Superior Self - Blog

Sleep Tips

11/12/2018

Is Poor Sleep Making You More Anxious?

Anxiety and sleep are connected: When we sleep less, we can feel more anxious. And when we feel anxious, it's harder to sleep. This cycle can be tough to break—and the consequences can be devastating. Insomnia can cripple school and work performance. When you don't get enough sleep, you have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure and heart disease, and may even be at a higher risk of some forms of cancer.

If you're struggling to fall asleep, or to sleep through the night, consider making some changes to your sleep hygiene. These are your nightly pre-sleep rituals and habits. Good sleep hygiene gives you a better chance for that refreshing night of sleep that makes you feel less anxious in the morning.

Keep a Tight Sleep Schedule: Sleep, like any habit, is highly sensitive to change. A consistent schedule sends strong signals to your brain about when it’s time to sleep and wake.

Exercise Regularly: Exercise is as good for your mind as it is for your body. Plan your exercise regimen for morning or afternoon. Give your body time to come down and soak in the relaxing effects of physical exercise.

Meditate: Mindfulness meditation brings your attention to the present experience by eliminating thoughts about the past and future. Since the past and future are the subject of most worries, mindfulness helps eliminate those anxiety-producing thoughts.

Dampen Distracting Noises: Sounds slightly above a whisper can disrupt our sleep. With sleep disruptors this quiet, you may not even know they’re affecting you. Try earplugs for a week and see if you notice a difference.

Turn Off Bad Lighting: The blue light of computer, tablet, and cell phone screens can make our minds think it's still light out. Avoid them before bed.

Get a Mattress and Pillow That Fits You: Pressure points build on our body while we sleep, and can cause pain that wakes us up. Change your mattress or pillow if you feel discomfort during the night.

For more helpful information, visit this guide to better sleep for people with anxiety.

Guest Post by Alyssa Eniss

Juggling Work and Family

11/5/2018

I think juggling work and family is difficult, especially as one's career gets more advanced.

As a life and wellness coach, I have always worked in the food service industry as well. When things in my entrepreneurial career were slow I always had the Hilton hotel restaurants to support me and my family, especially with health insurance for everybody.

As my life in fitness and writing advanced, the workshop bookings came pouring in, and I began to be asked to teach various exercise classes at different studios, as well as privately. I help people get healthy, please fat, and turn down the negative Nancy in their heads.
Losing 50 pounds myself gave me credibility, and so I needed to re-organize my work life in order to fit in my personal endeavors and my beautiful family of four.

The Hilton hotel is very gracious and allowed me to switch my shift so that I could finish earlier in the evenings, and then still get a good nights sleep in order to take my kids to school in the morning, teach exercise, exercise myself, and write weekly blogs and create videos.

I think having a personal need it to be early everywhere has afforded me the time to sit in my car and write my books. I literally hand wrote four books on composition notebooks that I purchased from the dollar store. Then I transferred them to the computer and edited, edited, edited.

Asking for help is one tool I used to organize and juggle my life. I asked for help from the Hilton, I ask for help from my husband with early morning childcare duties, I asked for help from the neighbors as babysitters, and I asked for help from my kids as they got older in order to be able to learn the technology stuff. My kids are my “mouse squad!”

I hope this helps readers jungle parenting in work.
Sincerely,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series
-CPT, CFI
-Nutrition Educator

Healthy Desserts for the Holidays

10/29/2018

My family has given up sugar and gluten about 80 percent of the time, with a guilt free treat now and then. It has shifted our energy, mood, and overall fitness with those two shifts.

My daughter Sage (age 14) has been my assistant for four years at my “Grain Free Sugar Free Desserts” workshops in San Francisco.

We teach the community how to make raw chocolate bark with raw nuts, truffles, and also fondue with fruit. We use coconut oil, butter, coconut shreds, raw cacao nibs, cacao fat, and 100 percent raw chocolate bars. We also make lemon blueberry pound cake with coconut and almond flour. And Sage taught me how to stuff strawberries with homemade sugar free whipped cream.

For my sugar substitute I use Lakanto Golden brown sweetener. It is made from monk fruit and erythritol. It is the only natural sweetener that I have found that looks, smells, and tastes like brown sugar. I buy it on Amazon.com. It is cool to the tongue and had a 1:1 ratio to sugar. In Asia it is used for joint pain, colds, arthritis, diabetes, and lung issues. It has zero calories and is rated 0 on the glycemic index.

