TRAINING IS BETTER WHEN WE’RE TOGETHER MODEL COUPLE JAMES AND TEODORA MOTIVATE EACH OTHER THROUGH THEIR INTERESTS IN NUTRITION AND FITNESS, WRITES TANYA SWEENEY

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TRAINING IS BETTER WHEN WE’RE TOGETHER

MODEL COUPLE JAMES AND TEODORA MOTIVATE EACH OTHER THROUGH THEIR INTERESTS IN NUTRITION AND FITNESS, WRITES TANYA SWEENEY

 As couples go, they don’t get much more photogenic than personal trainer James Murphy and his model girlfriend of two years, Teodora Sutra. So it stands to reason that the pair met in that time-honoured Mecca for beautiful people: Hollister.

The two were working there at weekends: James, incidentally, was one of the store’s iconic meet-and-greet models (yes, the ones who stand outside in those famous red board shorts).

“He just asked me out on a date, but I didn’t realise it was a date at the time,” laughs Teodora.

“She thought I was gay, that’s why,” says James. “Only recently I heard this.”

Love soon blossomed for the pair, and the two bonded over their mutual love of health and fitness. But it wasn’t that long ago that James, who works part-time as a model for Andrea Roche’s agency, was experiencing a body crisis of his own.

“When I was in secondary school, I was really tall and skinny, but as I progressed through school, I became overweight,” he recalls. “From studying and a sedentary life in general, I was about 15 stone. So I joined Ben Dunne’s Westpoint gym out in Blanchardstown and became kind of obsessed with losing weight. The more I saw results, the more I wanted to do.”

While working a full-time job in insurance and training as a personal trainer in Coláiste Íde in Finglas, James also started bodybuilding, which took his weight to a buff 17-and-a-half stone. These days, his shape is more athletic, and he tips the scales at 15 stone. “This time, it’s all muscle as opposed to fat,” he smiles. Within a few short years, he was back at the Westpoint gym . . . as its manager.

“Working full-time was fine but I’d always wanted to do my own thing,” he explains. “So last year I started to branch out.”

Still, James’s dream of becoming a full-time personal trainer didn’t come easily: “Last year, I was doing two boot camps in the morning and seeing two or three clients at night on top of my 9am to 5pm job (in Westpoint),” he recalls. “It wasn’t a case of setting up the business blind — I went into it with 20 or 30 clients.”

Regardless, it appears to have been a case of perfect timing for James, who opened his increasingly popular Zest Fitness Centre in Baggot Street this year (and plans to open another Dublin 2 studio next year).

“It’s hard to know these days if people are going to the gym more because they know about the benefits of being healthy or if it has to do with the recession,” he muses. “Some people take it up because they’re so stressed after work; after working more for less money.”

And, as his business grows, James has a consummately supportive partner in Teodora. It’s a two-way street: James is also training his girlfriend . . . an arrangement that has its advantages and drawbacks.

“Many times she’s walked out (on a training session), and many’s the time I’ve walked out,” smiles James. “We trained once in the park and Teodora left, like ‘I’ve had enough, I’m going home’ . . . but the thing about training is I’m the boss. There’s no negotiation if you find it tough. Fortunately, we have a different relationship outside of the sessions too. Going out with Teo is great, because we motivate each other. On days I want to get a takeaway, she will try and cook something healthy instead. It really does work both ways. Someone who has a similar frame of thought when it comes to well-being is really important.”

Teodora has a similar take on things: “I like fitness, but can be a little lazy, and he definitely pushes me. He’s bossy enough in training, but I do try and listen!”

To keep match-fit for her modelling assignments, Teodora trains with James and is also a member of Temple Bar’s Crunch Fitness gym. Sufficiently inspired by her boyfriend, she also has a career in fitness and nutrition in her crosshairs.

“I think I’d be into that and James would love it too,” she enthuses. “I’d probably be more interested in the nutrition side of things. I’m really interested in knowing what certain foods can do for you.”

“I think she would be an amazing yoga teacher. She’s very into Pilates and is trying to get me into it,” says James.

So far, so Spartan . . . yet the two note that all told, their regimes and diets aren’t endlessly punishing.

“If you’re very strict on yourself 24/7, you’ll just get sad and depressed,” shrugs Teodora. “I’ll have my little bit of chocolate once a week and I try to change up the rest of my food.”

“I try to do some training every day, and I try to eat as natural as possible,” explains James. “But if I want chocolate or crisps, I’ll have it. I don’t like the mentality of counting calories or constantly worrying about food, as you’ll have no life. People need to enjoy their food, have fun and have the ‘bad’ food from time to time.”

