Here are my Specials for the month of December. (Dec 3-25)

1. Yoga Challenge: How much yoga can you do in 22 days??

• feel more flexible within 3 sessions, more balanced & less stress within 1 session
• everyone can benefit from yoga-whether you are healing from an injury, trying to lose weight, gain strength, if you are new to the practice or feel intimidated by yoga: these private , one on one sessions will give you confidence and eliminate these blocks to a successful practice
• I come to your house with everything we need for the class.
  

*The first session is regular price of $60. Each session within the same week gets cut by $5. (HUGE SAVINGS!!!!!!!)

2. Philosophie Customized Cleanse: find a friend, roommate or co-worker to experience it together… Save $30!

• feel more energetic, more mental clarity, focus
• lose 3-5 lbs-while eating instead of fasting or drinking lemonade all day
• improve digestive health, clearer skin and eyes, balance hormones
• includes personal consultation and delivery
• see what other cleansers have said about their experience: http://www.thephilosophie.com/philosophie/philosophie-testimonials/
  

*$30 off 2 purchased 3-day cleanses (3-day cleanse: $300; must have same start and ending date)

3. Health Consulting: don’t live in Los Angeles? (or even if you do!)

• Trying to take gluten or dairy out of your life and need some help?
• transitioning to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle and looking for alternatives?
• curious about macrobiotic, body ecology or the raw diet?
• want a cleanse or workout plan designed especially for you??
• trying to lose weight and want support to ultimately feel your best? I’M YOUR GIRL!
  

*$29 off a package of 4 phone/skype/email sessions (regularly $249) or $49 off a package of 6 (regularly $349)

email: Sophie@thephilosophie.com to BOOK YOUR CLEANSE OR YOGA SESSIONS TODAY!!!

The best way to burn calories and morph your body is to move quickly and with intention. I like to combine powerful yoga poses with strength moves for my personal training clients.

Here’s an example of a routine- you can do these exercises at home or at the gym, combining yoga and strength, with or without added weight!

*this is a great strength and toning work out… If you haven’t gotten cardio yet, I would suggest this as a starting point before a jog or right after wards to cool down.

1. Push Ups with Core Work: Stand with your feet together, arms at your sides. Bend over (it’s okay for knees to be slightly bent) and place your hands or fingertips on the floor in front of you. Walk your hands forward into plank position and do 3-5 push ups. Crawl your hands back to your feet, using your core every inch of the way. That’s one rep. Continue moving until you’ve done 6 to 8 reps.

2. Walking Lunges: find a long hallway or big room. begin doing walking lunges lengthwise across the floor. Go slowly at first, paying careful attention to your front leg. Make sure it is around 90 degrees, with your knee over your ankle. then again, slowly, step the back leg up to meet the front. If you have weights you can do a bicep curl while lunging and step up with your arms by your sides. Continue for 50 on each side, back and forth across the floor until your legs are burning. (*you may not feel this burn today but you certainly will tomorrow!!)

3. Downward Facing Dog: Come into a plank pose (upward push up position). push your butt up in the air until you form downward dog position. Arms are long, strong and straight. Hands are parallel in front of you, arms shoulder with apart. Focus on the L shape of your thumb and pointer finger, pressing into the floor. Now bring your attention to your legs and feet. Try and ground your feet, focusing on all 4 corners of each foot. Try and get your heels as close to the floor as possible. (this is a great stretch for your back and legs. hold this for 1-2 minutes)

4. Mountain Climbers: From downward dog, get into plank position with your hands directly below your shoulders and your feet together. Bend your left knee and draw it toward your nose. Extend back to plank. Repeat with your right leg. That’s one rep. Do 20 to 30, moving quickly. *Be sure to keep your back flat and tuck the belly!

Drop down, flat on your belly and rest your head to one side for 30 seconds. then switch to the other cheek for another 30 seconds, taking deep and long breaths in and out.

5. Airplane: From the laying down position, put your arms out to the sides as if you are an airplane or making a T with your body. take a deep inhale through the nose, and lift everything up-your arms, legs, feet, chest and head. Hold for 10 seconds, then come down and rest for 10 seconds, closing your eyes.

6. Swimming: Stay on your belly, this time kicking your legs behind you vigorously and move your arms in front of you, moving them up and down, opposite leg to opposite arm. Do this for 30 seconds-1 minute.

