1) Embody in-body awareness
Embodying in-body awareness is all about tapping into and truly realizing the sensations in your body. Stalking out and diving into embodying these sensations will bring you deep into the present moment awareness and energize your body from the inside out. Tune in to tone up! By tuning into the awareness of your body while exercising, you will tone up quicker. Ask yourself these questions with playful curiosity as you journey through the sensations of your body: Where am I holding tension? What muscles am I exercising? Is my breathing shallow or deep? Can I feel my heartbeat? Is my heart racing?

Action Item:
Practice deep and complete conscious breathing through the nostrils or try one of these specified techniques for 2-5 minutes followed by 2-5 minutes observing the sensations in your body:

*Breath of Fire (if you do not have high blood pressure) which is rapid inhales and exhales through the nose while pumping your abdominals.

*Alternate Nostril Breath which is closing off one nostril at a time as you inhale and exhale alternating nostrils.

These conscious breathing techniques as well as practices like yoga, dancing and meditation help us to ignite and embody our in-body awareness.

2) Allow for “Aha” Moments
Do you plan each moment of each hour of your waking day? This can be depleting your energy.

Action Item:
Allow for magic “aha” moments in your day by simply not planning a portion of your day. It can be as little as 5-15 minutes in between your clients or appointments, but this unplanned time will energize you as you open up to the magic of the moment. I recommend journaling the “ahas” you discover…give this a go and you will be amazed at what shows up when you show up!

3) Slow down and Simplify:
One definition of stress is the inability to allow ourselves to relax during times when we actually could be relaxing. At high speed, the body gets addicted to and accustomed to a certain level of adrenaline pumping into our system and then our mind begins to tell us there is more we must do right now, so we never slow down. Does this sound familiar? Stress sucks the energy out of our body, creates disease and causes an imbalance in our nervous system. Slowing down in our daily activities and simplifying our day can make a huge impact on our energy level and peace of mind!

Action Item:
Try on an attitude of being efficiently laid back throughout your day focusing on the task at hand rather than the list of tasks you have set before you. Instead of speeding in your car to your next appointment, take deep breaths while driving at a slower pace and notice the details of your surroundings. Simplify your day by being realistic and orderly in your planning including how and when you will take time to nourish yourself. Do not multi-task . This creates commotion in the mind and stress in the body. Slow motion cuts through commotion. Flow through your day one step, one task at a time. Take a minimum of 15 minutes to pause and eat your meal rather than eating on the go. Where and how can you move at a slower pace in your actions while still being productive? Slowing down and simplifying your day will alchemize energy in your body.

4) Enjoy Exercising Efficiently and Effectively
When exercising be sure that you are enjoying your routine, that it is a well-balanced effective plan and that you are being efficient with your time and within each of your movements. If you are going to carve out time to exercise, it might as well be enjoyable! Joy inspires energy in the body. We all lead busy lives, so your routine really needs to focus on quality and diversity rather than quantity of time.

Action Item:
When you are strength training or working out your core, be efficient in your movements to recruit each muscle fiber rather than quickly flying through a bunch of reps using momentum to cheat. Move at half your pace in each rep. If you are taking a hike for cardiovascular training, I recommend creating an efficient and effective plan so you get the most out of your time. Be clear with your intention, deciding beforehand if you are working out anaerobically (oxygen depleted as in strength training) or aerobically (in your “fat burning zone”). A simple talk test during your cardio routine will let you know if your exercising muscles are receiving appropriate oxygen to burn fat. If you can talk in between breaths, you are burning fat. Finally, try out new activities, a variety of trails and running/cycling routes to mix it up a bit. This will bring joy to your workouts and provide an additional challenge to your body and mind as you try to adapt to the freshness in your routine. Dancing to inspiring music that you love brings great joy to the body and is a great way to get your exercise! A happy heart says goodbye to boredom and hello to joy and energy!

Shanti Medina is a fitness and wellness coach specializing in core integration and stabilization, life’s transitions, empowered healing, and spiritual transformations. Her passion lies in creating and celebrating community while inspiring her clients and students to move from a strong, balanced core in all aspects of their lives. Shanti humbly holds the certifications of Reiki Master/Teacher, Advanced Pranic Healer, American Council on Exercise Certified Personal Trainer and Wellness Coach, Yoga and Pilates instructor, and Advanced Sports Nutritionist. She infuses the wisdom of these teachings to guide her students and clients into a unique somatic journey of discovery, observation and play to live by her tag line: Don’t Just Exercise, Energize™. You can find out more about Shanti by visiting her website at EnergizeShanti.com or becoming part of her Energize facebook community at: EnergizeShanti.