Yet, for all of his balanced advice, Christmas is something of a diet danger zone for many of James’s clients. After all, the average person puts on several pounds over the festive season.

“I say you can eat whatever you want (at Christmas), especially if you work hard all year round,” notes James. “You may put on a few pounds, but you’ll lose them the week after. A week won’t ruin your good efforts.”

And while Latvian-born Teodora has resolved to travel more in 2014, James is eyeing up various fitness competitions as part of his New Year resolution. On the top of his ‘to-do’ list is a Hell & Back event — a giant assault course tagged ‘Ireland’s toughest physical and mental endurance challenge’.

Though Teodora has no interest in either, the pair ran a half-marathon together earlier this year. Sure enough, it would seem that the couple who trains (and models) together, stays together. Rather touchingly, the model dubbed ‘Ireland’s answer to Cameron Diaz’ admits that James is one thing she can’t live without. And his gruelling, occasionally explosive training sessions are helping to propel the promising model to ever greater heights.

Famously, Teodora won the Irish heat of the Ford Supermodel of the World at the age of 14, and was promptly signed to 1st Option Agency. And despite her blessed Eastern European looks, Teodora is grateful that Irish clients still have an appetite for healthier, toned models.

“If you’re very skinny in Ireland, you get no work,” she notes. “If you’re abroad, you have to pretty much not eat. Fortunately, people in Ireland would rather see models with a bit of a glow on their face; that means girls who are fit, happy and healthy.”

HOLLY CARPENTER ON HOW HER PALEO DIET HAS CHANGED HER LIFE

Once I got into the habit of the Paleo diet, I felt so much better

Between the catfights and the catwalk tasks, the latest series of Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model

looked challenging for all involved. But, as Dublin-born contestant Holly Carpenter reveals, what we saw on screen was the mere tip of the iceberg.

While the 14 contestants certainly fitted the lean, leggy model stereotype, keeping matchfit throughout the competitive series was a struggle for Holly, who came seventh.

“I expected that there would be no opposing workouts in the house, but there was no gym,” she recalls. “We weren’t allowed to leave for a walk or run, and some days we’d be at a beach shoot and they’d bring us fast food on set. I tried to do sit-ups and stuff but there was literally no time or leeway for it.

“It was one extreme or the other — you were either homesick and stressed and eating away, or you were so busy you’d nearly faint with hunger.”

In fact, the only thing that made her comfortable on camera was the fact that, before filming the reality series, she was in the best shape of her life.

“My trainer Sophie (Kavanagh) was working with me six days a week, and sometimes twice a day,” she admits. “When I was working out, Sophie was like, ‘you don’t know what these other girls are doing ahead of the show, they could be working out twice as hard as you’, so that got me in a really competitive mindset.

“Thank God I was so comfortable with myself before I left because as a model, you become so conscious of your weight,” she added.

“A lot of the girls were size zero and though they are clearly meant to be that way naturally, it really affected my confidence. You can see towards the end of the show I’m not as confident or comfortable in my skin, but once I got home, I was delighted to get back into my routine.”

With a host of modelling jobs on offer here and in the UK, Holly has certainly put the experience behind her. Yet working in both markets has given her pause for thought.

“In the UK, (models) seem to go to extreme measures to stay thin,” she observes. “Irish designers love the healthy look and will actually tell you that you’re a bit too thin. I think people look up to me, especially after Miss Ireland, and if I was doing something crazy and keeping myself at an unrealistic weight, I’d feel a bit guilty.”

Sure enough, Holly isn’t one for paying lip service to how effortless it is to maintain her size-eight figure. Noting that she only got into training and fitness recently, the 21-year-old admits that she has to put the hard yards in.

“I’m glad I was never too body conscious or worried about my love handles in school,” she says. “These days, I analyse my body all the time. I started modelling at 19, and if I ever had a daughter, I’d only let her model once she’d finished school. There is too much pressure otherwise.

“There are genuinely girls that are size zero because of their metabolism, but I do have to work at it,” she says. “I see these models with six-packs saying that they scoff burgers and chips and never work out, but you can’t expect young girls to look up to that.

“I don’t mind talking about the times you have to sit in, not drinking, not being able to order anything on the menu.”

These days, with the help of Sophie at No 17 Personal Training on Merrion Square in Dublin, Holly finds herself scheduling daily workouts around her work.

Short, high-intensity workouts are Sophie’s weapon of choice, meaning that Holly has dropped to a size eight. “After half an hour I’m absolutely wrecked,” laughs Holly. “I’m in and out within the hour, but my heart rate and metabolism stay high for the day.”