7. Child’s Pose. Stretch the lower back by resting in child’s pose. 

Kneel on the floor. Touch your big toes together and sit on your heels, then separate your knees about as wide as your hips.

Exhale and lay your torso down between your thighs. Broaden your lower back across the bottom of your pelvis and narrow your hip points toward the navel, so that they nestle down onto the inner thighs. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of the pelvis while you lift the base of your skull away from the back of your neck.

Lay your hands on the floor alongside your torso, palms up, to release the fronts of your shoulders toward the floor. Feel how the weight of the front shoulders pulls the shoulder blades wide across your back.

*If you have the time, do the entire routine one more time!! You’ll find each exercise is easier since you’ve already been there before and your muscles are prepared for the positions.

If you don’t have the time or feel ready to end, take a few minutes on your back to close your eyes and bring your knees into your chest, releasing the tension in your lower back. Slowly release the legs onto the floor, and take a few minutes to just be quiet, letting go, sinking into nothingness. Savasana.

The first step in taking on any new type of diet or nutritional plan, or attempting to lose weight, is absolutely to cleanse/detox.

My personal training and private yoga clients constantly talk to me about their physical goals, usually losing weight being at the top of their list.

Where to start

My advice is always the same. Start with a cleanse. You need to press the “restart button” before you begin something brand new. Your body, specifically your digestive system, is much like a computer and you’re trying to download a new program. If you haven’t restarted your computer in months, maybe even years, your computer will be running slow and sluggish.

When we regularly ingest processed foods, meat and dairy products, our digestive and lymphatic systems become overloaded, or congested, leaving excess toxins to remain rampant in the blood and in the digestive system where they cause chronic illnesses and diseased colons.

Great internal healing occurs when we cleanse through organic, primarily liquid based, raw foods. Uncooked foods maintain the enzymes within the food, as oppose to cooked foods which destroy the natural enzymes. After we eat cooked foods, it takes a lot of energy from the body to produce these enzymes in order to aid in the digestive process. In addition, because the raw food is also mostly liquid (smoothies, juices, teas, gazpacho’s) it doesn’t demand much from the body in order to break it down.

By allowing our systems to work less, we free up that energy to concentrate on healing. Raw vegetables, fruits and their juices, fresh air, and sunlight alkaline the body. They carry a negative charge, magnetically attaching the the acidic wastes and literally puling them into the eliminating channels for release. In addition, alkaline-forming foods are so beneficial because they help magnetize waste matter out of the bodies cells.

Are there any difficulties?

Raw foods help our digestive systems to heal, which allows our lymphatic systems to discharge these congestive toxins. This process can be uncomfortable.

Some possible side effects of detoxification include a temporary loss of energy, headaches, nausea or diarrhea. This is merely evidence that your body is throwing out those accumulated toxins.Some people will experience childhood illnesses or past experiences. If you experience low energy or bowel irregularities over a long period of time, you may have an overgrowth of yeast, or Candida, in your intestines.

How should I cleanse?

There are many different ways to detox. There’s the lemonade diet. There’s potions and colon cleansers. Fasting. Laxatives.

I personally believe the most gentle and nutritious way to detox is through raw food and juice cleanses. I either provide these cleanses (actually creating and making the cleanse for you) or, if you don’t live in Los Angeles and/or it’s too expensive for you at the moment, I can consult and guide you through your process via email/phone. See the testimonials page if you want to see what other clients have said – They all agree that with a healthy body come endless benefits.

If eating raw foods isn’t right for your body, I can guide and support you through other nutritious cleanse methods, such as body ecology diet, gluten-free, dairy-free, macrobiotic or vegan.

As a personal trainer, I hear my clients ask and worry all the time about running. It’s as if there’s this huge amount of weight attached to running: pressure, anxiety, fear.

Running can be for everyone, you can run, too!

If you can walk from the couch to the refrigerator, you are not too heavy or slow to run. If you can go to a 45 minute spin class, you can run outside for a few miles.

Running doesn’t imply that you are running a marathon. It doesn’t mean you have to run everyday. Having an aversion to running just for the sake of it is only limiting yourself. I move through so many emotional and psychological blocks when physically running.

