Congratulations to Nella Hahn, LMSW, Andera Quatrale, LCSW, and Jennifer-Thanh L. Hoang, L.Ac. for completing their 10 hour coursework requirement to achieve their Clinical Hypnotherapy certification through the Suffolk Institute for Hypnotherapy. After completing their final examination they will be eligible to sit for their practical examination and will obtain certification through the American Board of Clinical Hypnotherapy.
Another 10 hour seminar course is being planned for mid or late March. Call Dr. Crew for information(880-2531) or go to the SIH website http://www.sihonline.net/ to register or get additional information.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Very important questions
In Zen Buddhist thought there are Zen koans that each student is to ponder and be mindful about. They are questions that are tautological in that they have answers that only bring one back to the original question.
So, I have a few Westernized koans for you to ponder:
1) If an ambulance is in the HOV lane and the person dies on the way to a hospital does the driver have to get into the other lanes?
2) If a hearse is carrying a body do they have the right to the HOV lane?
3) Why do naked people in the locker room of my gym talk with me standing there in all their nakedness?
4) Why am I asking you?
Just trying to be entertaining on this Friday morning. Have a wonderful day. Thanks, Jenn's Mom!
So, I have a few Westernized koans for you to ponder:
1) If an ambulance is in the HOV lane and the person dies on the way to a hospital does the driver have to get into the other lanes?
2) If a hearse is carrying a body do they have the right to the HOV lane?
3) Why do naked people in the locker room of my gym talk with me standing there in all their nakedness?
4) Why am I asking you?
Just trying to be entertaining on this Friday morning. Have a wonderful day. Thanks, Jenn's Mom!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
More Bhuddhist wisdom
"No one outside ourselves can rule us inwardly. When we truly know this, we become free"
Buddha
Buddha
"The Plank"- an overall core and abdominal exercise
This is a wonderful exercise that you can perform anywhere you have a few minutes of privacy. It will strenghten your back, lower abdominals, obliques, upper abdominals, glutes, abductors, and adductors. It's simple to learn and you will be able to watch and feel your progress quickly.
"The plank" is performed by raising your body off of the floor by using the back of your forearms for your upper body and your toes for your lower body(facing downward). You simply keep your body off of the floor by stabilizing it as you breathe and relax your body. Your muscles and core will have to work hard to keep your body weight from collapsing onto the floor.
Begin by establishing baseline by seeing how long you can hold yourself in place effortlessly. Each time you perform this exercise set a goal to hold yourself up for 2 seconds more. Before you know it you will be increasing your time and will amaze yourself. Each day you will notice yourself feeling tighter and stronger.
A few important things to remember... Never allow your back to "bow" as you hold yourself up. When your form becomes sloppy-STOP- you're done! It helps to visualize a favorite place or listen to music when you hold yourself up in the plank position. Keep breathing! Visualize breathing through your navel and into your entire core cage. Say the words to yourself "I am strong and calm."
If you cannot do a floor plank due to being overweight and/or very weak you can perform a modified plank by using a bench or a chair. Be sure you use something that is not going to move as you balance yourself.
Begin by performing this exercise 2 or 3 times a week and then increase it to 4 or 5 times a week. As you add time for your hold, you can actually perform the exercise less frequently as you will become more proficient in achieving results.
I have seen people, including myself, not be able to hold themselves up for 45 seconds who now can hold the plank for over 3 minutes! Go ahead, challenge yourself!
"The plank" is performed by raising your body off of the floor by using the back of your forearms for your upper body and your toes for your lower body(facing downward). You simply keep your body off of the floor by stabilizing it as you breathe and relax your body. Your muscles and core will have to work hard to keep your body weight from collapsing onto the floor.
Begin by establishing baseline by seeing how long you can hold yourself in place effortlessly. Each time you perform this exercise set a goal to hold yourself up for 2 seconds more. Before you know it you will be increasing your time and will amaze yourself. Each day you will notice yourself feeling tighter and stronger.
A few important things to remember... Never allow your back to "bow" as you hold yourself up. When your form becomes sloppy-STOP- you're done! It helps to visualize a favorite place or listen to music when you hold yourself up in the plank position. Keep breathing! Visualize breathing through your navel and into your entire core cage. Say the words to yourself "I am strong and calm."
If you cannot do a floor plank due to being overweight and/or very weak you can perform a modified plank by using a bench or a chair. Be sure you use something that is not going to move as you balance yourself.