Also helping Holly along in her quest for well-being is the Paleo diet — a regime that favours foods available in prehistoric times (think meat, fish, nuts, vegetables).

“When I started it a year ago, I was miserable,” she smiles. “But once I got into the habit, I felt so much better and it made a crazy difference to my skin.

“That said, I’m an all or nothing person; I will go for months having a flawless diet, salmon for breakfast and all that. Then, out of the blue, I will have a crazy week of going out on weeknights, having takeaway on the way home.

“I guess it’s all about balance. Once I go to the gym, there’s a sense that I’ve earned my ‘cheat meals’ and it tastes much better.”

Needless to say, having a rugbystar boyfriend — Ireland and Leinster prop Cian Healy — has both its advantages and disadvantages. These days, Cian is calorie-loading ahead of the new rugby season . . . but burning everything through gruelling training sessions.

‘M y daily workout is his warm-up,” reveals Holly. “Cian can lose up to a stone in one match. It’s crazy though, he can open a bar of Galaxy, have a few bites and just leave it there, which drives me insane. We have rules now — ‘no leaving it where I can see it’.

“He does have the biggest sweet tooth ever. Whenever he’s away for matches, I always have the best weigh-ins.”

Holly admits that the wining and dining in new relationships can often take a toll on the waistline: “It can be tough but sometimes people look for excuses (not to eat well),” she observes.

“Cian and I love the Bay restaurant in Clontarf as they have all their calories on the menu.”

After BINTM, Cian’s support was a boon to the model.

“When Cian was injured after the Lions tour, he was really down but he didn’t dwell on it,” reveals Holly.

“When I get a knock, I shut down. After the show, I didn’t even know if I wanted to be a model anymore, but he was very ‘chin up’ about it all. There’s a lot to be said for a sportsman’s mentality.”

Doing a "Donald Trump"

Don’t fear bankruptcy, it’s a potent weapon to make banks do a deal

Insolvency Bill gives more options for restructuring debt and will allow people to get on with their lives, writes Stephen Donnelly

‘The bankruptcy option may be far more preferable to trying to service an unsustainable debt’

THE new insolvency legislation is about to go live. Whilst imperfect, it means that borrowers are going to have new, meaningful options available to them by September — to restructure debts that are suffocating them, and to get on with their lives.

Last Saturday, I ran a ‘Debt Expo’ in Bray — a public forum to help people get back in control of their mortgages, and to explain the new insolvency options. To my surprise, I emerged that evening into glorious Wicklow sunshine with a renewed sense of optimism.

Several themes emerged from the experts. First, don’t wait any longer. If you know you’ve got a problem, get advice and act. Second, know the rules of the game. Read up on the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP) and the insolvency options. When dealing with your bank, get everything in writing. Third, don’t be afraid of bankruptcy. It’s going to become common place, and is the most important threat available to force your bank to deal. If it’s required, just remember you’ll be debt-free in three years.

Here are answers to some of the specific questions raised on Saturday: 1. Our bank is refusing pointblank to restructure our mortgage, even though it’s clearly unsustainable — what are we doing wrong? Quite possibly nothing. Many banks still aren’t doing any meaningful restructuring. It may be that they’re waiting for the new insolvency legislation to kick in. 2. Okay, so where are we with the new legislation? The bill was signed into law last December and the Insolvency Service of Ireland, ISI, was established in March. It now has a website (www.isi.gov.ie), a public information phone line (076 106 4200) and guides on the three types of insolvency available. Personal Insolvency Practitioners, Pips, are currently being trained.

The ISI is aiming to start individual cases in September. For unsecured debts under €20,000, they will start to issue Debt Relief Notices (DRNs). For larger debts they will begin issuing Protective Certificates. These will give your Personal Insolvency practitioner 70 days to find a restructuring of the debt that is acceptable to you and your lender.

Critically, in the next few weeks eh new bankruptcy regime will kick in. The bankruptcy period will be reduced from 12 to three years, making it a credible option and threat for the first time. If banks continue to refuse to restructure debts in a meaningful way, borrowers can now declare bankruptcy. In many cases, this would cost the banks far more than a negotiated settlement. As such, it is hoped that people’s willingness to declare bankruptcy will force the banks to negotiate sensibly. 3. Sounds good ,how do I start the process? Debt Relief Notices will be administered by the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (Mabs). There are Mabs offices all over the country. They’ll take it from there.