Here are my suggestions if you are open to the concept to running:

• start on a treadmill or the dirt, jogging slowly for a 30 sec-1 minute, walking recovery for 2 min.
  
• after 5 to 10 minutes of this, take your jog speed a little faster to a light run, increasing your interval from 30 seconds to a minute or a minute to 90 seconds. Walking recovery for 90 seconds.
• after 15 to 20 minutes, stop.
• walk for another minute or two, slowing the heart rate and letting the muscles relax
• stretch AFTER your run, not before.
• Do these stretches:
  

1. take your right ankle over your left lower thigh (above the knee) and bend your knees as if you’re sitting in a chair. you can hold onto the railings of the treadmill or hands and back against a wall.
2. take your left ankle over your right lower thigh and repeat above directions. These two exercises stretch the hip flexors and glutes.
   
3. stand up straight, legs strong, cross right foot over left foot and begin to lean over. you can slightly bend your knees so you can get deeper into the position. This will stretch the IT Band.
   
4. stand up straight again and repeat the above, crossing the left foot over the right foot and leaning over.
   
5. stand erect again, this time grabbing your right foot or ankle behind you, bottom of the foot to the glute, stretching the quadracept.
   
6. repeat number 5 with the left foot.
7. stand up straight and take your arms to the sky, reaching and stretching from your hips.
   

• remember that every single run after the first is easier
  

If you get shin splints easily, it means you have overworked the tibia and you definitely want to start on a treadmill or dirt. Also, avoid going downhill, and avoid sports that have a lot of back and forth movements like tennis or basketball. Shin splints can also be caused by a person running to long, too hard or training to intensely.

to stretch the shins after a run:

• stand flat foot, knees slightly bent and lift the toes with the heel of foot on the ground. Do both feet until you can’t do it any more.
• Find a step and hang the heel part of your foot over the edge. Great shin stretch.
  

• if you have a little more time, the lunge is great too for your legs in totality.
  

Here are a few more questions commonly asked:

Q. What shoes do I buy? do I need to buy expensive running shoes?

A. A pair of light, good fitting sneakers or walking shoes works fine. You don’t want to waer old sneakers that don’t fit or are worn down. but you don’t need to buy new shoes. you’re not going to be doing high mileage. If you DO begin to run more often, and further, you can go somewhere that isn’t a specific running store/ specialty and you can find cheaper shoes. I like ascics a lot and bought my last pair for 45 dollars.

Q. I can’t run because I’ll get hurt and have to stop.

A. True, runners get occasional muscle and joint aches, but these should go away quickly. Treat muscle aches with ice or an anti inflammatory gel or cream like Traumeel (homeopathic).  Jeff Galloway (running coach, marathon runner) began teaching beginners in 1974, he was worried about some of the participants. “But everyone finished the class,” says Galloway. “you don’t get inured if you follow the ‘no huffing, no puffing rule.” Also, take it slow starting back into a running regiment. Take a few days in between running to let your body recover. And *listen to your body!!!!

Body and Mind

YOUR BODY SPEAKS YOUR MIND

The connection between mind and body is, without a doubt, the most exciting area of modern research into the causes of illness and disease and the maintenance of good health. It is now a proven fact that when you are depressed, your immune system is too. More and more areas of science and medicine are being forced to give serious consideration to the mind-body relationship and its implication in your overall mental and physical health.

The relationship between mind-body and the interaction between psychology (the mind with all its thoughts and emotions) and the central nervous, immune and endocrine or hormone systems. Studies all over the world seem to bear out what most complementary therapists and holistic practitioners have always maintained-the whole person ins much greater than the sum of all their parts. When looking at creating enduring optimum health, the interconnection of all the mind-body systems holds the vital key to continued wellbeing.

It is a medical fact that stress has a big effect on our general and specific health and on our sense of wellbeing. If the mental and emotional pressures that build up inside cannot be expressed and resolved, they are likely to find a way out through the body, usually through the weakest point-whether its the nerves, the digestive system, the immune system, or our sleeping patterns.

The research and work of Dr. Dean Ornish, founder of the Preventative Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, CA, certainly support these findings. In a study of heart disease, Dr. Ornish proved for the first time that the clogging of the arteries-which can lead to heart attack and stroke-can be reversed without the use of drugs or surgery, and that love was the key factor in this reversal. He concluded that a sad and broken heart was as damaging and dangerous to health as bad dietary habits or lack of exercise.