I hope this helps you during the holiday season
Sincerely,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series
-CPT, CFI
-Nutrition Educator
Recipes
In all of the recipes. use organic ingredients when available and affordable.

Chocolate Bark, Fondue, and Truffle Base

6 Tablespoons salted butter
1/4 cup Xyla or Lakanto (natural sweeteners)
2 Tablespoons coconut milk
1 4-ounce bar of 100% chocolate, broken into pieces

Put a small pan or small soup pot on medium heat.
Add the butter and sweetener to pot. Stir until sweetener completely dissolves.
Add coconut milk and stir vigorously
Add chocolate pieces.
As the chocolate begins to melt, lower to low heat and continue stirring until smooth. Sometimes the chocolate is completely melted and mixed in, but has a grainy look within the smoothness, but that is fine. It depends on the country of the chocolate's origin.
Once everything is done melting, you are ready to enjoy!
For fondue, leave the pot on the lowest fire setting or on the table if the room is warm. Begin dipping your fruit or vegetables into the chocolaty goodness! For adventurous types, try dipping broccoli or carrots in the fondue!
For truffles, use a teaspoon and drop a teaspoon or more of the chocolate into mini candy molds or mini cupcake liners. Press shredded coconut, nuts, or dried fruits on top. Place in freezer at least one hour. Makes 18 truffles.
For bark, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place nuts, seeds, or dried fruits on paper, then pour chocolate on top evenly covering the goodies. Freeze at least an hour. Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~
Stuffed Strawberries

1 dozen large strawberries
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
optional chocolate sauce, see recipe above

Wash and dry strawberries.
Cut stems off.
Use a straw and pick out center of strawberries.
Using an electric mixer or whisk, whip cream in a bowl until stiff peaks form.
Spoon whipped cream into a large plastic bag.
Squeeze all of the whipped cream into one corner of the bag and cut off corner with a scissors.
Pipe the strawberries with the whipped cream by sticking the corner of the bag into the strawberry hole and squeeze.
If using chocolate sauce, drizzle sauce horizontally across strawberries. Enjoy!

Quick, Hot Breakfasts

10/22/2018

Recently, I was asked to contribute to an article about quick, hot breakfasts.

Breakfast is important for folks who are growing, like infants and children up to age 21. Their brains and bodies are growing. At the same time, we also must honor our natural hunger signals. Personally, I wasn’t hungry as a child in the mornings, but I honored my mom’s good intentions by having a grapefruit or toast, or both. Studies show that children do better in school when they have eaten a healthy breakfast.

As an adult, I have tea or coffee with cream and no sugar in the mornings. For the rest of the morning, I drink about a gallon of water with lemons and electrolytes sprinkled in during my heavy morning workouts. I workout about 2.5 to 3 hours or are training clients up and down the San Francisco hilly streets. The morning cream and lots of water keep me satiated until almost dinner. Again, my natural tendencies are to respect my own hunger signals. I’m not hungry in the mornings. If one is hungry in the morning, by all means, eat. Sometimes folks are hungry but don’t have time to get the whole family ready for the day and feed themselves too. It is what it is.

For those who are hungry, a 30 second scramble of eggs and cheese works great, adding in raw spinach or mushrooms for fiber. Literally, this high nutrient dense meal takes 30 seconds in a hot pan! Add butter or olive oil for more good fats.

I keep instant oatmeal packets at home and at work for a simple hot breakfast that only requires boiling water. For more nutrition, add a bit of dried fruits and raw tree nuts and seeds.

For those who like to snack on the go, I say breakfast can be organic non-GMO popcorn tossed with high protein nutritional yeast flakes and ghee. I also toss in mild curry powder for the anti-inflammatory properties.

I hope this helps you with a quick and hot breakfast that is good for you.
Sincerely,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series
-Nutrition Educator
-CPT, CFI 

Single Parenting Transitions

10/15/2018

Any transition surrounded by drama or trauma makes the stress hormones increase. The emotions seem to fly off and one may not be able to control the laughing, crying, or anger, sadness, and anxiety that change may bring. Being responsible for children as a newly single parent can be especially trying on one's physical and emotional well being. Not only does one have to be single again, but also to adjust to the new and different needs that the kids may encounter as well.

