Ladan Soltani2013-06-18T21:03:11-04:00Ladan Soltanihttp://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/index.php?author=ladan-soltaniCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Ladan SoltaniGood old fashioned elbow grease.Twenty Motivational Ideas to Keep on Exercising!tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.33058022013-05-23T19:00:00-04:002013-05-23T12:33:42-04:00Ladan Soltanihttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ladan-soltani/Time to muster up fun, inspiring ideas for all levels of exercisers. There are still unconventional ways to expend calories without having to go to the gym!
No pain, no gain? Not in my world. Just dedicate your work-out to someone you love and believe me, there will be no pain, only pleasure!
1) Choose an exercise style which you really enjoy. Remember, make your work-out a fun, joyful event so you look forward to your sessions.
2) If you're not good at staying motivated, find a partner to train with or make it a social event where a bunch of your friends all work out together. This will always be a great way to get you going on the days you feel less inspired as you can become each other's cheerleader.
3) Hire a professional personal trainer and in making this commitment to yourself and your trainer this will give you the incentive to keep going because you'll have a motivator supporting you during your work-out.
4) If you work better with goal setting, make a plan of how you want to look by a certain date. use visualisation techniques and have a picture ready of how you'd like your body to by that timeline. Give yourself a target every week and decide how much trimmer and fitter you're going to look.
5) If you love the great outdoors, find an exercise suitable such as power walking or running outside instead of a treadmill indoors. Also these days there are lots of walking and running clubs you can join which are very reasonably priced. You can even set up your own one with a group of friends.
6) How about meeting your friends and going rollerblading or even ice skating instead of dinner or coffee and cakes?
7) Arrange to have a home visit from a fitness professional who can show you how to utilise the furniture in your own home for a work-out.
8) Cycle to work instead of using public transport.
9) Use stairs whenever you can. Believe it or not, I had a friend who used to have a showroom which was on two floors. She never had lifts or elevators in the building. Eventually she moved premises and her new office was on one floor only. She actually gained pounds due to a lack of activity by no longer being able to use the stairs.
10) Go dancing with your friends after a heavy meal and burn off the calories or, if it is a nice evening, go for a stroll and expend a little energy.
11) Drink tons of water when you're sitting at your desk so you have to keep getting up to go to the toilet and burn extra calories.
12) Do a bathroom work-out and dance while brushing your teeth and get a little exercise at the start of your day.
13) Sitting on a swiss ball at your desk will not only improve your posture but it will make you sit properly, engaging your core muscles and making your stomach and back stronger. If you do this, start with short periods and build up your time.
14) Go window shopping at lunchtime and wear a rucksack with a small weight in your backpack to expend more calories than usual. Carry any shopping bags evenly on both arms as you walk fast back to work and do some arms raises with them to get the heart rate up.
15) If you're at home exercising on a treadmill, put on your favourite TV soap to keep you distracted for longer.
16) If you have a dog, take it for interval runs in the park and time yourself to do one minute of running/walking. Also you can use the park bench to do a variety of strength training exercises such as press-ups and tricep dips (works chest muscles and backs of arms).
17) If you're a yummy mummy and want to burn the baby fat, I suggest buying a style of pram which enables you to do a brisk power walk or light jogging intervals. The best way to diminish the excess weight of pregnancy is to nip it in the bud within the first eight months while you have all the extra hormones in the body to help you heal and recover.
18) Walk everywhere when possible.
19) Massage your partner to burn extra calories.
20) Always keep a picture of how you want to look in your mind's eye, especially when it comes to running that last mile or lifting the last repetition. This will make you stronger mentally and help you resist that dessert.
These are a few simple ideas to motivate you. I find once I make a habit of doing some of the above on a regular basis, it becomes part of my life and something I can't live without.
Plan your social work-outs in advance and make a commitment to yourself. To succeed you need to find something to focus on which you enjoy. Exercise should never feel like a chore when you're working towards achieving it.
Sometimes you have to step a little out of your comfort zone and take that extra inch. Anyone who achieved something out of the ordinary never stayed within the realms of their comfort. Go for it. Program the subconscious mind to make it work for you and to make it all happen because you deserve to give yourself the body you desire.
