Genesis Transformation Retreat 2009 – COD Ranch, Oracle, AZ

hiking in the desert - the Arizona Trail

We met in Oracle, Arizona at the COD Ranch for 5 days and 4 nights of exploring, hiking, eating, yoga, yakking,  javelinas, games, dancing, bonding, coyotes, tea by the fire and oh yes – fat loss!  Some of us wanted to get back on track, some of us were newbies, some of us looking for a chance to fully immerse ourselves in healthy living with like-minded people.  No matter what we were looking for, we all found what we needed and more!

My personal highlight came on the 4th day.  Samantha and I led the group on a meditation hike:  70 minutes of silent walking in the desert.  We all had much to think about; things to let go of, ideas to embrace, concepts to consider.  My three faithful therapy dogs were along for the mediation and stayed right along side us.

At one point near the halfway mark, the dogs took off in a streak.  I knew they’d heard a pack of javelina off in the brush.  I saw them go and knew there was nothing to be done but wait.  And walk.  I heard the scuffle and the voices of my dogs – trouble.  I pulled slightly ahead of the group to meet the dogs when they returned.  I stepped off the trail and met the dogs and let the group pass me.  I’d already noticed BabyDoll’s hindquarters were chewed up and bloody.  I bent to examine her.  Samantha and I waved on the group and I cleaned up BabyDoll best I could.  Javelinas are sort of like a cross between large rodents and wild boar – they have tusks and curved long teeth that do quite a bit of damage.  They travel in packs, can’t see very well and so tend to just charge, goring anything in their path.  BabyDoll had been bitten and gored.

Samantha went back to tend to the group.   I pulled up in the rear with BabyDoll, Mangas and Seb.  We had about 2-3 miles to go.  Once we got through the green gate, the meditation was over and it was obvious there had been some deep letting go on the trail.  I shared what had happened with BabyDoll – and while there was general concern no one got into the drama. We loaded her up and got her back to the Ranch – and on to the vet – and into surgery – and here she is later that day:

BabyDoll with Sheri and Lisa

The piece I loved about this adventure is that this group was so focused – so deeply attentive to the task at hand of inward contemplation – that we were able to move through a javelina attack with NO DRAMA.  No excitement.  The group did not even know what had happened.  I loved that a group of women could be taking care of themselves in the desert and allow Life to flow around them without messing with their tranquility.  That’s focus.  I’m also pleased that Samantha and I were able to hold that meditation space for everyone else.  It was a beautiful thing.   There was a little bit of noise when I asked if anyone else had seen the hairy tarantula crossing the trail, but hey, that was later.        –Sheri Lynn

The Holy Fuckaroonie Club

The retreat at COD was a life changing event for me.  I’m still trying to really sort everything out, but I definitely had several

Lisa, Kelly, Donna

epiphanies that will serve me well.  My ‘growing up’ in this process really started about 6 weeks ago after I climbed the mountain to Upper Rumble lake.  The following week I had the best workout with Jamie EVER.  Instead of ‘boo-hooing’ I pushed really hard in my head with my power and with my breath and just ‘went for it’.  Ever since then, I have really been enjoying the workouts and the cardios — just a mind switch, really.

So, I believe I was already on a better path mentally and then I got to go to the retreat. . .

HOLY F’AROONIE!

My Attitude
If I had to sum up the retreat, I would say it was a full out cleaning process from my head to my toes.  As I swept away some of the false beliefs that were continuing to limit my success, I realized that I do have the power to change, I want to change, and nothing is going to stop me.  More importantly, I have a better set of tools to deal with faulty thinking.  I am human, and I know there will be both mental and physical obstacles along the way.  Patience, persistence, integrity, and joy will get me where I want to go.

My Eating Habits
I’m on the next step in regard to my eating habits.  I am weaning myself off of American Whey and whey powder in general, and I am focusing more on vegetables and healthy fats.  I got some great new food ideas at the retreat and I’m going to expand my cuisine a bit — I was getting kind of bored with my food.