Overwhelmed? Can't breathe? Are you suffering from a panic attack at times or just can't get out of bed? The first thing to do is slow down the breathing on purpose. Counting as one exhales to create the breathing twice as long on the exhale as on the inhale can be especially helpful. This physiological purposeful focus can help one calm down and find a bit of relief.

If one cannot bring themselves to be joyful and positive regularly, seek out friends and family to do activities together that bring joy to the suddenly single mom or dad. This gives the power of observation to the family and friends who are helping their loved one through a hard time. Listening to the newly single parent is really important. All of their thoughts, feelings, and emotions are real. Time may seem out of place. Regular tasks may seem daunting. Just having a support system is paramount to healing.

Seeing a medical professional is also an option. Getting out of one’s own way allows others to take the reigns in actionable steps that are helpful for the life changes surrounding a suddenly single parent.

Sincerely,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series
-CPT, CFI
-Nutrition Educator
-Life and Wellness Coach

Staycation, Anybody?

10/8/2018

With the pressures of inflation, our vacations may end up being staycations. Hey, it's not so bad. We rarely have the time or energy to discover recently opened stores and restaurants in our home town, and sometimes we miss cultural events we would love to participate in if we weren't so busy being busy!

As a life and wellness coach who lives in the most expensive city in the USA, my clients sometimes have told me that they just want to relax and enjoy San Francisco instead of traveling for their time off during vacation. I understand completely. As a person who has had staycations myself, I feel like exploring the hidden gems in my own home town can be fulfilling. It creates within me a new respect, pride, and admiration for the space I choose to live in. Staycations can bring a sense of fun, play, and adventure to one’s life. My kids and I used to play Mama Camp in the summers, treating my days and days off as a camp for locals who want to play and learn. I would seek out camp field trips on line and then copy the agenda for fun activities, bringing the whole family and a few kiddie friends too. Magical memories were made that I certainly remember and I hope shaped my children's lives for the better.

And then, when family and friends come into town, there are some unique experience worth sharing that aren’t on the general tourist radar!

Sincerely,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series
-Nutrition Educator
-CFI, CPT

Exercise and Mental Health

10/1/2018

Today I'd like to touch upon exercise and mental health.

When we perform any sort of exercise there are pleasure hormones and feel good hormones released. This allows us to not only physically feel good, but also have a more upbeat and positive attitude about what is going on around us. We tend to see the glass as half full. If we exercise regularly, we regularly see a happier and healthier human. Movement gets us out of our head and allows us to focus on the physical details of the workout, no matter what type of workout it is.

The underlying causes of mental stress are many, and some behavioral disorders need to be attended to by a mental health professional. Seek out professional assistance if general overall well being does not improve with regular exercise, or if the impact and challenges of one’s day to day routine seem unbearable.

Having the opportunity to exercise need not be expensive or difficult. Sometimes a good walk can do wonders for our insides and our outsides!
What does exercising do for your attitude?

Blessings,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series
-CPT, CFI
-Nutrition Educator

Spark Joy in 2019

9/24/2018

Recently I was asked to contribute to an article about ideas for trends and goals in the health arena health for 2019.

Some of my clients have tried intermittent fasting, ketogenic eating styles, vegan, Paleo, etc. Sometimes we are so consumed with the eating styles and restrictions that we forget to add in the whole lifestyle balance. What happened to enjoying the process rather than just the progress?

This winter, let us make 2019 about adding light and laughter back into the mix. We have to eat our whole lives. Let’s not create torture out of an essential physiological need for fuel. When we see food as fuel for our entire lives, we can relax with a treat now and then. We can find food freedom. Whatever one does for his or her health most of the time shows up in life all of the time.

I think 2019 should include movement outdoors in nature to connect to the bigger picture of all of humanity and creatures, big and small. It should include exercising and cooking with friends rather than alone. It should include quiet and persistent action rather than just talking about goals and protocols one is on. Let the results do the talking in 2019. Celebration of small improvements in lifestyle will be important in 2019. We need to see the joy in every day activities that enhance our lives.

Spark joy in 2019.
Blessings,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series
-CPT, CFI
-Nutrition Educator

Non Scale Victories

9/17/2018

I lost 50 pounds in 60 days 6 years ago. Big deal. So what? Did it change my whole existence? No, but my confidence level went up as my pants size went down.

