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August 27th, 2010
So then what’s the Bad News? Well, I don’t see it as ‘bad news’, per se, but you might. Here it is:
There are no quick fixes.
That’s right. There aren’t any. It’s all a process, a journey. The trick is to set goals and enjoy the journey.
I meet a lot of people who are interested in how fast they can lose weight, build muscle tone, and variations of those two. If they don’t see results in the first month, they are sure they are wasting their time and they get frustrated and often quit. This goes for my clients, gym members who join in January, anyone who is starting a new program. They quit after one month because they don’t see results. This is true for most people
Guess what, it takes approximately THREE MONTHS to begin to see results!
Here’s what I tell my clients as far as my services go:
In 10 sessions you will start to feel a change.
In 20 sessions you will start to SEE a change.
In 30 sessions you are in a good healthy place where you can begin to play around with smaller term goals to keep the longer term goal of staying fit and healthy.                                                                                Examples of shorter term goals would be thinner thighs, firmer butt, 6-pack abs, sculpted arms, etc.
This is based on 2 workouts per week.Â
I had a client recently whose spine was curving forward and as a result couldn’t stand up straight. He couldn’t balance at all and to look forward he had to crane his neck. So I went to work on lengthening the spine and pulling the shoulder blades back, opening the chest. If you try to build your strength on an unstable spine, you are going to make the situation worse. You need your spine to be strong and healthy, and that is your foundation for all other movement. This particular client got frustrated and quit after 6 sessions- which he had spread out over 6 months. Would you have expected results with such a schedule? You may answer of course not, but in the situation you might have surprised yourself. Point is, to get him to a healthier spine so that we could begin to work on building strength, balance and stamina, we needed 20 sessions, 2 sessions a week.
And the Good News is… You CAN change your body! You CAN change the status of your health! You just need to be realistic about your goals. Set a time frame and stick with your program. We are always here to help you with advice and programs to get you on your way!
To Your Excellent Health,
Your Fitness Coach
Miranda Zukowski
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August 23rd, 2010
What is that Thing you want to do? Have you figured out why you’re not doing it yet?
I am going to use myself as an example.
In school, I was incredibly PAINfully shy. I was anxious to the point of physical discomfort. The thought of someone asking me a question that I didn’t know the answer to made my stomach hurt. I didn’t make friends easily, didn’t talk to people. Going to school was torture. So, somehow, as a teenager, I recognized this pattern wasn’t working for me. I auditioned for plays. In college I started up my theatre training. Forced myself to speak in front of others and get up on stage. It hurt a LOT!! But once I pushed myself through it a few times, it didn’t hurt anymore. It became fun! And more importantly, I knew that I had changed myself. I felt empowered.
When I was 16 my Mother wanted to teach me how to drive. All the other kids were driving, but I didn’t really want to. I liked being driven around by Mom, Dad and friends. She took me for driving lessons and I was a mess. I almost ran into a school bus. My side mirror got swiped off (Oops!) They bought me a car and I got used to it. We called it the Blue Bomber because we bought it used from an older man who painted it metallic blue so he could see it in the parking lot. Then I decided I could do better. I couldn’t drive a manual, and I decided that would be a good challenge. So I brought a friend who could drive manual to the dealership, we traded in the Blue Bomber and got my pretty Chevy Beretta. I bought a car I couldn’t drive to force myself to learn how to drive it. And it worked. I learned quick! It wasn’t easy, but I felt empowered once I had conquered it.
I’ve followed this pattern a lot in my life. Probably the biggest example is when I moved to New York. After I graduated from FSU in 1997 I moved in with my parents in Fredericksburg, Virginia to work and save up some money for my next move. I had no idea what that next move would be, but I was enjoying life and wasn’t too worried about it. I got a job as a waitress at Applebee’s, started teaching Fitness Classes at Bally’s in McLean, VA (I think? Maybe it was Fairfax?) and also in Fredericksburg, and I got a part in a play at a new dinner theatre in the area. Between all of those fun ’jobs’ I saved up enough money within a year to venture out and do whatever!