My Exercise Habits
Why is it that I HAVE to move now?  There must be reason for it, but it feels a bit freaky sometimes.  I LOVED LOVED LOVED the desert hikes, the Yoga and the workouts, each and every one of them.  Can I continue to love them in the midst of work and responsibilities.  Yes, I believe I can.

Mangas

My Choices
The retreat made me realize I have real choices.  It made me realize that I like living with sunshine, I like dogs more than I thought (that spicy little Mangas did it for me), and I want more out of life than what I have now.  My biggest challenge is finding out how many of my relationship problems are my fault and how many of them are not my fault.  My hope is that they have all my fault because then I can solve them.  My fear is that they are not all mine and that my hb will not want to fight for me .  My commitment is that I am going to look at my issues through clear eyes and not through the haze of denial.  Either way, I am happy with the place in my journey right now.

THANKS FOR LISTENING!!

Donna

OTHER COMMENTS:

“It was a welcoming safe environment to learn and talk about a sensitive issue for many of us…”  J.

“This was much more than I expected.  The sessions with Sheri Lynn were both informative and thought provoking.  They were appropriate for people at any stage of transformation…”  L.

“…This has been the REAL beginning of my transformation.  It has been educational, emotional, and spec-fucking-tacular!” M.

“…hands on full immersion of the GT system – clean food, info, exercise and no interruptions from ‘real’ life!  Almost one on one with staff – support, bonding, fun, hard work mentally and physically…plus the benefit of starting right where you yourself are.”

“…great food, lots of group activities, hiking and making new friends really helped me solidify my dedication to healthy living.”

“It’s not just weight loss and I don’t think some people get that.  This was a real eye-opener, and I loved the yoga.”  K.

“Interspersing the conversations with Sheri Lynn with yoga and hiking gave me time to incorporate the content.  The opportunity to have the Team eat with us and share candid conversation expanded the information for me… I would unconditionally recommend this retreat to people…”

From Victim to Master of your Health: The New Biology

This is a must-watch and explains to you in very clear terms the changes in biology science in the last 10 years, and how that affects how YOU can work with your body. Amazing. Worth it. Watch it.

The difference between epigenetic control and dna-genetic control is astounding and will change how you think about your self.

Genesis Coach Training 2009 – Level 3 (Kalispell, MT)

The 2009 Coach Candidates completed their GT training series with Level 3 at Alternate Root in Kalispell, MT (Sept 24-26).  It was a fantastic experience for all of us – filled with education, motivation, and excitement for the future of Genesis Transformation!  We celebrated the completion of the 2009 training series with a delicious catered dinner at Bonelli’s Bistro on Saturday night.

Here’s some pictures from the Level 3 training, enjoy!

(The 2010 Genesis Coach Training begins in January – email david@genesistransformation.com for more information)