Debt Settlement Arrangements (DSAs), unsecured debt over €20,000, and Personal Insolvency Arrangements, PIAs, (secured debts, mainly mortgages) will be administered by Personal Insolvency Practitioners (Pips). Some will be local accountants and lawyers, and others will be in large financial firms like Grant Thornton. The ISI will provide a directory on its website. Unlike Mabs, these are forprofit operations, so may charge different amounts, and offer different levels of service — so shop around.

You should contact a Pip for advice as to whether or not you qualify for a DSA or PIA. If you do qualify, they will run the process for you. There is also a good chance that a solution will be found. In the UK, Grant Thornton handles more of these arrangements than anyone else, and has a 97 per cent success rate. The feeling is that we should see high success rates in Ireland in the coming years, as lenders, borrowers and Pips get used to the process and the types of solutions that work in different situations. 4. So how do I know if qualify? The key question here is whether or not you’re insolvent. Technically, a person or business is insolvent if they cannot pay their debts as they fall due. The ISI’s position is as follows: you’ve got to be able to provide you and your family with a ‘reasonable standard of living’, as defined on their website. If after paying for this, you cannot meet your debt repayments sustainably (think capital plus interest), then you’re insolvent.

You’ve got to be in the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process for at least six months to qualify for an insolvency arrangement. However, it might be worth contacting a Pip during the six months, or even before you go into arrears, to start getting organised. Pips can bypass the six months if they believe that MARP isn’t going to work for you.

I 5. Do I keep my home in a Personal Insolvency Arrangement? You should, yes. The legislation has been developed with the express intention of restructuring people’s debts so that they keep their home and get their debts down to a sustainable level. If the house is particularly big, it may be necessary to downgrade, particularly if debts are being written down. 6. Why don’t I just go to the UK and declare bankruptcy? Maybe you should. It depends on your circumstances. If you go to the UK you’ll be out of bankruptcy in one year or less, and can come back to the Republic debt free. If you stay here, you’ll be in bankruptcy for three years. There are some technical differences, but the main issue is the inconvenience of having to move abroad for a year.

Bankruptcy will be unpleasant, but is now a realistic option. It shouldn’t affect your job, and your standard of living for the three years may be the same as if you entered a DSA or PIA. At the end of the three years your debts will be written off (though you may end up paying some of your income to the bank for a few more years). Depending on the case, you may also get to keep your home. Even if the bank moves to repossess your house, it could take them up to two years to get you out.

So the bankruptcy option may be far more preferable to trying to service an unsustainable debt for the next thirty years, getting to retirement and realising you’re broke. 7. Any final advice? DON’T ignore the problem. Don’t ignore the letters. Don’t ignore the phone calls. Make sure all communications are in writing.

Get expert advice — there’s Mabs, financial advisers, solicitors, the ISI and groups like New Beginning. If possible, don’t negotiate yourself, get representation.

Study up — the ISI’s website provides pretty accessible materials.

If you’re paying more than one-third of your net income servicing your debts, and that doesn’t look likely to change any time soon, then your debts are unsustainable. Staying on interest-only is not a viable option. You have new options, so find out what they are, and use them. Stephen Donnelly is an independent TD for Wicklow and East Carlow

Vogue Williams- Model Fitness

From model to reality star to TV presenter to adventure racer, Tanya Sweeney asks is there anything Vogue Williams won’t take on?

As anyone who has seen her Instagram feed can attest, Vogue Williams has the kind of bikiniready body many fitness enthusiasts can only dream of. Still, that’s not to say that the prospect of a gruelling fitness challenge doesn’t faze her. Recently, the DJ/model/TV presenter has signed up to Gaelforce’s Women’s Adventure Race on July 27. Featuring a 7k run, a 15k cycle and a half-kilometre kayak, the event — which is run in association with Breast Cancer Ireland — is designed to appeal to women who’d like to give adventure racing a try but are intimidated by a bigger event.

“I was worried at first when I was asked because I’m terrible at running,” she laughs. “This event seems more like a big girls’ day out, and one of my friends will do it with me. The kayaking bit is probably going to be hilarious, and I don’t see anyone taking it too seriously, which is a good thing.

“I think I’ll be okay for the cycle, although I was destroyed by my spinning class earlier today. I let my fitness go there for a few weeks, but now that I’ve started running to prepare for this event, I feel motivated to do more.”

Given her heaving schedule, Vogue would be forgiven for letting her halo slip. Fresh from a tour of Australia with her husband Brian McFadden, Vogue has also been filming a new documentary for RTÉ. According to recent reports, Vogue is also involved in shooting the pilot for a new magazine-style show called Bounce that’s being pitched to the national broadcaster.