Begin by performing this exercise 2 or 3 times a week and then increase it to 4 or 5 times a week. As you add time for your hold, you can actually perform the exercise less frequently as you will become more proficient in achieving results.
I have seen people, including myself, not be able to hold themselves up for 45 seconds who now can hold the plank for over 3 minutes! Go ahead, challenge yourself!
Dr. Crew's Fat Loss Challenge- update week #5
Hello blog readers. I have dropped another .6 pounds of body fat this week. This brings the grand total after 37 days of this program to 7.4 pounds of body fat dropped since starting this program.
I am very content with the progression of fat loss as I do not have a lot of fat to lose. I am continuing to eat one meal per week as a "free meal" and I do not limit myself for this meal. I am eating cleanly the rest of the week. I continue to exercise and weight train and have not lost any muscle weight since this program's inception. I eat fruits and vegetables each day and drink plenty of water. I make sure that I eat at least 4 or 5 small meals each day complete with protein and healthy carbohydrates.
I am beginning to see a pattern here as I become increasingly mindful of my hunger and my body's response to food. I see that I become hungry about 3-4 hours after eating a meal if I have eaten cleanly. If I have eaten too much I do not become hungry this way and I certainly can feel the difference. It is clearly true that one can listen to one's body when it comes to feeling hungry.
I am now reframing minor hunger seeing this as my body efficiently burning fat as I feel a small pang of hunger before I feed the hunger request.
Drop me a line and inform me of how you're doing!
I am very content with the progression of fat loss as I do not have a lot of fat to lose. I am continuing to eat one meal per week as a "free meal" and I do not limit myself for this meal. I am eating cleanly the rest of the week. I continue to exercise and weight train and have not lost any muscle weight since this program's inception. I eat fruits and vegetables each day and drink plenty of water. I make sure that I eat at least 4 or 5 small meals each day complete with protein and healthy carbohydrates.
I am beginning to see a pattern here as I become increasingly mindful of my hunger and my body's response to food. I see that I become hungry about 3-4 hours after eating a meal if I have eaten cleanly. If I have eaten too much I do not become hungry this way and I certainly can feel the difference. It is clearly true that one can listen to one's body when it comes to feeling hungry.
I am now reframing minor hunger seeing this as my body efficiently burning fat as I feel a small pang of hunger before I feed the hunger request.
Drop me a line and inform me of how you're doing!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
"Fair Fighting"
In all relationships, if both partners are completely honest, there will be disagreements and differences. We need to accept that this is a natural and organic byproduct of two souls coming together from two very different cultures, upbringings, personalities and life experiences. It is virtually impossible for two people to view the world the exact same way. Even if we were to find someone who saw everything exactly as we do would that REALLY be what we desire?
So, we accept the truth that we are different and see things differently. But, we have to do well together. I believe that the way to accomplish this often difficult feat is for both partners to be completely honest and completely kind in all interactions especially when there is a disagreement.
I have come up with a list of what I would consider "fair fighting rules" that both partners need to agree to and adhere to. These are merely suggestions and I believe that each couple needs to come up with their own set of rules for their own relationship. Please feel free to borrow mine(ours!).
1) Keep all disagreements ONLY about what it is that you are actually disagreeing about not other topics of disagreement or situations.
2) Do not allow or engage in personal insults and name calling. This causes contempt and anger to fester. You can't really take it back. It will really always be there. And it hurts for a long time.
3) When one partner wants to stop discussing a particular topic it needs to be dropped for the time being.
4) REALLY LISTEN to your partner's thoughts and feelings rather than to be more concerned with your own point of view. When you are interrupting; you can't be listening. Take turns expressing your views.5) Watch your tone and body language. It communicates more than your actual words.
6) Agree to disagree. If you are beginning to repeat yourself and your partner is doing the same thing then it's obvious that this conversation cannot move further at this point in time. Stop beating the dead horse. When we repeat ourselves over and over and over, it becomes redunDUNdant! Plus, we're now "nagging".
7) Accept that it may be that you may not ever agree on a particular subject. Sometimes, it's best to drop it and accept these differences.
8) Express love even when you feel anger and frustration. The foundation of your relationship is more important than having to be right.
9) Agree as to when and if you are both fully prepared to have a conversation where you disagree. Many fights get out of hand due to the fact that one or both partners really doesn't want to talk at that time.
10) Drop the defensiveness and try and see how what you said or did that may have contributed to the problem.
11) Use softer language and avoid superlative statements and words like "always" or "never".