The non-scale victory has been maintenance of my pants size throughout the past 6 years. I lost the weight in my late 40s. Most people gain all or part of their weight losses back within 2 years. So as I figured out my ever changing hormone levels and hypothyroidism, I was conscious not of the scale, which I dumped after the 50 pound fat loss, but conscious of my clothing size.

Like most women, I enjoy yoga leggings and everything with stretch fabric. It is easy to miss a weight or fat gain. The old fashioned jeans without Lycra spandex became my barometer. The great health I possess now with vibrancy is more important than a scale which measures the earth’s gravity pull upon me. To realize that was a big weight lifted off of my chest.

I hope this helps you, dear readers.
Sincerely,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series
-CPT, CFI
-Nutrition Educator and Workshop Facilitator
Visit me at www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com

Unconventional Yogi

9/10/2018

Recently I was asked to share my story about how I came to practice yoga.

I came to yoga in full force about 5 years ago, although my first experience was at the library community room when I was 14 or 15 years old. The instructor was in her 70s, with an Eastern European accent. She had a voice like velvet. At the end of every class she would pick up our ankles and bend us into a curved C shape, engaging our backbend for us. I loved her class every Saturday in the dark room. I was the youngest participant. I got bit by the big of yoga.

Over the years, fat or thin, pregnant or not, I kept returning to different types of yoga in order to recreate the sense of peace more than the stretching benefits.

Fast forward: about 5 years ago I was invited to a Bikram hot yoga class for free in my area. I was recovering from 3RD degree burns from a water explosion on my stomach thighs and vagina. I thought the heat and intensity of the class would help with cell turnover and assist in the scar tissue lightening and getting softer and thinner.

It worked. Another bug bit me and now I’m a dedicated yogi. I feel more at peace with my scars no matter what shape, firmness, and size they are. I have learned through the struggle of the poses that everyday challenges never go away, they just change shape and toughness too. And it’s all good. It’s all learning. I have also learned that my troubles will be waiting outside the hot room when I’m done. Just leave it all outside.

What’s your story? I want to hear.
Blessings,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series

Visit me at www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com

Sweating is Good News

9/3/2018

Are you a heavy sweater? I mean not just when you work out, but all day? Do you sweat when you sleep? Are you sweating more in menopause or man-opause? Stinking isn’t so good, but sweating is good for us.

We may work out or not, but the body gets used to sweating more the more we move and also the more time we spend in warm climates. If we don’t perspire we do not cool the body off. A breeze sweeps upon the sweat and allows the body’s natural cooling system to kick into place. Our electrolyte minerals are released when we sweat. When on a fat loss program, the fat cells shrink and release excess water from them through the urine and sweat. That’s why it is so important to add a well rounded lifestyle change to our fat loss protocols, not only use diet strategies. When we have a rise in the hormone cortisol in the morning, we sweat as well, the temperature rising as an aid to waking us up for the day. If we are ill, the sweat is a sign that the body is increasing in temperature to kill off any virus or infection. Actually, I would be worried if humans didn’t sweat!

I hope this helps you, dear readers.
Sincerely,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series
-Nutrition Educator
-CPT, CFI
Visit me at www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com

Fasting and Fat Loss

8/27/2018

Can fasting really help us lose stubborn fat and assist in us getting focused? Can we have more energy by withholding food for a period of time? How long should we fast for optimum fat loss and an improvement in health? Like most protocols, we need to play around with our fasting as an N=1 experiment. Everyone is different with different biology and medical conditions coming into the fasting routine. Seek guidance from a medical professional or wellness coach who is experienced in this area.

A fast is a period of time without food. We call the first meal of the morning a breakfast because we haven’t been eating while we sleep. It is literally breaking a fast. Some people aren’t hungry in the morning. I’m one of those folks, so I honor my natural hunger signals.

If we extend the fast by having just coffee, tea, or water in the morning, we can have a longer time between meals and a shorter window of eating time. This has been the style of eating for thousand of years, when food was not literally at our fingertips. Some folks didn’t eat for a day or more while they were hunting or gathering. Then they were laser focused for their skills needed to get fuel.

