Tis the season to be stressed, depressed or fat – or so some of my clients would have you believe. “I’ve got sooooo much Christmas shopping to do, I don’t have time for the gym anymore” or “these dark nights are so depressing – I just want to stay indoors and watch telly with some chocolate & wine”.
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH HUMBUG!!!!
Without delving into the complexities of quantum physics and “nowness” (refer to The Power Of Now by Eckhart Tolle for definition), I have been attempting to persuade said clients to ‘live for the day’ – the old carpe diem line coming out every five minutes, but to little avail.
For those readers that have seen the classic film Groundhog Day – you may understand where I’m coming from slightly more. Bill Murray plays the miserable weatherman trapped in the same day that he’s forced to live over and over again. After the first few days of indulgence in TV, chocolate and alcohol (sound familiar??) he soon realises that it’s completely void of any fulfilment and eventually makes him suicidal. After hilariously realising that suicide isn’t an option, Murray is forced to reassess his options and decides to fill his infinity of days with more fulfilling activities.
Before too long, Murray is grade one pianist, ice sculpture extraordinaire and general do-gooder – going out of his way to help as many people as possible in his groundhog day. Eventually winning the heart of Andie McDowell and breaking the spell – the spiritual undertone of one of my favourite movies of all time really brings home the carpe diem cliché.
Personally, I love this time of year for getting out and about with my clients. Some of the colours you see from the autumn leaves are breath taking and the more fresh air you get the better your chance of avoiding the pre-Xmas cough and cold.
Again I must urge you to get up as early you can. You may or may not believe that the human body is designed to wake up at 4am every morning. Yes – you read it correctly! You no doubt awake at 4am most mornings anyway without realising, rolling over for a couple more hours of ‘useless’ slumber. Seize the day and attempt to live it as if it was your last. A morning jog (wear reflective clothing if it’s dark) followed by a stretch and meditation is the way to begin your daily routine.
I often get asked what the best breakfast is – so here are my top three options that I tend to alternate:
• Jumbo oats, mixed seed sprinkle, dried cranberries, goji berries and mixed nuts topped with as much fresh fruit (grapes and Satsuma are my favourite) – all in the biggest bowl you own and drowned in boiling hot water straight from the kettle (brings everything to life). Leave to soak for one minute then add water periodically as it dries out. Served with your favourite Innocent Smoothie. Yum!!
• Poached free-range egg on wholemeal toast with a squidge of brown sauce and another healthy sprinkle of mixed seeds. Served with Tropicana fresh orange juice (with juicy bits).
• Whole earth 100% peanut butter (1kg tub available from Holland & Barratt) smothered over wholemeal bagels. Served with a pint of protein shake (those muscle fibres need repairing after your jog).
I’ve made myself hungry, so I’m off to raid the fridge. Please try and stay in the moment and cease the day between now and next month’s article. If nothing else, just try and watch Groundhog Day – a guaranteed laugh and the secret to life. Enjoy!
Namaste xxx