Someone suggested New York. I was still into acting so it seemed like a good idea. New York was about the most intimidating, scary place I could think of to move in the US. And I was freaked out. I found my now friend, Joanne Morton, on a yahoo list of some sort for housing, and after one phone conversation she let me move in to sleep on her couch in her East Village apartment for one month.  We were both crazy, it was a crazy move. I jumped right into the middle of it. The test was, she would let me stay for one month for $400. In that time, if I didn’t sink my heels, teeth, claws, whatever into another place to live and a job, then I would go back to Virginia. So, it was a one month test. And it started on October 4, 1998. It was ON!
I remember as my Mother and I drove up I-95 that I was thinking “What the Hell am I doing?” We almost got into a car accident in heavy rain. Seemed like a bad omen. I wanted to throw in the towel. The second that instinct kicks in, the other, stronger one that I’ve seemed to develop kicked in and said “Oh no, you’re not getting out of this so easy. You’re going to follow this through!” It was a conflicted day. But in the end, I did follow through.
The first morning I woke up on Joanne’s couch I got up and went to a dance audition. I also went to pick up job applications. Within 2 weeks I had 2 jobs- one at the Drama Book Shop, and one at a bar/restaurant called Flight 151 which had locations in Chelsea and way up upper east side. Not sure what 94th and 3rd Ave was called back then. Within the month, one of the girls I waitressed with needed a sublet for her apartment in Queens, so I was in. Still taking it one day, one week, one month at a time. One thing lead to another and here I am! Right where I’m supposed to be, doing what I feel passionately is my purpose.
This all occured to me just a day ago- that I am terrified of lots of things. But the things I am the most terrified of I dive headfirst into. I want to conquer! I want to feel exhilarated and alive! And I have, and do.
So what is it that you want to do? What is holding you back? It’s ok to be afraid- it’s what you do with your fear that makes all the difference. Do you give into it? Or do you face it head on? Remember this; as far as we know, we have one life to live. It’s up to YOU to live it!!
Jump right into the Middle of it ALL!!!
CHEERS to YOUR LIFE!
Miranda Zukowski
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August 18th, 2010
What are you saying to yourSelf right now? How many nice things did you tell yourSelf today? How many mean or negative things did you tell yourSelf today? Your experiment for the rest of this week is to count. You may surprise yourSelf.
Is there something in your life that you want to do? Why aren’t you doing it? Money? Time? You don’t think you’re good enough? What is it you are telling yourSelf? Figure it out so you can move past it. The first step is to identify your thought patterns. Then you can focus on changing them.
Here are some examples of negative self-talk:
“I’m not good at…”
“I don’t have time now”
“I need to earn money first”
“I’ve waited too long now”
“Who cares?”
“I don’t know how to…”
These are just a few examples. Ever hear these words in your head?
Here is a quote from Martha Graham: “There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action. And because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open… whether you choose to take an art class, keep a journal, record your dreams, dance your story or live each day from your own creative source. Above all else, keep the channel open!”
This inspires me! I want to jump up and start dancing right now! Maybe I will. But first, I will ask that you identify your negative self-talk. Take out a sheet of paper and put today’s date at the top. Then make 2 columns- 1 for negative self-talk and the other for self given compliments. Do this for a week and you will automatically begin to clue in to what you are doing to yourSelf. The second week, keep track again, but purposely try to give yourSelf more positive reinforcement. See what happens and report back.
Cheers to you!!!
Your Wellness Coach,
Miranda Zukowski
Posted in Happiness, Motivation/Inspiration, What do you want to change? | 1 Comment »
August 12th, 2010
Is guilt a useful emotion? To be honest, I’m not sure. Maybe, if it makes you move your butt to do the things you say you are going to do. But if you just sit there and continue to feel guilty, then I would say, not too useful.
Dump it. You don’t need it. How? Well, first ask yourself what it is exactly that you feel guilty about. Is it something that someone else expects of you, or is it something that you expect of yourself? Which has a higher priority for you?