the group at Bonelli's Bistro

Marilyn, Nance, Tami, MaryAnn, Christy, Jill

Jill, Tracey, Vicki, Dawn, Erin, Kelly

Studying on break: Vicki, Erin, Kelly, Dawn, Tracey

discussing a group coaching exercise

Sheri Lynn

Jamie Lynn

Communication & Trust exercise

Vicki coaches Tracey through an obstacle course

the group at Bonelli's Bistro

Team Genesis - Jamie, Sheri, Samantha

Do the Thing – Courtney Townley

“The law of nature is, Do the thing, and you shall have the power:  But they who do not the thing have not the power.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Accountability is the backbone of the entire Genesis Transformation process.   It defines the role of the coach as much as it names the end point of a client’s journey, a journey that begins with the coach holding the client accountable but ends with the client holding themselves accountable.  Genesis Transformation teaches all who embark that “accountability” is at the heart of living an empowered life.  It is not dreaming, or thinking or wishing about “doing the thing” that makes us successful.  It is having the intention and the follow through that leads us to be our greater selves.
Clients initially inquire about the Genesis Transformation process because they have lost their way in the chaos of a busy life, and they have ultimately become a little, or a lot, less of who they originally intended to be.  They have become less accountable or not accountable at all to certain aspects of their life, namely diet and exercise.  Knowing that there must be another way, they courageously pull over on the shoulder of life and ask for directions from someone who is more familiar with the territory.  Enter the Genesis Coach.
A Genesis Coach is a certified personal trainer, who specializes in weight loss and lifestyle management techniques.    Their job is to help a client navigate their way to better health by educating them on basic human physiology, the effects of food and exercise on physiology, and how to apply that knowledge to their individual needs.  Perhaps the biggest role that a Genesis coach plays, however, is to bear witness to a client declaring a goal, and then hold the client “accountable” to meeting that goal via smaller weekly goals that the coach and client discuss during their consultations.
There is no doubt that accountability, to ourselves or someone else, plays a vital role in the success of a lifestyle transformation program like Genesis.  How else could progress be gauged?   The “thing” either gets done or it doesn’t.   And there is no “try”, as my husband always lovingly reminds me, there is only “do”.  We enter food into the database or we don’t.  We eat cleanly or we don’t.  We lift weights the 4 times we said we would or we don’t.  We do all of our cardio or we don’t.  We put focus into our workouts or we don’t.  We arrive at our goal or we don’t.   We maintain our goal by assuming responsibility for all that we have learned throughout our transformation or we don’t.

Courtney Townley

The role of the coach, as I see it, is to act as a trail guide to help the client find their way back home, back to their natural state, a state of pure and abundant health for which the client is ultimately responsible.  Coaches are familiar with the territory of fitness and wellness and can suggest the safest and most direct route to the client’s destination.  And if the client makes a wrong turn (as in the self-sabotage of NOT doing the thing), the coach is there to  show them back to the path that the client originally intended to be on.
Together the coach and the client walk the same path many times over to be sure the client knows the way, understands how to use the tools (habits) the coach has provided them with and how to seek out landmarks that may indicate that they are headed back in the wrong direction.  Slowly, the necessity for a coach fades  as the client’s ability and willingness to be accountable to themselves emerges.   And to bear witness to another coming into their own power is a truly awesome thing!

Confessions of a Genesis Coach

Courtney Townley

Becoming a Genesis Coach was not a part of my original plan.   Knowing I was not reaching my fitness potential and deeply impressed with the results I had seen her work produce, I contacted Sheri Lynn, not to hire me, but to hire her!   Admittedly, it was slightly uncomfortable for me, having been a professional in the fitness industry for the past 10 years, asking for the help that I felt I should have been able to provide to myself, but I was at a complete loss on how to get to where I knew I could be.  The ego pushed aside, I made the call and jumped into the program feet first.   I followed Sheri’s instructions, with a few detours (learning couldn’t eat pancakes whenever the mood struck me was a major blow) and oh how my life has changed!
I fueled for 6 months, working my way up to 3000 calories a day and learned more about the chemistry of my body than I ever bargained for.  I was frustrated that as fitness professional I had never been exposed to this type of process, but, at the same time, I was elated that there was way back to health for anyone who chose to simply follow instructions!  I had been athletic my entire life, but no teacher or trainer I had ever hired or worked with had even suggested the things that Sheri presented to me.  I attended fitness conventions every year, but not one lecture I attended presented a systematic, progressive process for teaching clients how to take control of their health with real food and moderate amounts of exercise.  It seemed to me that effective, realistic, long-term weight loss was a mystery to even the fitness industry.  Yikes!
Fueling made complete sense to me.  Eat more clean calories to boost the metabolism, and lift weights to increase muscle mass, which also boosts the metabolism.  During rotation I witnessed my body morph into what I knew it could be.  I felt stronger and more energetic than I had in a very long time….maybe ever.   I told Sheri, if I could maintain my new found energy for the rest of my life, I would pay for the program for just as long.   Fortunate for my bank account, one of the great things about the GT program, is by the time you finish it, you have a clear idea of how you reached your goal.  I have always believed that a good teacher teaches their student well enough that the student no longer needs them.  Sheri guided me, instructed me, gave me support when I faltered and, ultimately, set me free with the tools I need for a lifetime of good health.  Like so many, the process empowered me to be responsible for me!
I now write this essay six and half months pregnant and feel, surprisingly, not that much different from where I was just before I got pregnant.  I am still eating cleanly every few hours, and exercising daily.  It has been a blissful pregnancy and much of that I attribute to what the GT process has taught me.
So although becoming a Genesis Coach was not a part of my original plan, how could I not share all that I had learned with others??  I had clients that had been getting stronger for years, but not reaching their weight loss goals.  Once I introduced the GT program to the personal training services I was already providing, the results were profound.   For as long as I am a part of the fitness industry (which will probably be a very long time considering how much I enjoy it) the principals of the GT program will forever be a part of my philosophy as a trainer!