Between airport food and that niggling feeling that you’re constantly on holidays (and therefore off the hook, diet-wise), most people will admit that travel can wreak havoc on a gym routine. And, even in the midst of her hectic globetrotting, Vogue has found a canny way to stick to a regime.

“Travel can be a nightmare alright, but at least most hotels have gyms,” she says. “I take pictures of the gym circuit I use at home on my phone — I have six circuits I do with my trainer, so I do those in the hotels. But when I was on tour with Brian for ages . . . well, you don’t tend to work as hard.”

Australia, too, is one of the world’s fittest countries, which should grease the fitness wheels somewhat: “Yeah, I wouldn’t advise going to Bondi Beach if you’re having a fat day,” she laughs. “I was there 10 days ago, and I was waking up so jet-lagged and would go down to the beach in the morning thinking I was great. And the place would be already packed!”

As for juggling the unsociable hours of club DJing with her regime: “The thing is, I don’t usually drink when I’m DJing. I might have one or two when I’m almost finishing set. Drink is definitely something that makes me put on weight.”

That said, Vogue is “the thinnest I’ve ever been”, and credits The Fitness Agency in Howth for helping her reach her fitness goals. These days, she is more likely to attend their classes, and to mix things up, she will regularly run or walk her dogs along the pier in Howth, too.

“I work on an anti-gravity running machine, which burns 600 calories in half an hour,” she enthuses. “The thing with the gym is you have to go, don’t you? But once you’re in the gym you’re sort of into it.

“After I did my pre-wedding programme at The Fitness Agency, I lost a stone and lost so many inches (she wed Brian in Italy last summer). I think I got down to 11pc body fat. I also didn’t watch what I ate at all, which was really weird.”

Regular gym workouts are not just handy for honing those rock-hard abs, they’re good for the mind, too: “Brian always says to me, ‘whenever you don’t go to the gym you talk about how fat you feel, but when you go to the gym, you don’t say it as much’,” says Vogue.

“I don’t have the skinniest legs, but if you put a few pounds on, you just up the workout to keep at the same weight.”

While most models will claim incessantly that they can eat whatever they want and not gain weight, Vogue will at least admit that her sweet tooth often proves to be her downfall. There’s a sense that Vogue needs to strike a balance between eating what she likes and paying off those dividends with exercise.

“While she might feel a pang of guilt at missing out on a workout, Vogue will simply take her dogs for a walk . . . and carry on indulging her love of chocolate.

“I never cared about what I ate, but a year ago, I started to notice that it does make a difference,” she admits with refreshing candour. “I have to have chocolate every day, though. I just feel I need that treat. I love sweets — Stinger bars, sherbert Dip Dabs, all those kind of things.

“A friend recommended a tea that would combat sugar cravings, but life’s too short. I’ll just go to the gym instead. That said, I take lots of vitamin supplements and I drink this aloe vera liquid supplement that’s amazing. It’s so good for your stomach and your skin — Brian has dry skin and even he has found it really good for that.”

In recent weeks, there has been much tabloid chatter about Vogue planning to start a family with her new husband. It turns out that the media has jumped the gun somewhat.

“A friend asked me last week, ‘should you not be taking folic acid right now?’” she laughs. “I guess it wouldn’t do any harm, but I’m not in any rush. Maybe a year before we decide to go for it, I’ll think about the supplements then!”

For more information on the Gaelforce Women’s Adventure Race in July, which starts in Leenane village and ends at the Killary Adventure Centre, log on to www.womensadventurerace.com. (Above) Vogue Williams takes a walk with her husband Brian and their dog along Bronte Beach in Sydney, Australia; (top left) DJ Vogue on the decks; and (right) Vogue in training for the Gaelforce Women’s Adventure Race at The Fitness Agency in Howth.

 FOOD LIST FOR THE CYCLICAL KETOGENIC DIET

By DavidC

Photo Credit Meat image by Svetlana Kashkina from Fotolia.com

The original ketogenic diet was developed in the 1920's to help children with epilepsy before modern day medication became available. Recently, various spin offs have emerged like the Cyclical Ketogenic Diet, or CKD, primarily used by fitness enthusiasts and body builders. The basis of the diet includes a high fat intake, moderate protein and low carb consumption from Monday to Friday, then reversing the process to a high carbohydrate, low protein and low fat diet over the weekend. This is purported to reset the body clock into using fat as its primary energy source, protein to maintain lean muscle mass and very limited carbohydrates for fiber.
The CKD is not without its opponents. Speak with your doctor before embarking on any weight loss regimen..