If it is something that someone else expects of you, it might be something that you feel has no value in your life. So on a list of priorities, where does it fall? Maybe it’s not even on your list. In this case, you just have to decide to take care of yourself and dump the guilt and the pressure of the outside influence. That’s it. Just make the decision. Dump it. You don’t need it. It’s not useful and life is too short.
Now what about if it IS something on your priority list, but maybe it’s not that high up? Doesn’t have to happen immediately, but decide when you can get to it, and go about your life. Dump the guilt.
How about the items that are at the top of your list of priorities that you just don’t do? Ok, well, why aren’t you doing them? Ask yourself why? Afraid it won’t be perfect? Don’t know where to start? It’s too big and overwhelming? Whatever you reason, identify it. You WANT to get this thing done, it’s IMPORTANT to you, and you’re just not doing it, so you feel terrible.
What would make you feel better? Sitting and feeling guilty? Or doing the thing you want to get done? That’s your decision.
This last example comes up a lot in fitness. I have had 3 people recently tell me that my posts on facebook regarding fitness have made them feel guilty, fat and lazy. What does that tell you? It tells me that they think they ’should’ be exercising but they can’t get themselves to do it.
It’s just one example. It could be ANYTHING! If you want to do it, identify your excuses for not doing it. Then just take one step. Baby steps…
Remember that Martin Luther King Jr quote “Just take the first step. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step”, and hop on out there!!
I am going to look into this more deeply, but in the meantime, please share your thoughts and where you are with your ‘guilt’ in the comments.
Life is TOO short for guilt!! If you want something done, just take the first step!
Cheers to you!
Your Wellness Coach,
Miranda Zukowski
Posted in Happiness, Motivation/Inspiration, What do you want to change? | No Comments »
August 9th, 2010
I just got back from a fantastic White Water Rafting trip on the Lehigh River in Pennsylvania. It was a day trip, it was a lot of car time, the food was crap, and it was ALLLLL worth it!!!
It was a BEAUTIFUL day, and we were out on our raft, meeting new people and just enjoying being outside. Lately, one of the questions I ask my clients all the time keeps popping into my head; “Are you breathing???”
Sometimes, I must say, my own answer is NO. I am doing something that resembles breathing that is air coming into my nose, making it halfway down my trachea and then coming right back up. That’s not breathing!
So, in order to practice better what I preach, not to mention enjoy my moments more, I made a point of stopping every now and then and paying attention to my breath. I just stopped myself to take a moment to breathe deeply in and fill up my body with the amazing crisp clean air around me and then let it out. And I felt wonderful! I noticed how beautiful the water was, and I was so happy to be right where I was on the planet. The air felt great, the people were great, and I was GREAT!! No worries of tomorrow or what happened yesterday. Just right now, and the air, the water, the trees and the abundance of life.
When the moment would pass, I didn’t try to grab onto it. I let it go. And then a little further down the river I would make a point of breathing again. Just paying attention to my breath.
When was the last time you just focused on your breath? On what is around you? On life?
What a fantastic day!! Hope your weekend was fantastic as well.
Oh, and I fell out of my boat  But that’s a story for another day…
Cheers!!
Your Wellness Coach,
Miranda Zukowski
Posted in Happiness, Motivation/Inspiration | No Comments »
August 7th, 2010
What is Mind/Body Drama?
It’s when you plan to go running in the morning, and your alarm goes off and the first thought you think is “Oooooh! I can’t Dooooo itttt, I’m tooo tiiiiirrrrrrrred!” (Yes, I believe we even whine in our heads).
It’s when you plan to go to a class, and your friend (who you see all the time) calls and asks if you want to go get chicken wings. You decide to go eat the mounds of food and ditch the class, and you think “I’ll just go next week”.
It’s when you’ve actually made it to the class, and instead of paying attention to what exercises you are doing and focusing on getting stronger, you are looking at yourself in the mirror thinking “Oh My God, I’m so FAT!”