]]>The power of positive affirmationstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30469682013-04-09T15:44:00-04:002013-06-09T05:12:01-04:00Ladan Soltanihttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ladan-soltani/What are positive affirmations?
Affirmations are assertive, positive words or phrases which help in directing your focus thus enabling you to accomplish all your dreams and passions in life. You can use these powerful statements to conquer your fears which have imprisoned you and prevented you from leading the successful life you deserve to live.
Through repetition of these words, one can reprogram the subconscious mind. If you repeat these daily affirmations on a regular basis and integrate them into your everyday life, just as you regularly brush your teeth, you will notice the difference in your sense of self-belief and confidence.
When you first start repeating your affirmations, the subconscious mind may react with resistance.
If you feel challenged and move towards staying with the subconscious mind's perceived inner truth, you will start to feel a strong negative feeling within you. This means it will take a little longer to work. However, equally if you feel a sense of well-being, your mind is naturally responding to something it believes to be true. When you feel this emotion, you know your affirmations are working.
The more determined you are in making these changes and the more willing to accept change and let go of your past way of thinking, the sooner and more effectively these affirmations will work for you. The time frame is down to you and how quickly you are ready to adapt to change, as opposed to how long it will take in order for it to work.
Super-empowered affirmations
To enhance the power of these affirmations, write them down on sticky notes and stick them everywhere. Put them on your fridge, especially if you want to lose weight for example. Each time you want to go in the fridge you have to pass through your affirmation as a reminder.
Stand in front of the mirror and say it out loud. Words are very powerful and sound vibrates out into the universe. Look at yourself as you are saying this and amplify the magnification of your words. Own your words and let them become your own sacred mantra.
You can also make a song out of your affirmations. Or perhaps create a rhyme out of your affirmations so you can always remember them. Keep your affirmations short and to the point and start your day with a daily routine. As soon as you wake up start your day in a positive way.
Through constant repetition of these daily affirmations, without effort, you will subconsciously be saying them in your head. This will totally transform your mind and help create what you have always envisioned to have in your life.
If you want to look fabulous and feel fantastic, let these affirmations be your free mindful supplements which complement your healthy eating plan and your exercise regime.
Have fun with your affirmations!
Ladan Soltani- author of 'Fabulous fitness at 40' 'Believers are achievers'
www.ladansoltani.tv]]>A Daily Guide to Mind Masterytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.19806812012-10-18T13:28:19-04:002012-12-18T05:12:02-05:00Ladan Soltanihttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ladan-soltani/Thought power
Did you know we have on average 70,000 thoughts a day. As there are 86,400 seconds in a 24 hour day, this means we produce a thought every 1.2 seconds. Now remember, this is simply an average quote. It is probably much higher for the overloaded, anxious minded individual. How much control do you think you have over these thoughts? Are you aware you can catch your thoughts? We have the ability to completely switch them around and re train what I call the mind muscle. In an ideal world, we would like to be programmed to always think in a positive way.
Why is is that some people have that ability and self discipline to achieve and maintain their ideal body for example, yet for others, it is an on going struggle? What have the high achievers got the others lack? Well, we are all humans functioning with the same gifts and abilities, therefore we are all able to succeed if we put our mind to it. High achievers have a sense of vision and clarity who set goals and timelines in order to attain their goals.
Thought power through mind observation!
I want us to start with an exercise of simply catching your thoughts. Our awareness at the beginning has to be turned up to the highest volume. Remember, we are now dealing with the conscious mind. Some of you may be very surprised at what comes up for you with this exercise. Perhaps your not 'literally' aware of your thoughts. I want you to go and stand by a mirror, (ideally full length). Take a good look at yourself and whilst your doing this let your thoughts come up and just witness and observe how many of these thoughts are positive or negative.
What is your mind saying to you? Who else came into your mind? Were you being nice about yourself?
Stay with this exercise for the next few day. I think it is a good idea to write down all the thoughts you hear about yourself. You don't have to do this just by standing in front of the mirror. Start to be on what I call on ''thought duty''. Especially when you are carrying out other tasks. This will really make you live consciously and raise your sense of awareness to the voices and endless chitter chatter in your head.
