a long time staple for subscribers to access their daily horoscope and quality holistic education. Their attitude toward holistic learning is based on the honor system making all kinds of courses accessible with a sliding price schedule. You can take the UNLOCK YOUR BODY SECRETS course for any amount between $10 and $40. The best part is this course is now available online! The original course Be a Body Psychic was only offered at spas or holistic centers at a premium for seven years.

This course revolutionizes the current understanding of what “mind body connection” means to most people. Taking the mind body connection out of the exclusive camp of fitness, yoga instructors and psychics and putting the power of the process in the hands of the layman, this course brings personal power back to the participant.

For more information or for registration you can go to DailyOm.com or go to this link for the marketing page:
http://www.dailyom.com/cgi-bin/courses/courseoverview.cgi?cid=586&aff=