All of the above = Mind/Body Drama! Ever been there?
Let’s just stick with these examples:
A-The “Oooooh! I can’t Dooooo itttt, I’m tooo tiiiiirrrrrrrred!” scenario. First of all, many of us do this. The trick is to see past your crap. You are literally telling yourself crap. Think one step at a time. You can really break this down into baby steps. Here’s what I do:
1st-Â I keep my eyes open and stare at the ceiling (maybe as long as 5 minutes if it’s a really rough day)
2nd-Â I sit up and stare at the wall (hey, I have made progress here!)
3rd-Â Stand up
4th- Walk to the bathroom
5th- Brush my teeth
And then I’m usually past the point of allowing myself to bail. Clearly, this even gets dramatic for me! I have worked my way around my baggage. Yesterday, I planned to go to Omar Sandoval’s “Impact” class (kicking and punching on the bags- good stuff!) and my mind was telling me all this crap- you know- the I’m too tired nonsense. I let it keep going as I went through all of the above steps. It was even still telling me that I was too tired while I was walking to the gym, and STILL going when I walked into the class!! Then I bounced around for an hour and had all this energy. So go figure. I’m not saying that there aren’t times when you actually need to rest, I’m just saying to look a little deeper into your mind to see what the truth is. Practice!
B-You ditch the class you were planning on going to because something ‘more important’ distracted you. Usually, if you let something distract you once, you will allow it again. The ‘giving into distractions’ becomes the habit vs the ‘going to the class’. Do what you can to make the exercise the habit, and then allow for a little give here and there. In this specific circumstance- invite your friend to go to the class with you. It’s a win/win!
C- The “Oh My God, I’m So FAT!” scenario. Ok, so you made it to the class. Congratulations!! Now you are staring at yourself in the mirror and judging yourself. Is that really going to help? Remember, what you focus on expands. So if you are focusing on how terrible you look, how can you begin to look better? I’ll be the first to admit that I think we all judge ourselves pretty harshly, BUT you can adjust your thinking! So when your mind goes there- hit your CANCEL button, and begin to focus on the exercises you are doing, the muscles you are working, the fact that if you can get your head out of the way you ARE getting STRONGER!! Your body doesn’t have a choice- you’ve put it on this path, it’s getting stronger! So focus on that, and that’s what will expand. You will feel better. Guaranteed. You may have to hit that cancel button in your mind several times in an hour when you first start this, but just like with anything- the practice will make a huge difference.
Let me know how it goes!!
Your Wellness Coach,
Miranda Zukowski
Posted in Fitness Tips, Motivation/Inspiration | No Comments »
July 29th, 2010
Once upon a time, when I was still into acting, I needed headshots. I ended up in the home of photographer and actress, Kris Carr, and we hit it off. Had a great time, best headshots I ever had done, and I was on my way.
Went on with my life, and my lovely day with Kris faded into the background.Â
Then one day, I had a random free hour, and I found myself wandering around the Borders bookstore by Wall Street. I was walking up some stairs and I saw a picture of her on the front of a film called “Crazy Sexy Cancer”. Say what? Before I could really register any full thoughts in my head I picked it up. Sure enough, since our last visit, she had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. And, sure enough, she had grabbed it by it’s you know whats and made a film about her experience! The film was produced in 2007. Ever heard of it?
You have probably heard me talk about the Everything is Energy radio show as well. I love it! Well, I just heard Kris speak on the show, and I was inspired and moved by what she and the hosts of the show had to say.
The title of this blog post, if you haven’t already guessed, is from her website www.crazysexycancer.com. And it is so soo true. A carpe diem of sorts. So here’s what she had to say:
When she was first diagnosed, she was running around NYC living life, having a grand ole’ time. Not getting enough sleep, partying with friends, pushing pushing pushing, having a power bar and coffee for breakfast, generally not living a completely healthy lifestyle, but not anything we would consider too unhealthy. Right?  Â
She said there were signs that things were off. Just little bitty signs at first. The hosts of the Everything is Energy radio show have this ongoing theme that comes up where you get little hints from the Universe that you’re not on your path. First it feels like a feather, then a sort of bump on the head, and finally accelerates til it hits you like a Mack Truck. So, this cancer, for Kris, was the Mack Truck.