Dr. Ornish believes that one of the main causes of heart problems is the profound isolation that growing numbers of people are experiencing in modern society. We are not, by nature, solitary creatures. Our roots take us back to extended families, the community, and the “tribe”. However, our lifestyles have changed dramatically in a relatively short span of time, and the end result is increasing numbers of people living alone, or living far away from either their family or a social network that can offer support and comfort when it is needed. A weakened, inadequate immune system is often the result of an inadequate social support system. One indicator of the immune response is the natural killer cell activity, levels of which are more likely to be lower in people who are lonely. As Dr. Ornish says, “Looking out for No.1 isn’t enlightened self-interest. It’s just lonely, and loneliness kills.” Recent research has shown that people who are usually lonely and isolated suffer more poor health and are much more susceptible to all kinds of illness and disease. 

The point is this: there is absolutely a strong link between ones psychological stress and physical problems. Dr. Larry Dossey in Healing Breakthroughs, which states that more heart attacks occur on a Monday than any other day of the week, not only on a Monday, but most often at 9 o’clock in the morning. If we believe that there is no connection between the mind and the body, then what causes so many heart attacks to take place just as the first work of the week is about to begin? “There are certainly physiological reasons why death might be more likely in the morning than in the afternoon, such as higher heart rates or blood pressure. There is, however, no reason why more deaths should take place on a Monday rather than any other day.” 

Every day stress is what affects us most deeply, by slowly taxing our inner reserves. The fight-or-flight response enables us to respond to danger, but it is not just major life threatening situations that stimulate this response. Fearful or anxious thoughts do it too-the car not starting, being late for an appointment, unpaid bills, arguments with loved ones-all these can create a stress response. 

In conclusion: the body has to work harder when we are depressed, anxious or stressed. In order to have a healthy body, we must have a healthy mind. If we take time to focus on ourselves psychologically, emotionally and spiritually, we can directly affect our body in positive, healthy ways.

1. Ornish D, Scherwitz L, Billings J, et al. Intensive lifestyle changes for reversal of coronary heart disease Five-year follow-up of the Lifestyle Heart Trial. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1998; 280: 2001-2007
   
2. Shapiro, Debbie. Your Body Speaks Your Mind, 2006
   
3. Dossey, Larry Dr. Healing Breakthroughs, 1996
   
4. Mind/Body Connection: Granny Was Right After All. Rochester Review 1997, University of Rochester

When we travel, near or far, bus, car, plane or camel, there is no doubt our body is affected. Sitting for long periods of time makes hip flexors tight, you piriformis ache, and your mind foggy.

While sitting in the airport waiting for my friend to pick me up to go to **WANDERLUST!!!!!! I was thinking about what I do when I travel and thought I would share it with you.

We are most certainly spoiled by beautiful hour or 90 minute yoga sessions, but when on the road, you probably don’t have time for this. 

Do what you can! Even ONE downward doggie (adho mukha svanasana) can make such a difference on your legs and body. Being upside down is cleansing, allowing the entire body to benefit from the blood flowing opposite its normal pathway. Stretching the legs and arms will wake up the whole system. Focusing on the breath and going inward, even for a few moments, and calm and energize the body and mind. It’s powerful. One or two poses can make all the difference.

When in an airport, I like to take a few minutes while waiting in between flights by stretching in the gate terminal. Yeah, occasionally people stare, and maybe think I’m a little strange, but the jokes on them because I’m the one that will feel good when landing in my destination instead of tight and tired.

Here are a few suggestions:

1. sit on the carpet, take your shoes off and put your legs straight out in front of you. If you want to bend your knees a little, thats fine, you’re not warm yet. Begin breathing deeply in through the nose, out through the nose. Raise your arms towards the sky, and fold forward into Rag Doll pose, releasing your head towards your knees and letting your whole body go limp. Let gravity do the work here, no tension in the neck. Close your eyes and focus on your breath.