12) End arguments and disagreements in a loving and kind way rather than to walk away or not agree to continue at another time.
13) Avoid any use of sarcasm. It hurts.
14) Understand what a COMPROMISE is. The true definition is when BOTH parties give up something they want so that they can be better together.
15) Keep fights and disagreements private. Never have one in front of children or family members. Keep relationship fights out of your conversations with friends. Keep them for discussion with your therapist. You can share with friends and family that you and your partner had a problem, but never allow yourself to tell the details to others. It will almost always come back to bite you!
16) Be sure of your INTENTIONS when you speak. Do not use words to intentionally hurt or harm your partner. When you seek to hurt them, you are actually hurting yourself as well. You're a TEAM!
17) Don't make any major decisions about the relationship while you are angry. One cannot think and make these decisions when one is full of emotion.
18) Take a break and just sit silently and hold hands. It changes everything and puts things in true perspective.
19) A wonderful question: "What can I do to make you feel better?"
20) Drop all demands. Use language that communicates what you want, not insist upon. You're NOT a dictator.These "rules" have served Michael and I well going on 17 years now. While I am not saying that they are easy to do, I will tell you that the intention to keep them goes a long way in promoting a healthy and enduring and loving relationship.
So, we accept the truth that we are different and see things differently. But, we have to do well together. I believe that the way to accomplish this often difficult feat is for both partners to be completely honest and completely kind in all interactions especially when there is a disagreement.
I have come up with a list of what I would consider "fair fighting rules" that both partners need to agree to and adhere to. These are merely suggestions and I believe that each couple needs to come up with their own set of rules for their own relationship. Please feel free to borrow mine(ours!).
1) Keep all disagreements ONLY about what it is that you are actually disagreeing about not other topics of disagreement or situations.
2) Do not allow or engage in personal insults and name calling. This causes contempt and anger to fester. You can't really take it back. It will really always be there. And it hurts for a long time.
3) When one partner wants to stop discussing a particular topic it needs to be dropped for the time being.
4) REALLY LISTEN to your partner's thoughts and feelings rather than to be more concerned with your own point of view. When you are interrupting; you can't be listening. Take turns expressing your views.5) Watch your tone and body language. It communicates more than your actual words.
6) Agree to disagree. If you are beginning to repeat yourself and your partner is doing the same thing then it's obvious that this conversation cannot move further at this point in time. Stop beating the dead horse. When we repeat ourselves over and over and over, it becomes redunDUNdant! Plus, we're now "nagging".
7) Accept that it may be that you may not ever agree on a particular subject. Sometimes, it's best to drop it and accept these differences.
8) Express love even when you feel anger and frustration. The foundation of your relationship is more important than having to be right.
9) Agree as to when and if you are both fully prepared to have a conversation where you disagree. Many fights get out of hand due to the fact that one or both partners really doesn't want to talk at that time.
10) Drop the defensiveness and try and see how what you said or did that may have contributed to the problem.
11) Use softer language and avoid superlative statements and words like "always" or "never".
12) End arguments and disagreements in a loving and kind way rather than to walk away or not agree to continue at another time.
13) Avoid any use of sarcasm. It hurts.
14) Understand what a COMPROMISE is. The true definition is when BOTH parties give up something they want so that they can be better together.
15) Keep fights and disagreements private. Never have one in front of children or family members. Keep relationship fights out of your conversations with friends. Keep them for discussion with your therapist. You can share with friends and family that you and your partner had a problem, but never allow yourself to tell the details to others. It will almost always come back to bite you!
16) Be sure of your INTENTIONS when you speak. Do not use words to intentionally hurt or harm your partner. When you seek to hurt them, you are actually hurting yourself as well. You're a TEAM!
17) Don't make any major decisions about the relationship while you are angry. One cannot think and make these decisions when one is full of emotion.
18) Take a break and just sit silently and hold hands. It changes everything and puts things in true perspective.
19) A wonderful question: "What can I do to make you feel better?"
20) Drop all demands. Use language that communicates what you want, not insist upon. You're NOT a dictator.These "rules" have served Michael and I well going on 17 years now. While I am not saying that they are easy to do, I will tell you that the intention to keep them goes a long way in promoting a healthy and enduring and loving relationship.
Four Core Beliefs that lean people have about food- #4
FOOD IS FOR STOKING THE METABOLIC FIRE
"When I feed myself nourishing food on a consistent schedule, it stokes my metabolic furnace"
"When I feed myself nourishing food on a consistent schedule, it stokes my metabolic furnace"
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