She talks about how she certainly doesn’t know everything, and how some days are better than others. She has crying days, Super Energetic days, and then there are the days when she allows herself to sleep in. When she was hit by the metaphorical Mack Truck, the thing that changed immediately was her view on her life. She decided to live, to learn about healthy foods, healthy lifestyles and she even wrote a book about it. Her tumors have decreased miraculously in size. The main thing here is that she learned to listen to herself. When her body tells her to rest, she rests. When she needs to cry, she allows the release. How many of us just push on through? She has become more in tune with herSelf, and I think that is the key here.
She says repeatedly that she does not have the ‘Answer’ to everything. She just shares her way, and hopes that it can help others. She also has made it clear that her plight is not just about surviving cancer, but about LIVING YOUR LIFE!!! Her question to you, and mine as well, is what will it take for you to give yourSelf permission to LIVE?
She has an idea, which she says on the recording. It is a ‘Cancer for a Day’ program. If you woke up and found out that you had Cancer and had a few months to a few years to live, what would you change? Ok, well then CHANGE IT NOW! Don’t wait for someone to tell you that you are dying! Live the way you want to live. If you don’t know how to do it, just take the first step!
“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step” -Martin Luther King, Jr.
If you would like to hear the recording go to www.everythingisenergy.com. They have free podcasts on itunes.
Back to my question, and Kris’. What would you change about your life if you woke up and found out you had cancer?
Here’s to Your Health!
Your Wellness Coach,
Miranda Zukowski
Posted in Happiness, Motivation/Inspiration, What do you want to change? | 1 Comment »
July 25th, 2010
Ever see those people in the gym working out like maniacs day after day and their body never changes? Maybe you are one of those people who do as much as they can, and see no results for your effort.
One of the main reasons for this is that you didn’t work on your foundation first. Your foundation is your spine. What would happen if you built a house without a foundation to put it on? It might stay up for a little while, but it would not be strong and it would not last. The same is true for your body.
You need to have a strong stable well aligned spine before you can add anything else. That means working on your core and your alignment. Many people skip this step because they think it seems boring and they want a quick jump to the ‘results’. Well, guess what, you’ll get to where you want to go faster if you start at the beginning!
The spine is the beginning. Your number one building block. How do you get your spine super strong and ready to add more building blocks? There are numerous ways. One is Pilates. I teach a version my clients and I call ‘Mirlates’. Mirlates begins with a calming and centering meditation and is followed by a smooth flow of aligning Pilates moves and stretches, all focused from the core outward.
What the heck is this ‘core’ everyone is talking about? Basically, it is everything in your torso from the pelvic floor to the diaphragm. It’s the abdominal and back muscles that hold your spine where it needs to be. Doing 100 crunches everyday does not constitute a core workout. The 6 pack abs you want are a result of good core work, but if the 6 pack abs are all you want, you’ll be hunched over and in back pain from not balancing your workout with back work. Get it?
So get your spine in good health, and then add your weights in. If you don’t have time to attend a class or do a one on one session, here’s a quick tip:
A one minute forearm plank every day will keep your spine strong and in good alignment. Come onto your forearms and knees. Place one foot back at a time until all that is touching the floor are the balls of your feet and your forearms. Keep your shoulder blades on your back, chest in between your elbows, belly button to spine, hips in line with shoulders and heels and thighs tight.
Mistakes I see most often are people sticking their rear ends up or letting their low back sag. Both signs of weak core muscles. Hold the correct position for as long as you can and then rest. No point holding it in the wrong position. Work up to one minute. Â
Email me when you need a variation.
Have Fun!!!