' This week I'm going to be a bouncer on ''thought duty''. Yes, I will be standing at the gate of my mind watching closely at the entering thoughts. Negative thoughts be warned that you are not on the list! You will be exterminated instantly. I only entertain and welcome positive, sublime thoughts. we all have the ability to be the avatars of our thoughts'.......
Once you have practiced this exercise for a while and taken a mental note of your thought patterns by being the observer, I'd like you to treat your mind as though it is the most, breathtaking, lush green garden. Imagine this garden has beautiful plants and flowers. In fact the flowers are so amazing to look at that even our conditioned have seen colors they never knew existed. What I'd like you to imagine is that this incredible garden is your mind. Now put some gates in front of this garden and keep it protected and guarded. Next, I would like you to imagine that every single negative thought you have is a weed. There is no room for weeds to spoil this glorious place and if they start to pop up, they will have to be filtered out instantly.
This is a great metaphor to get you started in catching your thoughts and stop your mind and body absorbing them. You can also create your own analogy of how you want to protect and guard your mind of harmful, wreck-less thoughts.
When you have any thought, it is conveyed into every single cell in your body. Once this transmits, your body will physiologically be affected by that thought.
There is an intimate connection between thinking and respiration. Also between the mind and the breath. Shallow breathing and fearful thoughts affect the nervous system and your digestive system. This of course affects your respiratory system which eventually effects the adrenals which have to secrete more cortisol to control stress in the body. This will have a knock on affect on your whole endocrine system and all the hormones go out of sync with one another. All this with one negative thought connected to fear. Wow, that is how much power one single negative thought can have.
Remember, this works both ways and in my personal opinion, when we entertain positive thoughts, the outcome is even more amplified on the physical body than anything with negative form.
Positivity always outweighs negativity. I will explain how this works. Imagine walking into a dark room. It is so dark that even your eyes cannot get used to it. What can you do to see? Obviously you light a match or a candle and there you have light. Now let's assume we are in a bright, light room. How can you make that room so dark, that you can't see anything? That explains the shear power of positivity.
This is a grand effective law of nature, darkness cannot stand before the sun.
We cannot always be on guard to control our thoughts, however with practice we have the ability to control our words and with repetition we can master the thoughts of the subconscious. Start by changing one negative thought at a time. Usually it is the first one which pops into your head that has a knock-on domino effect on all the other thoughts which arise from the original source. Catch it as soon as you hear it.
The subconscious mind believes everything you tell it. The aim of these exercises is to reprogram this part of your mind and train it to only entertain sublime thoughts. If you keep feeding positive thoughts to your mind, eventually, your mind will only function in this empowered way. Thoughts gain strength and power through repetition. Just as the same birds of a feather flock together, collective, positive thoughts will start to breed forever.
'Positivity breeds positivity'
From the book 'Fabulous fitness at 40' by Ladan Soltani
]]>Safety Tips for Beginners Who Want to Exercise at Hometag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.19134222012-09-25T13:29:57-04:002012-11-25T05:12:01-05:00Ladan Soltanihttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ladan-soltani/ Hire a professional trainer
If you are planning to train at home with your own equipment, then I strongly recommend you hire a professional trainer for a couple of sessions just to get you started. This will not only avoid any injury as you are shown how to perform the exercises with correct form, but if you do the exercises with good, strong technique then you are more likely to get the best effective results and know exactly what to do in order to achieve your fitness goals.
Build up the intensity of exercise over a period of time
If you're fairly unfit, build up the intensity and frequency of exercise over a period of time. Do not go mad in the first few weeks, try and pace yourself and you will be surprised at how quick you can go from a beginners level into intermediate. Think about your safety when first starting out and make sure that you enjoy the activity you are participating in. Consult your GP if you are over 50, very overweight for your size or have never exercised before. I also advise if you have a family history of medical conditions or have one yourself which would potentially affect you if you were to exercise, it may be wise to have a medical clearance before exercising.