2. Separate the legs and stretch them individually: flexing and pointing the toes and leaning forward into the stretch.

3. lay backwards, putting your jacket or sweatshirt under your head (germy in airports!) and go into a figure four pose on your back. This is a great strech for opening hips and to stretch the piriformis. It will energize through your hips into the spine. cross your right ankle above your left knee  and engage your leg by flexing your right foot. On the exhalation, draw your right knee away from your face as you bring your leg slightly closer to your body. AFter 5 deep breaths, switch legs and repeat on the other side. 

4. Then find a piece of wall you can put your hands against. Facing the wall, you will do half downward facing dog pose or Arda Adho Mukha Svanasana) Legs are hip width apart. Inhale, bringing your palms together at the heart. Exhale, reaching your arms overhead and then extending your arms in front of you to grasp the wall, hands parallel to each other against the wall. (walk your feet back as needed to keep torso parallel to the floor) Press your hips up and back, and firm your shoulder blades down your back as you bring you chest toward your thighs. Look towards your belly button and stay for 10 breaths. 

Remember, even doing 1 of these can really help your body and mind! A little goes a long way. Look for opportunities to practice poses like these throughout your day.

WHY YOGA?

Yoga is very popular in today’s busy lifestyle as it helps make people feel better mentally and also helps maintain shape. The benefits of Yoga are many and there are a number of different advantages that you can gain from yoga.

For one, it is an activity, which works slowly & gradually and the end produces remarkable results. Some immediate results include the restoration of balance, flexibility, health as well as bringing a better sense of self-awareness.

Other more long term benefits of Yoga is that it can be used to stimulate glands, organs, muscles, & nerves, and this is in ways that other forms of exercise cannot. Muscle tightness and strain can be relieved or even ridden of entirely with yoga stretches.  Both circulation and digestion can be improved as well through twisting poses. Even many stress-related symptoms, such as fatigue, poor sleeping habits, muscle spasms, anxiety, and indigestion can be improved. One good hour of yoga and you will feel less anxious and much more relaxed!

This is only the beginning of the types of benefits and advantages that yoga can provide. Some other conditions that may improve with regular yoga practice include: arteriosclerosis, chronic fatigue, varicose veins, certain heart ailments and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

And above all, virtually anyone can practice yoga regardless of their age, health status, or fitness level, and not only that but it can be incredibly enjoyable and fun as well. The best way to determine if this is something you will like is by trying it. There are so many different types of yoga that you will surely be able to find one that suits you. Philosophie yoga hikes are a very unique way to practice while being in nature with pure freedom! Try something new… I look forward to practicing with you!

Why is outside training better than being in a gym?

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Being outside at Fusion Fitness Training Camps are an incredible way to spend your work out time! Not only are you getting a work out, but you are on the beach, you get the ocean view and breeze and the palm tree’s surround you.

Look, if you have been at a gym training all winter and spring your body has probably stopped getting results. It is time for something new: outside training- throwing weight and dragging tires.

This is just a piece of what you can get if you come down to the beach and train with Fusion. We have had dozens of clients that have started training outside and have seen results in the first week, just due to changing up the workout and the environment. It is time for you to make that change and start getting results again with Fusion Fitness and Yoga.

Why Cleanse?

There are so many reasons to detox or cleanse. Some people believe in completely fasting: eating and drinking nothing for a certain amount of time.

We believe it’s imperative, to aid in the cleansing process, to consume raw foods to receive an ABUNDANCE of nutrients… saturating your body in health instead of depriving it.

Cleansing and fasting regimes are multi-faceted experiences that have been practiced by an innumerable amount of people ranging from Christian saints to Buddha. These cleanses purify the mind, uplift the heart and heal the body.

In our every day life, we experience many different exposures to toxins. From environmental toxins (pollution) to emotional stresses to the food we eat, our bodies experience this stress daily. There are and always have been stressors in life and today there is no doubt an increase in a multitude of new toxins and stressors that have never existed before.

To restore your health and wellbeing, it is essential to detoxify the accumulation of toxins that absolutely affect each and every cell of your body.

We offer a unique experience by using raw, organic food, superfoods, herbs and supplements to provide a personalized program for you. After having an initial consultation we create a customized juice and/or food cleanse ranging from 3 to 30 days, depending on your needs and goals. You can combine any cleanse with our yoga classes or personal one on one training to get the most out of your detox process.

We look forward to sharing this experience with you!