My fat loss clients add a higher amount of healthy dietary fats into their diets such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, and their butters. This increases satiety and they aren’t hungry for a long while, sometimes leading to a natural development of eating in a 6 to 8 hour window of time.

Personally, I eat one meal a day and drink a gallon of water with lemons and electrolytes. I am not hungry most of the time and honor my hunger signals if I am. I lost 50 pounds 6 years ago and now use my natural fasting as a method to keep the extra fat off.

Thanks for reading this. I hope I can help you, dear readers.

Sincerely,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series
-CPT, CFI
-Nutrition Educator
-Visit me at www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com

Wake Up, Sleepy Head

8/20/2018

Do you have problems with waking up in the morning? Perhaps your sleep isn’t sufficient in hours or depth. Perhaps you toss and turn. There are many factors, including a simple pillow issue that may affect how you sleep.

Perhaps one has a night shift or swing shift. It is difficult to regulate sleep when not working with the body’s natural circadian rhythms, which means sleep at night and awaken in the morning, fresh and ready to take on the day. The sleep hormones may be out of whack as well when one works odd shifts. Our hormone for fight or flight is called cortisol. It releases to wake us up to pee in the middle of the night and also rises to wake us up for the day. When we have odd sleep and wake cycles, the cortisol may ne off. We may hold on to fat because our body feels like we are in danger and won’t get fuel for hours. The use of electricity indoors also reduces the release of melatonin, the hormone responsible for allowing us to settle down and rest into slumber.

If having trouble waking up in the morning, I suggest sleeping a little earlier each day until one feels rested. For example, if I get off of work at midnight, I’ll take a melatonin capsule or sublingual tablet about a hour before I want to be asleep. Then as soon as I get home, I brush my teeth, change into jammies and go to bed. The habit of staying up after we get home to unwind, eat, or watch media may be hurting our sleep patterns and hours of real rest.

On days off try to go to bed earlier than on work days and sleep in when possible. Catching up for a little while will help as one gets more regulated sleep hours. Consistency is key so one wakes up feeling powered up for the day.

Wearing a sleep mask and ear plugs will allow us to create new habits and rituals surrounding the sleep signals. These two tools have helped me signal my body with a behavior that it is time for sleep. Keep screen time out of the mix too, as tempting as it is to check your social media just one more time before going to sleep.

I hope this helps you, dear readers.
Sincerely,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series
-CPT, CFI
-Nutrition Educator
-Visit me at www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com

Fall in Love with Running, If You Desire to...

8/13/2018

Here are some runner’s tips to help you fall in love with running.

I have run 16 marathons in my 40’s. I had a goal to begin at that time because that’s when Oprah ran her marathon. I figured I was old enough to have stamina and endurance by age 40. Plus, who doesn't want to be like Oprah?

I’m a slow jogger, and love running outdoors in nature as well as throughout the city of San Francisco. A tip for falling in love with running is to focus on the neighborhoods or landscape one is running through. Enjoy the new buildings, old architecture, or maybe some unusual restaurants one wants to go back to later on and experience. I also love running because I get alone time. Another wonderful tip is to download your entire music library on a device and hit shuffle. When jogging to a surprise playlist there are moments when you feel like you are in a music video! Music and movement are both uplifting and help us feel good all the time, even when not running!

I have a knee issue after years of jogging, so now my running had been shifted to hiking and race walking, but the same principles apply. So get out there and move your body!

I hope these tips help your readers.
Sincerely,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series
-CPT, CFI
-Nutrition Educator

Visit me at www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com

National Relaxation Day

8/6/2018

National Relaxation Day: How to Create an At-Home Retreat

Having a space in your home to decompress from the day’s stresses and unwind is key to having good mental and physical health. With National Relaxation Day coming up on August 15th, we have compiled a few tips to help you create an at-home retreat, and introduce a self-care routine into your busy lifestyle that will leave you feeling refreshed and recharged.

Comfortable Seating

Having comfortable seating to lounge and relax in is an essential element within a relaxation space, and you’ll want something that is versatile, comfortable, and fitting to you. Do research into different styles of seating to find options with proper support to alleviate any aches and pains. Invest in easy to clean, and durable living room pieces as well. Whether you decide on a plush chair or roomy sofa for your space, stain resistant and easy to clean pieces make it so there is no reason to worry about possible stains or other wear and tear. Leather and cotton are great fabrics that make cleaning accidental spills and stains a breeze. Massage chairs are another great option for seating in your relaxation space, with some having the added feature of heated cushioning to relax muscles and joint pain.