On Bliss.

As a young woman in my early 30’s I had the pleasure of being under the competent wings of Fran and Sue; both women in their late 50’s.  Fran was my boss, and Sue an experienced co-worker in the non-profit addictions facility where we worked.

These two women turned my world upside down as they introduced me to concepts and ways of thinking that were entirely foreign to me.  I am to this day deeply grateful for the mentorship.  One concept I found particularly boggling was the new (at that time) thinking that the path to success was by ‘following your bliss’.

Follow my bliss?  I was an over-tired single mother of 3 youngsters working full time, attending college and struggling to keep up with bills.  Bliss?  What was ‘bliss’?  I could not imagine bliss.  I was so confused by this concept that it pissed me off.  Sure, these educated successful women in their 50’s with no kids at home and big smiles on their faces with all the time in the world to do all this self-introspection, sitting around doing yoga, laughing at themselves together, guzzling coffee and chatting all the time – whatever.  Of course they had time for ‘bliss’.

Sheri Lynn

Eventually I hit a ceiling in my counseling career, and decided to attend college full time in Fairbanks, AK.  I worked on applying the ‘bliss’ concept – but I really didn’t know what to do with myself.  So I looked at challenging my fears.  My biggest fear was math.  I hated math with a vengeance – so much so that it was suspect.  I decided to go into Engineering to both address my unreasonable fear of math and be in a career that I knew would be lucrative enough to support my family.  Long story short; I took 5 years of math – from beginning algebra to differential equations – and rocked it.  My entire focus for 5 years – despite all the coursework I excelled at – was getting through the math.  When I ‘got it’ – when I understood the language that is math – I was exhilarated as it opened new levels of communication along with channels of thinking that had never occurred to me.  My entire education in Minerals Engineering was all about conquering and excelling at the math.  (If you are math phobic, you will not comprehend this.  I get that!)

Where was the bliss?  I still struggled with that.   Somewhere in there, I had figured out that when I wasn’t happy doing what I was doing to get better at it; in a smoky bar open until 5am and populated with a rough crowd, I poured perfect cocktails…an on spot 2-ounce pour without measuring.  I applied this to all of my subsequent endeavors.  It wasn’t bliss but it got me satisfaction.

Life works in crazily mysterious ways. Here is what happened.  I was a bartender, and then a counselor (not all that different, trust me – sans the perfect pour) – and then a mining engineer, followed by a civil engineer, when someone close to me pointed out that what appeared to make me happiest was the time I spent as a gym rat coaching other people.

Yes, that is what made me happiest.  I’d been doing it for years – all the way back to when I was hanging out with Sue and Fran lamenting on my lack of bliss – the steady joy in my life was my fitness and bringing that to other people.  I was already even certified as a personal trainer and a weight management consultant.  My hobby.

I was so happy in fitness-land that I could not imagine that ever being ‘a career’ because that is what I did ‘for fun’.  Stay with me here.  I could not identify this as my bliss because I was so deeply protective of my ‘fun time’ that I didn’t want it to feel like a ‘job’. In other words, all the years I spent looking elsewhere and it was right there, in the thing that inspired me to get up at 3am for the prior 10 years.  Whoa.  My bliss was in the thing contained in the piles of books and magazines by my bed.  It was in how I ate and what pre-occupied my conversations.