FATS

High fat foods are the order of the day from Monday to Friday, with approximately 60% of calories consumed coming from fat. On the weekend, this ratio drops to 10%. Although all fats are allowed, foods with healthy fat are preferred, and will ultimately keep you feeling good as well. Foods like tuna, salmon, shellfish, bacon and other fatty meats are appropriate choices, but watch for hidden carbohydrates that might be present in sausages and hot dogs. According to Epilepsy.com, foods such as butter, heavy whipping cream and mayonnaise, and oils like canola and olive oil are also good sources of fats appropriate to the cyclical ketogenic diet.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/227032-food-list-cyclical-ketogenic-diet/#ixzz2Zaow2Av2

It’s not what you DO that matters - it’s who you ARE that matters by MASTIN KIPP

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Let’s be SUPER clear about something: it’s not what you DO that matters - it’s who you ARE that matters!

In today’s world, we can get SO caught up in DOING! And we focus on the outward, the job, the career, the money, being important, etc., etc.

And then we come to a time, a breaking point, where all that stuff doesn’t seem to matter so much and we just want to be happy. We could find this breaking point at a young age or at an old age. But at SOME POINT, achievement isn’t enough; we want to be happy dammit!

And this is where the “spiritual” path begins. I say “spiritual” because it’s not really something to take so seriously. If we meditate perfectly, wear all the garb perfectly, chant perfectly, eat vegan, gluten-free and have our green juice, but we don’t have LOVE in our hearts, then we’ve missed the whole damn point.

I’d rather hang out with a Love-centered meat eating “not so spiritual person” than a passive aggressive righteous vegan who has the perfect yoga practice and a perfectly fitting lululemon outfit on.

Don’t get it twisted - the ego finds its sly way into the path. And all the rites and rituals don’t mean a DARN THING if we don’t have Love in our hearts. And if we have Love in our hearts and are being Love, then we don’t need the rites and rituals unless we want to do them because they help to remind us to BE LOVE.

It is in our BEING that we find ourselves and our purpose, not in our DOING. You can have all the material possessions in the world and still be lonely as hell, and you can be broke as a mofo and have Love and be the richest person in the world.

Me, I want both! I want to have amazingly abundant material possessions, but first and foremost, I want to keep Love and connection in my heart and remain humble within physical abundance.

But the stuff, the form doesn’t freakin matter! What matters is who we are. What matters is how we show up. What matters is the place that we come from in our thoughts, ideas and communications. What matters is if we are serving or not.

What matters is crucifying our egos day in and day out (not because it’s the enemy), but so our hearts can shine through.

Living from the heart space is the goal. And when we get there, nothing else is needed because we realize on an experiential level that we are guided and cared for by The Uni-verse. That all our needs are met and that even though life doesn’t turn out how we want it to, that life turns out how we need it to and that is SO FREAKIN RAD!

The ego’s desires PALE in comparison to what The Uni-verse has in store for you.

Your ego can’t dream that big, or Love that big or imagine itself being used for THAT much service.

It’s not what you’re doing - it’s who you’re being that counts.

Who are you being today?

As always, the action happens over on the BLOG; head on over there and leave a comment on my blog "It's not what you're seeing, it's who you're BEING that counts!!" The TDL Community thrives in the comments and it's a GREAT place to get support!

Love, 
Mastin 

If things aren't happening how and when you want them to – CELEBRATE by Mastin Kipp

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The theme in a lot of my mentoring calls and incoming emails this week has been about frustration coming from things not happening as quickly as folks want them to or the way folks want them to.

Here's the thing: we are on a spiritual path, connecting with the SOURCE OF ALL LIFE, and we think we should be telling IT how and when to make things happen in our lives.

In this age of tweeting, texting, instagramming, facebooking, googling, pinning, pining, longing and emailing, we've gotten lost in the outer technology. We've forgotten our inner technology. We've somehow begun to think that The Uni-verse should be working on OUR SCHEDULE, instead of taking the humble Path and allowing the Wisdom of the Ages that fuels the Sun, beats your heart and breathes life into you in every moment, the chance to chime in.

Spiritual growth doesn't happen on your schedule. That's WHY it's spiritual growth. It's not about The Uni-verse giving you what you want; it's about The Uni-verse training you to be who you really are, tapped into Source, being a vessel of Grace and knowing the only thing you really need is the connection to your Source, and all physical manifestations that are in your best interest will follow.

Sometimes, all the things you have put your faith in will be taken away, not as punishment, but as a way of teaching you that trusting The Uni-verse is all you really need to do. And then you think you have many problems, but the only real problem you have is that you are disconnected from your Source.