Fresh Plants/Aromatherapy

Bring fresh plants into your at-home retreat that have the added benefit of purifying the air. This creates a fresh environment to decompress, with the green hues of the plants also playing a role in promoting mental clarity, and calmness. Aromatherapy through essential oils that are derived from naturally healing plants is another great way to help the body both mentally and physically. Use a diffuser or rub the oils on pressure points to help melt stress away, and promote healing in targeted areas. For more information on essential oils, check out other helpful aromatherapy benefits and uses here.

Escape the Screens

In our busy lives, we are constantly bombarded with screens, and are often on a smartphone or computer for both work and leisure. Make your relaxation space screen-free to help both your eyes and mind relax. Blue light emitted from digital screens keeps the brain alert, and is harsh on the eyes. Instead, find some good reads to fill a bookshelf, or invest in comfortable headphones to listen to audiobooks. Puzzles are a another way to improve mental concentration, so have a few word activities on hand to keep your mind rejuvenated.

Work Out the Stress

If you prefer to be more energetic and active to alleviate stress, bring in exercise equipment that gets you moving, improving your physical health in the process. Find cardio equipment that is easily collapsible for easy storage, and so that it doesn’t take up too much space in your room. Free weights are another space saving option, or if you prefer yoga, buy a yoga mat with a mounted mat holder. This keeps your mat from getting dirty on the floor and out of the way when not being used. Or, try practicing meditation for better mental clarity. You’ll be feeling more energized and refreshed, allowing you to tackle the day with ease.

Get Relaxing!

Relaxation is an important practice to incorporate into any routine, and finding time for self-care can improve both mental and physical health. We hope that these tips will help you to design the perfect at-home get away to start your own self-care routine to unwind and recharge, and improve your overall health and wellness!

Written by anonymous guest blogger, who is a bit shy and greatly talented!

My A-Ha! Workout Moment

7/30/2018

I participate in a lot of different physical activities. I hike in nature, I practice hot yoga, Pilates, and lift weights. I used to jog regularly and even completed 16 marathons in my 40s.

My first marathon was a day before my 40th birthday. After 6 months of training, following the jog-walk method of five minutes jogging and one minute walking, I was so close to the end. I was getting emotional and being a San Franciscan running the marathon in San Francisco, I was proud and surprised at myself the whole time. It was like I was outside my body watching myself jog to the finish line.

At mile 23 and a half I burst into tears. I’m not certain how or why this occurred but it was my a-ha moment. I remember watching Oprah cross her first marathon finish line when she was 40 and saying to myself, “When I’m 40 I’ll have enough endurance, wisdom, and stamina to do this, just like Oprah.”

The tears flowed as a combination of pride, joy, and euphoria that I actually completed something very little do, and at a later age than other athletes. I cried at the love for my city and the crowd cheering me on even though they didn’t know me. I cried because I was having a milestone moment. I cried because it was like giving birth for the first time, with tears, pain, salt, sweat, and soreness to follow. I cried because I saw my youngest child, Sage, age 2, a few blocks away afterwards, handing out at a gas station in the back of Daddy’s van singing, “Mama won the marathon,” when she saw my necklace, tee shirt, and food in hand. They looked like awards and prizes to her.

I cried because I realized that my love of exercise was influencing my children and that was a good thing. And, yes, I did feel like I won the marathon.

I hope this helps you, dear readers.
Sincerely,
KJ Landis
Author and Creator of the Superior Self series

Visit me at www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com
SuperiorSelf channel on YouTube and Twitter and Instagram

Good Advice for Life I Wish Someone had Told Me Earlier

7/23/2018

Reflecting upon my son Golden's high school graduation a month or so ago, I was reminded of things I wish someone had told me when I graduated high school. I needed some wisdom from an elder who had been there. The parties and gifts are wonderful, and celebratory air was apparent, but I needed some wake up moments too.

I wish somebody had told me that after high school or college I would never be judged by the first six letters of the alphabet ever again. What a revelation! Grades don’t really mean anything in life after school.