The importance of stretching
I recommend stretching just after a warm-up (static) and and at the end of the work-out (dynamic). You will achieve best results if you hold the stretches for a lot longer at the end of your work-out as warmer muscles are much more receptive to stretching then. This will also help to promote your flexibility and delay DOMS (delayed on-set muscle soreness). It is also fine to stretch during your sessions. The key is to listen to your body and work with it's guidance.
If your using equipment, I advise you start slowly and build up your duration or repetitions. If you are doing a cardio exercise, then build up the length of how long you keep going for each time. You should be able to speak in short sentences to know whether you are exercising to an effective enough level. If you can waffle on, then you need to notch up the intensity, however if you cannot speak at all, then bring it down a level. If you are doing strength bearing exercises, build up your sets and repetitions. To know that you are performing in order to get results you should be doing resistant work almost to the point of failure (until you physically cannot do any more).
Tips for stomach exercises
Ab and core exercises are good enough using your own bodies resistant or and using a swissball. When doing your sit-ups, the most important advice that I can give is to always keep your stomach muscles engaged. Make sure that you do not arch your back. Keep the spine neutral at all times so the back is always fully supported.
Breathe!
One of the most important things reminders I would like to point out with exercise is to BREATHE. It is so highly recommended! Always exhale on the effort (the powerful part). Most people forget to breathe when they are exercising as they are either concentrating on getting the exercise right or they are trying to get it over and done with.
If your motor-coordination is not great at first and you simply cannot remember when to exhale/inhale, then just breathe naturally. It's so important for your body to be fully oxygenated during activity. Remember 80 percent of your energy derives simply from breathing. If you enjoy what you're doing, then you don't have to think about getting it over and done with. If you are not a very motivated person when it comes to exercise, do a team sport or train with a partner so you both have something to look forward to and cheer lead one another along if one of you is not feeling energetic.
Have fun with it and be safe!
]]>Meditation is my Medication!tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.18625172012-09-06T16:42:57-04:002012-11-06T05:12:01-05:00Ladan Soltanihttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ladan-soltani/
So, ʻwhat is meditationʼ? Meditation is the ability to simply acknowledge our thoughts and let them go without getting engaged or attached to them. Once you cultivate this practice and strengthen your mind muscle, eventually you will have longer gaps and spaces within your thinking. Those are the moments of blissful peace we experience.
From my own ritualistic practice of this discipline, I could go as far as saying, every single meditation session feels different to the next, therefore, I could not define a conventional way to meditate. We may look, sit, stand and walk the same in a practice, however, what is happening in your inner world is never identical.
So ʻwhy meditateʼ? Many people approach me and share they are far too busy to dedicate a time during the day which they can commit to being still. Besides, "my head is to busy to stop thinking" is what I regularly hear. These are the people who need it the most. Meditation gives you freedom in your mind and a real sense of clarity. If you have a calm mind, the decisions and choices you make are clearer.
Have you ever turned up a stereo to its maximum volume and been deafened by the distorted sounds? How can one hear a quality note amongst the sound of chaos? I know, my mind and thoughts become so fragmented when I donʼt devote the time to be still. We work out in the gym to look physically in shape to look our best so surely if the mind has the same amount of attention as our body, we would have masterly over our lives? Not only, does my practice help me to connect to who I am, to others and my surroundings, it also sets me up for the day and anchors me so I truly enjoy and cherish living in the moment.
Meditation on the go
Whilst your standing at a check-out of the supermarket or waiting on the street for a friend, take your legs slightly apart and feel where your heels are touching the ground. This will make you drop down into your body and gets you out of the analytical head.
Be present and aware of how your body is feeling whilst observing your breath. Visualize growing roots like a tree from the soles of your feet and plug them deep down into the earth and draw the earths energy back into your body. This simple, yet powerful technique will not only ground you by bringing your awareness back into your own center.
It will also connect your mind and body. We seem to neglect the body when we live in our head. When we internalise stress, it manifests into the physical body and can create emotional blockages or tension. To avoid this, we need to create harmony between mind and body by allowing ourselves to feel by staying anchored. This technique when practiced on a regular basis will miraculously transform your life and give you a great sense of discipline.