It's like the drop of water that wants to surf a huge wave - it has to connect back with the ocean in order to do big things. It can try and try on its own, and it won't be able to move a damn thing. But when it's connected to its Source, it can be a TIDAL WAVE and it's PUSHED, instead of needing to PUSH.

So if things aren't happening how and when you want them to – CELEBRATE. The Master's Hand is at work trying to show you a better way. Even if your mind doesn't think so right away, there is a better way coming towards you. Stay open, stay available, stay in humble patience that the answer will be revealed and most likely in a way that you haven't yet considered.

Live the mystery of life with gratitude instead of an entitled attitude. This is the Path of Grace. The Uni-verse will bring us to our knees, not as punishment, but to show us a better way.

A delay is not a denial - remember that and live the mystery!

As always, the action happens over on the BLOG; head on over there and leave a comment on my blog "If things aren't going the way you want them to - CELEBRATE!" The TDL Community thrives in the comments and it's a GREAT place to get support!

Love, 
Mastin

My 7 Step Success Formula By Craig Ballantyne

My 7 Step Success Formula 

By Craig Ballantyne

I just finished my morning meditation session. This marks the 87th day in a row that I've meditated for at least 10 minutes. 

I started meditating to bring more calm, focus and patience into my life.

It wasn't easy. I almost quit - several times - during the first few days in developing this new habit. And this wasn't the first time I tried to take up meditation. But each time in the past I had failed miserably.

There was the time in 2006 when I tried to use meditation to help deal with my anxiety attacks. I only lasted a week. 

Then in 2009 I worked up to 15 sessions in a row before shamefully giving up.

But this time I knew it would be different.

This time I had my 7 step success formula in place.

Before, I went about it in a haphazard, non-serious way.

Each morning, after I've written Turbulence Training workout programs or ETR essays for two hours, walked the dog, and finished my Daily Document review (but before I go to the gym), I sit down on my meditation pillow, close my eyes, sit upright with legs crossed, and focus on my breathing.

At first the habit was excruciatingly painful - both mentally and physically. It was almost impossible to turn off my "monkey mind." My brain would shift from thought to thought to thought, reviewing my to-do list or coming up with other ideas to implement or people to contact.

And frankly, my mind still wanders during each session, even though I've made significant breakthroughs in my ability breathe deeply and focus on practically nothing.

I'm getting better every session. I'm not giving up on this habit.

It's made me more calm during the remainder of the day. I no longer feel a tiny bit of tightness and anxiety in my chest when my schedule becomes overwhelming. I breathe better (sounds silly, I know, but most of us don't know how to breathe properly). I relax easier. I have more patience - and this was sorely needed.

This simple meditation habit, now almost 90 days strong, has made a big difference in my life. It's become a success habit. (And I'm going to show you my 7 Step Success System for any area of your life.)

This time I was able to stick to my meditation habit because this time I also listened to my own advice.

Over the past 16 Turbulence Training Transformation Contests, I had been telling you and 90,000 other TT readers that:

"Success is simple once you accept how hard it is."

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that success is easy. I'm staying that it is simple. Big difference.

That means, if you understand and accept that success - in any area of life - requires sacrifice, only then you will be psychologically prepared to make those sacrifices. Then, and only then, with the right mindset in place, success simply becomes a matter of following proven blueprints, and never, ever giving up on what is important to you.

Once you accept this fact, you'll be ready to successfully apply this formula to transform your life.  

After reviewing my own success habits, and those of the dozens of winners of my 16 Turbulence Training Transformation Contests, I've identified the following 7 Step Success Formula:

SUCCESS = Outcome Goals + Process Goals + Action + Accountability + Support + Incentives + The Deadline

Let's walk you through those 7 Steps.

1) Outcome Goals - This is simple. If you want to lose 15 pounds in 6 weeks, that's your Outcome Goal. It's your Vision. It's the Destination you want to arrive it in a given time frame. That's Goal Setting 101.

2) Process Goals - These are a little different, and yet an often forgotten part of a Goal Setting program. Process goals refer to what you are going to do in order to succeed. For me, I had to make time each day to practice meditation. For someone that wants to lose belly fat, your process goals will include 3 Turbulence Training workouts per week plus 90% compliance to your nutrition program. By hitting your process goals, you'll ultimately achieve your outcome goals.

3) Action - All the optimism and goal-setting in the world does you no good without Action. You must plan and prepare to take action. And then you must force yourself - even on those tough days, for example, when you want to skip your meditation session or workout because you are tired or too busy - to take action. Action takers rule the world.