The best piece of advice I have ever received is from my writing mentor, Ann Randolph. At the end of every workshop experience with her, she pulled me aside and quietly stated, “You are a great storyteller. You are ready.” You are ready? That rang as a sliver of truth that touched me to my very core.

I reflect upon those three words often because it applies to so many people in so many situations. You are ready. What keeps us from doing what we really want to do? Fear. Do I want to live in a state of action or reaction? What kind of life do you want to live? If someone told you that you were ready every day of your life, you (and I) would probably make different choices than we have. Let the fear go and do what you are meant to do. Dig deep and honor your gut feelings. Move forward into yourself.

I’m telling you now, “You are ready.”

Blessings,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series
Visit me at www.superiorselfwithkjlandis.com

7 Ways You Can Balance Fitness and Self-Care in Your Wellness Routine

7/16/2018

7 Ways You Can Balance Fitness and Self-Care in Your Wellness Routine

A fitness routine is a great step to living your best life. But if you really want to thrive and be happy, you have to learn how to balance your fitness plan with some self-care. While fitness takes care of your body, self-care is a way to care for your mind and soul. So, make these easy self-care steps a part of your regular routine:

Start Each Morning with Meditation

Meditation can be powerful tool for wellness and self-care. Many of the world’s most successful and influential people use meditation as a way to craft a positive start to their day. You can make meditation part of your wake-up routine by beginning each day with a short, impactful session. Find a place in your home that can serve as a meditation space, and create a meditation room that will enhance your practice. Use this time to reflect and set a positive intention for your day.

Create a Relaxation Regimen with Hobbies

Relaxation shouldn’t be seen as a guilty pleasure. Finding time to relax can improve your mental health and overall well-being, but it can be difficult to find time to simply do nothing. Sometimes, doing nothing can even trigger more anxiety. Stress-free hobbies, like knitting, coloring and reading, are simple ways to relax while still feeling productive. Find some simple patterns and basic tools to help you get started knitting, print out some adult coloring pages, or work on your personal reading list to help yourself stay calm.

Improve Your Overall Quality of Sleep

Sleep may just be the most important step in self-care. Improving your quality of sleep can help your brain function better and even prevent illness. To keep your sleep sessions strong, work on creating an environment of calm and comfort in your bedroom. Use curtains and blinds to darken your room, or pick up a soothing sleep mask. Make sure you’re using good pillows made for your preferred sleeping position, and use noise machines to help you drift off to sleep faster. To further enhance your sleep, try getting exercise in earlier in the day.

Make Sure Your Diet and Exercise Goals are Reasonable

If you’re already committed to a physical fitness routine, you’ve already taken positive steps to improving your health. Just make sure you’re not overdoing it or stressing yourself out with your fitness goals. Restricting calories by too much or doing too many workouts can actually have negative impacts on your body. Setting unreasonable goals can also affect your self-esteem and mental health when you’re unable to achieve them, so set healthy, smart goals for your fitness habits.

Find Positive Ways to Minimize Stress in Your Life

Stress is everywhere in our lives. From work to family to the world around us, there’s a lot to get stressed out over these days. It’s important to find ways to prevent stress from taking over your life. Stress can lead to anxiety, depression and other unwanted mental health issues. Too much stress can even weaken your immune system. So, find positive, simple ways to fight the stress in your life. Go for a hike with friends or watch a funny movie. If you have a pet, a simple session of petting or play can help bring your stress levels down.

Get Rid of Clutter and Make Your Home Your Comfort Zone

It may be surprising, but clutter in your home can actually make you feel more stressed. Practice basic self-care in your home by keeping it neat and organized. Clear out any items you no longer use or need. You can donate them to a local charity or offer them up in online markets to make a little extra money. Once you get the clutter out, work on making your home a place that brings you joy, comfort and calm.

If you want to find true health and happiness, you have to learn to balance your fitness routine with self-care. By taking care of your mind, your body, and your soul, you can unlock your real wellness potential. Get healthy and stay happy with these simple self-care steps.

Written by Constance Ray, Guest Blogger

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Old Time Health Myth Really Works

7/9/2018

Old time health myths sometimes are actually helpful.

My mother and grandmother used to force us kids to swallow a tablespoon of cod liver oil almost every day. We thought it was disgusting and would make us sick but it only made us sick to our stomachs. The wise elders knew that it was healthy for us to consume the cod liver oil and that it would keep us from getting sick Cod liver oil has Omega 3 fatty acids that are good for the heart, immunity, and for constipation.