If it has worked for me, a former bonafide party girl who lived life in the fast lane and was addicted to craziness and destruction, I can honestly own my words from my experience of positive transformation.
Good luck with your meditation practice :))
Ladan Soltani, author of ''Fabulous Fitness at 40''
]]>Fun Ways to Burn Calories Without Going to the Gym!tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.18588712012-09-05T15:47:51-04:002012-11-05T05:12:01-05:00Ladan Soltanihttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ladan-soltani/
Sex can be a great workout for your body as well as your mind and your mood. Try different positions and alter the pace to work different muscle groups.
Give a massage. Giving your partner a body massage can be surprisingly physically demanding so go on and burn those calories.
Dancing can be a fantastic way of working out and having fun, so go clubbing and hit that dance floor.
Use your journey to work to keep fit. Instead of taking the bus or car, cycle or power walk. If you do take the tube or train, then at least use the stairs instead of escalators or lifts.
Drinking lots of water throughout the day will mean frequent walk to and from the bathroom, which all helps burn the calories.
Use your lunch hour to get some fitness by going for a walk around the park or perhaps a spot of window shopping.
When you meet up with friends, suggest you do something active together like rollerblading, indoor rock climbing or salsa dancing.
When you're shopping, wear a rucksack. Calories expended will be dependable on your body weight, therefore, the more you carry (safely), the more calories you burn.
Sit on a Swiss ball whilst working at your desk in an office. As you have to pay attention by keeping upright, you will expend more calories by being aware of your posture.
I hope your more inspired!
Ladan Soltani author of ''Fabulous fitness at 40''
www.ladansoltani.tv]]>Setting Intentionstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.17014152012-07-25T09:13:29-04:002012-09-24T05:12:25-04:00Ladan Soltanihttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ladan-soltani/
If you felt it has been a challenge in the past, set yourself an intention and initiate the steps to complete your goal and more importantly stick to it. The difference with those who believe in the path and those who walk the path is the latter have clarity and know exactly what they want in order to shape their reality. If you are specific and use powerful visual techniques to manifest your dreams nothing will stand in your way apart from 'You'. Become familiar with stepping out of your comfort zone. Be prepared to lean into the discomfort and make friends with it as this is the only way you will grow, physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally.
First and foremost expand the mind muscle and once you have conquered discipline in this area, to have the ultimate body will be much easier to master. Harness a mind set to create a fresh approach towards exercise and condition yourself to make this a lifestyle opposed to a laborious task. By shifting your association to one which sets in motion how much you enjoy taking care of your new self, will only breed more abundant energy to invest in consistency and longevity. If you find at times you lose your motivation, find other like minded friends or professionals in the development field to inspire and cheer lead you along. Be a pioneer at using all the resources available to you so that you may live your life to its fullest potential.
Aspire higher and do not let fear bully you. Fear means 'false evidence appears real'. Let this new way of thinking take residence in the reel estate of your mind, knowing 'You' are the architect & avatar of the creation of your reality and thoughts.
GOOD LUCK & LIVE WITH GREATNESS!
http://www.ladansoltani.tv]]>Emotional Eatingtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15341552012-05-21T16:44:50-04:002012-07-21T05:12:12-04:00Ladan Soltanihttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ladan-soltani/Eating disorders and emotional eating.
Unhealthy eating patterns can lead to what I call an eating disorder. An eating disorder relates to when an individuals approach to food and body image changes and becomes almost obsessive, unmanageable, leaving huge potential for causing damage to your health. This usually stems from feelings of low self esteem and self worth.
It is not just women sufferers, however, a bigger population of women go through an eating disorder at some point in their lives and about 90% of women are affected by this between the ages of 12-25.
Social, media and emotional factors contribute to an eating disorder. Poor self image is another symptom. The individual may see themselves completely different to how others will see them.