Being a quick study, I quit my civil engineering job and spent a couple months gathering more knowledge when I got scared financially.  I went back into engineering again in a slightly different role for a brief amount of time before I took a deep breath and dove fulltime into my fitness career, renting my own studio.  Within just a few months I was busier than I ever imagined and I have never looked back.

Today, I am in my bliss. I love my work so much that all the countless hours I spend ‘working’ do not feel like work.  My life’s work provides others the ways and means to support themselves in fitness.  I happily take on new projects, I trust the trajectory of my business, and meetings feel like play time.  I’ve worn out the keyboard on my computer (literally), I travel constantly; I mentor, coach, punch my engineering calculator (kept that) and play in new gyms all the time.

My night-table reading now consists of business books as I segue into a new position of running a much larger enterprise than I had imagined.  I am swimming in new waters now.  As I look back, the bartending, counseling and public speaking provided me with people skills that are the cornerstone of what I do.  That engineering degree freed me from a fear of math that could have stifled my ability to do business at this level, and taught my logical brain how to think analytically in a productive manner.  I can see, now, that everything I have done in the past brought me here.  To following my bliss, full time. I got what I asked for.

You know where it all started?   With the early desire to go from a frumpy over-tired woman plagued with a ‘bad knee’, weekly migraines and a butt-load of excuses to a vibrant healthy person.  This entire world I live in began with that burning desire to be able to live in the world without pain.  I met Fran and Sue just a couple months into that quest.

The wonder of it all astounds me.

Genesis Coach Training Level 1 2009

Team Genesis hosted the inaugural Genesis Coach Training at the C.O.D. Ranch in Oracle, AZ January 21-25.   15 attendees arrived from California, Colorado, Oregon, New Mexico and Montana.

Team Genesis arrived on Tuesday and enjoyed a gorgeous hike on the Arizona Trail before settling into an afternoon meeting and preparation for the arrival of the trainees.  Wednesday, folks showed up all day long and Lennie did a great job shuttling and general hosting.  We sat around the fire that night giggling, telling stories, and getting to know each other.  Jayla introduced me to ‘hot cocoa’ – chocolate American Whey in hot water.  Wow, that was decadent.  I had no idea what folks were doing with protein powder…and it only got more imaginative as the days went on (what WAS that frozen pink stuff, Erin?)

Samantha taught yoga early every morning.  For many, it was a first-time yoga experience!  All day classes Thursday – Saturday were interspersed with movement classes taught by both Jamie and Samantha.   Regular meals were cooked by awesome five star chef David; in-depth group assignments and evenings around the fire kept everyone busy.  I, personally, had a fabulous time – and I’ll let everyone else speak for themselves:

“As with every Genesis event I have attended, not only was the information valuable and pertinent, but it was impeccably prepared and thoughtfully presented.  Plus, the setting was perfect for our group…”  Marilyn

“…wonderful variety of fitness classes and great instruction.  The schedule was great and a nice mix of activity, group work, lecture and Q & A – this course did not drag!  Fantastic all the way around!…”  Jill

“Wow.  What an amazing experience.  I had no idea that not only would I learn about an incredible fat loss program, but I would learn about a diverse group of amazing women…my eyes have been opened along with my heart…Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of this amazing process.  I look forward to the next one!”   Kelly

“…we are required to take classes to learn how to drive a car, but there is very little CREDIBLE teaching out there about how to take care of our bodies…”   Dawn

“This has been an amazing and powerful weekend – both personally and on a professional level!…”  Tracey

“…each hour was better than the previous for me as resistance melted away and I was able to see and envision the reality of what this ‘fat loss’ program really is and what it can do…”    MaryAnn

“…learning how to share this experience of being healthy and fat loss with these methods will revolutionize the health of this country…this program is at it’s most basic level about supporting people to love themselves…”  Vicki

“Samantha, Sheri, and Jamie are so knowledgeable in their fields and are dynamic, organized, through and professional.  The attention to making us comfortable – food, location, yoga, materials, support etc. was amazing…”  Erin