Now, all of the new health gurus are praising cod liver oil, fish and seafood and other sea creatures with omega-3 oils in them. The natural minerals and vitamin E in fish, seafood, and cod liver oil provide us with antioxidants which attack free radicals or prevent the free radicals from doing their destruction to our cells. Also, cod liver oil provides us with lubrication for the joints from the inside and keeps our bad cholesterol down while increasing the good cholesterol in our blood. This helps with prevention of heart disease.

Grandma was right! Luckily for us, we now have lemon and cherry flavored cod liver oil to help with the taste.

Another remedy the elders told us was good for us was chicken soup made from the carcasses of roasted chicken. So they would take the leftovers and throw them into a pot with garlic, herbs, spices, and apple cider vinegar, slow cooking for about 8 hours. This long cooking process allows the collagen to leach out from the bones and joints of the chicken. When we consume the soup, we are aiding in healing from injuries, wounds from surgery, and helping our skin stay plump and moist looking. The probiotics provided from the apple cider vinegar helps with the intestinal microbiome, aiding in immunity. Plus, chicken soup is a natural healer from viruses like colds and the flu. One more point for the elders!

I hope this helps you, dear readers. Sincerely,
KJ Landis
-Author and Creator of the Superior Self series

Quiet Camp

7/2/2018

I have just returned from Vipassana Meditation Center in North Fork, California. Including the two travel days, it was a twelve day journey into myself. I learned how to meditate exactly the way the Buddha did thousands of years ago. The goal of this intensive silent meditation program is to build new habits and behaviors surrounding reactions to normal and abnormal stresses in our lives. It is not affiliated with any religion, so all faiths can practice without conflict. Why? Because it focuses first and foremost on respiration. No religion can deny inhalation and exhalation as a human experience.

The teachers talk, the videos talk, the taped lessons and guided breathing sessions speak to us students. We are silent. We are clothed modestly. There is segregation between males and females. We have a similar life to monks and nuns, where we live on the charity given to us from others in food and accommodations. There are no eye contact, gestures, or communications, unless one has a question for the teachers and program managers.

There is no money charged for the course, and the servers, cooks, and all staff volunteer their services as a way to give back to the path that has shown them a more peaceful existence. The teachers say anyone can be a Buddha, because it means enlightened. If we are more free from our miseries in everyday life, we can grow in many ways without being so attached to anything and everything. Likewise, if we cannot stand something or someone, we can learn how to not be in hatred or aversion. This takes practice, lots and lots of practice.

The first few days I learned how to sit cross legged for twelve and a half hours in a darkened hall with my eyes closed. We were taught to focus on the inhalation and exhalation in a natural way. We were to breathe through our nostrils and to observe the tiny triangle area from the edge of the nostrils to the edge of the upper lip. By day three my pains and aches all over my body dissipated. I actually looked forward to walking into the meditation hall to adjust my spot on the floor and just breathe.

Just when I thought I was getting the hang of breathing and focusing on my triangular area of nose and upper lip, the voice said on the speakers, "Now we are going to learn Vipassana." What? I thought that was what I was doing for three days! Day four we learned how to observe sensations all over the body from head to toe and back up to the top of the head. My usual sensations were itchiness. Some other sensations were pains, cold, heat, pressure, contraction, dryness, moisture, etc. We were to observe without reacting to them, to remain still. Why? Knowing the nature of all things is impermanence is science. Change is the only thing that is constant. Everything rises and passes away from an atomic level on upwards. What I found is that if I did not react to the sensations they did fade away. The insane itch went away as soon as I moved my awareness to the next area of my body.

The practice for me was a way to assist in reducing worry, anxiety, and instant reactions we all posses. Imagine how peaceful my life will be if I continue the practice when I am not at Quiet Camp. Since my return to San Francisco, I have continued my meditation morning and evening for about 20-30 minutes. Yes, there are distractions and family noises in the home. I am doing the best I can. That is all anyone can do!

I'll probably process and write more about Vipassana as I discover more about myself in the practice.

Please reach out to me if you have any questions or experiences you want to share with me about your art of living.

Blessings,
KJ Landis