Having gone through my own personal experience of an eating disorder, I understood there was a thin line to draw with knowing how to set the boundaries with food. Unlike other compulsions and addictions which can be totally eliminated, one cannot abstain from eating altogether as we need food to survive. It is understanding where to create boundaries which do not overlap into emotional eating which inevitably becomes habitual. There seems to be a big correlation with the types of food choices one craves when they are using food as a way to sooth, comfort themselves and numb their feelings. I found sugar to be my most wanted food. Put it this way, when you want to gorge on food knowing your not hungry and it is beyond eating for pleasure, your not exactly going to cry out for broccoli are you? I think a good starting point whether your under or over eating is to keep a thorough food & mood diary. It may come as a surprise that you will notice a pattern of when you eat food which is triggered by emotion. I suggest keeping a diary for at least one month and be honest and literally write everything down that your eating along with your feelings.
One of the most important exercises to practice when you are struggling with the attachment of food is to simply express your feelings. Find a good empathetic friend who listens to how you are feeling. By simply talking about your feelings you are letting go of emotion. Even better if you can lend a sympathetic ear to someone going through the same experience. In that way, this takes you out of your own self absorbed head space of constantly obsessing about food and also helps another person. The whole time your helping someone else, your literally healing yourself. If you are not ready to share and open up, it is really important to have a space where you can let go of how you are feeling. Perhaps speak to a professional therapist or mentor.
When I coach clients on weight-loss, we hardly touch on the subject of diet in comparison to the state of emotions. Besides, wanting to diet and restrict oneself usually meets an uncomfortable association with having to be hungry or restricted. It is more about an overall lifestyle change.
As a result, I run and facilitate coaching circles for weight-loss, emotional intelligence, goal setting, limiting beliefs to name a few. This is a fantastic platform to learn, share and express, creating an amazing support network, whilst achieving your goals and meeting like minded people.
From my book 'Fabulous fitness at 40' by Ladan Soltani]]>Recipes for Everlasting Beautiful Skintag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.9621782011-09-14T11:34:58-04:002011-11-14T05:12:01-05:00Ladan Soltanihttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ladan-soltani/Why Skin Looks Dull?
Our skin is a delicate matter and affected by many things, including:
Movement - raising the eyebrows, frowning or smiling
Gravity - (which is unfortunately unavoidable!)
Medications - which can cause unwanted side effects of dehydration and chemical reactions
Alcohol - which leaves skin dull and dehydrated
Smoking - deprives skin of nutrients and oxygen
Pollution - skin has to be clean and protected
Health - can lead to dull and devitalised skin
Skin care -are you using the right skincare for your skin type?
Weight loss and gain - can affect muscle and skin tone
Eating habits - deficiencies cause noticeable changes
Lack of sleep - our skin regenerates when we sleep
Sun exposure - sun damage is the major cause of wrinkling
Do you think you can improve on few of these points? For example, keep your mind calmer? Stress less? Make conscious beauty product choices? Eat plenty of food with natural life force in them?
There are a number of things you can do in order to have a healthy and radiant skin and complexion. Including - eating nutritiously and making sure your diet is organic and wholesome will definitely have an effect on your skin.
And cultivating a positive attitude and outlook on life will have an amazing impact on your whole being, thus creating a healthy glow around you, which will be noticeable just by your presence.
Here are two of my recipes that I share in my book: Fabulous Fitness at 40
Your skin will be revitalised with these recipes. Harness nature's moisturising and cell rejuvenating powers in your daily menu.
Alkalising smoothie
Ingredients:
3/4 tsp of wheatgrass
1/2 or small cup of watercress
4 small carrots
1/2 cup (4 fl oz) almond milk
1/2 cup crushed ice
Method: Juice carrots first. Then blend everything together. The wheatgrass is full of chlorophyll, which is created from direct sunlight and nature's most health-promoting nutrient. This is the best living superfood supplement one can find.
Wheatgrass has 90 out of 102 of all vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids needed to get a balanced diet. This smoothie helps you bring the body to an alkaline state. Alkalinity gets rid of acids, therefore eliminating fats, which the body holds on to.
Detoxifying smoothie
Ingredients:
1 whole large peeled cucumber
3 stalks of celery
juice of half a small lemon
1/4 tsp of freshly grated ginger
1 small cup of ice
Blend everything. Drink this first thing in the morning to give your liver a cleanse.
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