“…promoted co-operation among other coach candidates, and downright fun hanging with such awesome women (and Lennie!)…”  Dave

“…I have a totally new appreciation for what Genesis Transformation is all about.  Thank you for trusting us enough to share this with others…”  Tami

“…The training was amazing! Incredibly inspiring & informative.  Professionally presented in a precise and detailed manner.  Thank you so much!”  Christy

“I highly recommend Genesis training to anyone who has experienced the joy of taking responsibility for thier health and nutrition, and wants to share their experience with others…”  Karen

“The information presented is priceless!  This was just what I needed at just the right time.  How wonderful for me to have these skills to share with the world!  Thank you so much!”    Jayla

“Sheri’s passion and love for her work came through so clearly!  The information was excellent…Samantha’s yoga classes were a great way to start the day, and the food was excellent!  Thank you for a truly unique experience!”  Jodee

“The information, format and pace were great.  Time to bond, stress-release, and let the knowledge soak in…”  Nance

“The ideal seminar is not only fun and informational, but brings the participants to a new level of personal growth and awareness.  This was all that, and more!”   Marilyn

See our event schedule on our main website here.  The Genesis Coach Training Levels 1-3 for 2009 are already full.  Check out the Retreat in October, as well as the Genesis Coach Training 2010 in January of 2010.  Find us at Genesis Transformation on Facebook to see more of the pictures from this event!

Holiday Giving!

How to Balance Giving with Receiving this Holiday Season

Often our holidays are filled with the hustle and bustle and lots of giving, giving, and more giving. We give not just gifts but our valuable time and energy as well. Giving feels good and is healthy for our hearts and spirits. Where it becomes unhealthy or unbalanced is when this time of year finds you rundown, overwhelmed and stressed out. Often this leads to getting off track, cheating, and then the feelings of remorse and guilt set in. This time of year our ego minds can enjoy indulging in making a million excuses that can lead us to cheat. I’m sure you’ve all heard the saying, “Excuses are like noses, we all have one”. Make a conscious choice to enjoy this holiday season of giving from a centered and balanced place without the excuses. How can you accomplish this you might ask? Allow yourself to receive by giving a gift to yourself, the gift of self-care. Receive this gift to yourself wholeheartedly and with a deep sense of gratitude for your life and health. Invite this balance of giving and receiving into your life so that you can feel your absolute best and enjoy the true pleasures this season has to offer.

A list of gift ideas for your WORTHY self to receive:

1) Eat clean, you will feel better and be more capable of handling the busyness

Courtney, Jamie, Samantha, Sheri

2) Get plenty of sleep
3) Receive a massage
4) Take a yoga class or practice yoga and/or meditation at home
5) Write in your journal
6) Practice deep breathing throughout your day
7) Prepare and pre-plan for your success in attending parties
Take a bath
9) Go on a walk
10) Make a list of all that you are grateful for in your life
11) LET GO of the excuses that no longer serve your highest good

Your body and mind will be extremely grateful for receiving these gifts of self-love and care. Living from this place of balance will allow you to be more centered, less reactive and less stressed. Guess what this will do for your physical body? It will allow your hormones to be balanced and support you in dropping fat!! This holiday season I encourage you to be mindful the next time the excuses surface. Do not sabotage your self, you are responsible for your actions. Stand in your truth, genuinely listen to your body and then ask yourself, “Is it my ego or my higher self that honestly wants the cookie?” I know and trust that your internal wisdom will guide you in the right direction. Keep in mind that our bodies are a gift from our source. They are our soul’s temple and meant to be cherished. We must care for them with great respect, appreciation, love, nourishment, and nurturing.

Samantha Gilman is a Genesis Coach and ACE certified personal trainer.

Food Addiction – Sugar

STUDY SUGGESTS SUGAR MAY BE ADDICTIVE

Finding might yield new insights into eating disorders, experts say

By Amanda Gardner, HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 10 (HealthDay News) — Science is verifying what many overeaters have suspected for a long time: sugar can be addictive.