 
This formula is powerful.  Brita used it to lose 17 pounds and take 4 inches off her waist.  

However, there's one Politically Incorrect truth that I must share with you. You need to know this, because if you don't, you might give up. Worse, you could be giving up just when success was around the corner.

So read this once. Let it sink in. Read it again. And then print it out. Post it on your computer or your fridge.

It's that important. Here are some of the most important words of wisdom I could ever share with you...

Success comes in spurts.

There will be times when you'll work and work and work, and you'll feel like you're getting nowhere. You might be experiencing this right now. So stay strong and keep on pushing.

Believe me, I know how you feel. Back in 2006 I struggled with an anxiety attack that lasted more than six weeks straight, but I never gave up on looking for solutions.

And what I discovered was that success only happens by taking action every day, strong and steady, by overcoming obstacles and powering through the dips, by trudging onward through tough days and getting energized by great days.

The backbone for your success and persistence will always be a clear vision of what you want to achieve. Make sure that your Outcome and Process Goals are clear. Realize that each action you take is a small victory for you, and each accomplishment is another step closer to your big breakthrough.

Everyone goes through those struggles where it feels like nothing is working, those dips, those stretches where you are seemingly making no progress, and then suddenly...

WHOOOOOSH. Success.

The scale will change by 2-3 pounds seemingly overnight. The person of your dreams will walk into your life. A big break will happen at work. Whatever it is, it WILL happen if you keep taking action.

It happened to me and it will happen to you too. I dealt with the anxiety every single waking moment for six weeks, and then I finally found the answer to my problem. And poof, I was cured almost instantly. Success. It comes in spurts. 

Trust me on that.

So never, ever, EVER give up on what is important to you.

But how can you help yourself to stick with your action plan and process goals through these tough times?

The answer is in the Four Pillars of Success, which are also the final four steps of our formula. Once you've nailed down the first three steps - you're ready to use the final four steps to make your transformation stick.  These four steps are Accountability, Social Support, Incentives, and The Deadline.

4) Accountability - Research shows that being accountable to an authority figure increases your chances of success. This might be me, in the TT contests, or your doctor, or your pastor or your supervisor at work. But you need accountability. It can also come from your friends and family too, as we'll see in the 5th Step.

For my meditation success, I held myself accountable to Matt Smith, my business partner, and my chiropractor, Dr. Michael Sommers. Both of these men have been long-time practitioners of meditation and gave me expert advise on making my sessions better.
Without them, I might have given up. 

5) Social Support - Lean on positive people in your life to support you when things are going well, and yes, to give you a kick-in-the-butt to get back on track when you are slipping.

I used the support of other members in the Turbulence Training forums to stay on track with meditation (as I do everyday to stick to my nutrition, as well). And almost every single winner of the TT Transformation Contests has done the same. The more active they are in the forums, the better results they are getting.

You can't go it alone and expect to succeed. You must find positive people - and research shows that online support groups work as well as 'real life in-person' support - to be there when you need a shoulder to lean on.

6) Incentives - There are two ways to implement Incentives into your Success Formula. You can use the "carrot" or the "stick". The "carrot" approach is based on a reward you'll give yourself for taking action and hitting your process and outcome goals.

For TT Contest winners, it's the big cash prizes that motivate them to action every day.

On the other hand, you can motivate yourself with negative consequences. That's the "stick" method. For example, you can punish yourself for not taking action or for not hitting your outcome goals.
When I quit swearing late last year, I created a virtual swear jar. Each curse word cost me $10 that had to go to a charity I did not want to support. (You can also choose to donate to the political party you don't support.) I quickly cleaned up my swearing habits in just six days with this approach.

Incentives work!

7) The Deadline - This might be the 2nd most important component after Action. Without The Deadline, we will procrastinate. Our outcome goal of losing 10 pounds of belly fat drags on and on and on without success, unless we say, "I'm going to lose 10 pounds of belly fat by Memorial Day (May 27th, 2013)" and then make this public to our Accountability partners and Social Support while attaching an Incentive to it.

If you do all of those things, I guarantee you'll have dropped those 10 pounds by the big day.

That's the power of the Four Pillars of Success. They make you take action, stick to your process goals, and achieve EXACTLY what you want in life.

Put it all together and you have a formula for SUCCESS.

It doesn't matter if it's losing belly fat, learning how to meditate, finding the life partner of your dreams, re-establishing your relationship with God, getting a raise, or starting your own business, those 7 Success Steps are a proven blueprint to helping you achieve EXACTLY what you want in life.

Put those 7 Steps for Success into place today, and never, ever, EVER give up on what is important to you.