In fact, the sweetener seems to prompt the same chemical changes in the brain seen in people who abuse drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

The findings were to be presented Wednesday at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology’s annual meeting, in Nashville.

“Our evidence from an animal model suggests that bingeing on sugar can act in the brain in ways very similar to drugs of abuse,” lead researcher Bart Hoebel, a professor of psychology at Princeton University, said during a Dec. 4 teleconference.

“Drinking large amounts of sugar water when hungry can cause behavioral changes and even neurochemical changes in the brain which resemble changes that are produced when animals or people take substances of abuse. These animals show signs of withdrawal and even long-lasting effects that might resemble craving,” he said.

Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, added: “The big question has been whether it’s just a behavioral thing or is it a metabolic chemical thing, and evidence like this supports the idea that something chemical is going on.”

A “sugar addiction” may even act as a “gateway” to later abuse of drugs such as alcohol, Hoebel said.

The stages of addiction, as defined by the American Psychiatric Association, include bingeing, withdrawal and craving.

For the new research, rats were denied food for 12 hours a day, then were given access to food and sugar (25 percent glucose and 10 percent sucrose, similar to a soft drink) for 12 hours a day, for three to four weeks.

The bingeing released a surge of the neurotransmitter dopamine each time in the part of the brain involved in reward, the nucleus accumbens. “It’s been known that drugs of abuse release or increase the levels of dopamine in that part of the brain,” Hoebel said.

But it wasn’t only the sugar that caused this effect, Hoebel explained — it was the sugar combined with the alternating schedule of deprivation and largesse. After three weeks, the rats showed signs of withdrawal similar to those seen when people stop smoking or drinking alcohol or using morphine.

The scientists next blocked the animals’ brain endorphins and found withdrawal symptoms, anxiety, behavioral depression and a drop in dopamine levels. In other words, they confirmed a neurochemical link with the rats’ behavior.

But longer periods of abstinence didn’t “cure” the rats. Instead, there were long-lasting effects with the animals: They ingested more sugar than before, as if they were craving the substance and, without sugar, they drank more alcohol.

The researchers speculated that some of these brain changes may also occur in people with eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia, although more research needs to be done to confirm the effects in humans.

“Some say it’s easy to lose weight — you just have to shut your mouth, stop eating so much,” Aronne said. “I tell them a good way to overcome global warming is if people made less carbon dioxide by breathing less. Obviously, that’s absurd. You can’t do it because you feel uncomfortable.

“The same thing is true of eating,” he added. “Fattening food has an impact on the regulating mechanism that breaks down your sense of fullness, makes you feel an urge to go back and get that blast of sugar and this creates the vicious cycle of weight gain that we’re going through.”

(This article was scouted by Della Littfin)

**************

SHERI LYNN’S RESPONSE:

“Study Suggests Sugar May be Addictive”?  Sometimes the research is so far behind what we know about ourselves, isn’t it?  That said, it’s good to see this in print, especially at this time of year.

What I really like in this article is the reference to the fact that long period of abstinance do not ‘cure’ one of sugar addiction.  Like alcohol, the addiction marches on whether you are participating or not.  Many, many times our clients in Genesis Transformation will be surprised that after a long hiatus of not eating sugar that when they DO eat it, the addiction kicks thier butt harder than they expect.  They believe in thier heads that becuase they’ve not been eating it, it’s somehow become inoccuous – but that is not how addiction works.

Did you know that sugar has been listed with the FDA as an addictive drug for over 30 years?  A good solid read on the subject, if you can find the book – is Sugar Blues by William Duffy.  For many years this book has remained the definitive study on sugar and how it affects humans.

Samantha on Skiing Conditioning…

Samantha Gilman

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR BODY FOR A HEALTHY SKI SEASON

Whether your passion on the hill is alpine skiing, snowboarding, telemarking, backcountry and/or cross-country skiing it is essential to prepare your body for the high demands these snow sports require. Preparation and conditioning routines ensure a safe winter and are essential for both recreational skiers and expert skiers. How can we prepare our bodies to be healthy, strong, flexible, and agile so that we can avoid injury? There are several key components for getting your body ready to operate at its optimal performance. These include good posture, proper alignment, core strength training, cardiovascular endurance training, stretching/yoga, adequate sleep, and a nutritious diet.

Skiing is a highly demanding sport that requires top physical conditioning. A skier’s preparation for the season should include overall body strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and explosive power. Yet many skiers hit the slopes after little or no training in the preseason and ask their bodies to perform. This physical exertion can be too much to ask of our bodies and can often result in sore muscles, fatigue and injury if not properly trained. The most common injuries in skiing are joint related, and the best way to protect your joints is to build muscle to support them. Muscle strength will also improves every skier’s performance, whether they are a beginner, intermediate, advanced, or expert skier.

I want to expand on posture, alignment, and core strength training first. By core strength training I do not mean just doing abdominal exercises as most people would think. Our core is the engine of our bodies and consists of twenty four muscles that attach into our trunk area that we call our “core”. Strong core muscles keep your back healthy, allow you to hold your body upright and maintain good posture and alignment. A weak core means your body does not work as effectively and your other muscles have to pick up the slack. Guess what this results in? Wear and tear on your joints which can result in back, knee, neck, shoulder injuries and a body that ages way before it is meant to. Think of your car and its alignment, when your car is out of alignment your tires wear uneven and you have to replace them sooner, right? It is the same with your body except who wants to replace their joints? A body that is balanced and strong will give you an extended range of motion and the ability to stabilize your body from any angle, therefore preventing injury. For the athlete a strong core will aid you in your power moves, and your whole body will function more efficiently. To strength train a misaligned body with a weak core will just promote more physical degeneration and pain. Having a strong core and body will ultimately allow your body to operate the way in which it was designed to; healthy and pain free.

Strength training for skiing must include strengthening the core, legs, hips, back, shoulders, and ankles. Building muscle will improve your stability and balance in all types of terrain and snow conditions. It will also develop your foot to foot quickness and add explosive power for intensive bursts of energy required in moguls, tree skiing, and freestyle. When the muscles are not properly developed and balanced the potential for injury is high. Cardiovascular exercise will give you the aerobic capacity, stamina and endurance to ski all day long if you choose. Not having this endurance results in early fatigue and poor concentration that can often result in crashing and injury.

Why add yoga or stretching? Strenuous activities like downhill skiing promote tightness and inflexibility in the muscle groups. Stretching will help protect your joints, tendons, and ligaments from injury and increase your flexibility and range of motion. It will also reduce muscle tension, signal your muscles they are about to be used, improve ease and freedom of movement, and also enhance quickness of ski turns. Stretching also maintains muscle elasticity, this decreases with age and is vital for skiing. Skiing requires you to be agile at all times with the freedom to move quickly and easily without pain or stiffness. Therefore stretching is imperative for all skiers.

Lastly but not least important is that carrying around extra weight puts undue stress on the joints, heart, and all bodily functions. We want to maintain a healthy weight and feed ourselves whole foods that give our body the supreme nutrition in deserves. It is essential to replace the energy our muscles expend while skiing by eating a balanced diet of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Carbohydrates replace the glycogen lost in the muscle tissue and protein aids in building and sustaining muscle. So after a day on the slopes treat yourself to some fruit, protein, and water instead of beer and fries. Make sure to get plenty of water as it is easy to get dehydrated when exercising outside in cold temperatures. A good nights sleep will also keep your body able to respond and perform at its optimal level.

It is definitely not to late to get your body prepared for the ski season. Go ahead and get out to your local gym, take classes and educate yourself so that you may enjoy a healthy, fun ski season this year and for many years to come!!

Samantha Gilman is an ACE certified personal trainer, ACE certified weight-loss consultant, Kundalini Yoga and Iyengar Yoga Instructor, and has previously held certifications in both Alpine and Telemark Skiing through PSIA. You can contact her at Samantha@genesistransformation.com.