Your Wellness Coach,
Miranda Zukowski
Posted in Fitness Tips | No Comments »
July 18th, 2010
Everything in your life is a Result. Your weight is a result. Your financial situation is a result. The state of your relationships is a result. You get the picture.
So then I have to ask: Are you happy with your results?
If yes- FANTASTIC! Keep up the good work!
If not- ask yourself what you are thinking and what you are doing/or not doing to bring you your current results.
You cannot fix the situation without getting to the root of the problem.
Let’s look at that literally. Think of your life as a tree. You may think the fruits on the tree are too sour or maybe there are bugs in the fruit. Maybe the fruits aren’t growing as they should. In any case, complaining about the fruit that exists now isn’t going to fix them. Even sending the current fruits ‘positive vibes’ isn’t going to fix them. They are what they are. You’ve got to go to the roots of your tree if you want the fruit to be different.
Your results are an effect of the choices you have made. Unless you alter your choices, the results will stay the same. So what do you want?
First- look at what you are thinking. When you think something that is not useful to you, hit your cancel button and replace the thought with another that is closer to serving your purpose. It doesn’t have to be too far out there. It just needs to be something you can grasp. Just a slightly better thought than the one that it is replacing. You can work slowly up the ladder of your thoughts.
Second- what are you saying out loud? What do you say to your friends? Are you complaining on your facebook wall posts? Whatever you put out there is extremely potent. Why? Because you give meaning to your words and you believe them, whether you’re aware of this or not. Â When people you interact with hear what you say, it strengthens the meaning. For example- how you believe others see you affects to some degree how you see yourself in most cases. So watch what you say. Just make it easier for yourself by leaving out the stuff that isn’t serving your purpose.
Third- what ACTIONS are you taking? Taking a nap is an action. Watching 5 hours of tv is an action. Eating ice cream is an action. Going to the gym is an action. Calling a friend, buying a pair of shoes, staring at the wall, reading a book, putting your legs over your head. All actions. So what are you doing to get you your current results? Decide what actions will lead you towards your goal, and put a plan in place. For example: Every day write down your goal and three action steps, however small, that will lead you towards that goal.
Once that is done, you have set yourself a new path. You will head down that path and eventually get to where you are going.
Cheers to that!!!
Your Wellness Coach,
Miranda Zukowski
Posted in Love, Money, Motivation/Inspiration, Relationships, Weight Loss, What do you want to change? | No Comments »
July 15th, 2010
Lego my Ego!
My Ego has been consistently whispering things to me over the past few days that have me all cranky and insecure. It occured to me today that this information doesn’t quite ring true. It’s wasting precious energy resources and is 100% dumb. I think it’s time to put it in check. Check!
The Ego waits until it sees a weak spot in your walls and then goes straight for it- repeatedly- no rest for the Ego!
Here’s my Weak Spot Ego Story:Â I have been teaching classes at Equinox since September of 2009. It is now July 2010. I only have 3 classes on the schedule and have been trying to add some more. The other day I decided (my Ego decided) to do some useless research. I looked up this guy- very sweet nice looking guy. He is 10 years younger than me, started teaching at Equinox in April 2010 and he has about 9 classes on the schedule. ?!?!?!
Oooooh so jealous! He must be ‘better’ than me. ‘They’ must not like me. Hey! What’s WRONG with me?
(Ever been there???)
As soon as all that hit, a little voice mentioned the non-importance of it, but the Ego was louder, so the fact that this was crap settled into the back of my brain. My Ego was having too much fun making me feel inadequate.
Their are a few facts to consider if I want to discount the Ego. Go to the truth. The truth is that to build up your standing in a company like this, you need to be around the people in charge. That means getting into their clubs to sub classes. I don’t get to sub too many classes because my business, MirZuk Fitness, is so busy that I don’t get a lot of free time to add in more. Especially not at the last minute, which is when a lot of the sub opportunities are. Hello!! So, I’m not running up the Equinox ladder as fast as I want because my business is successful? Duh!! How silly of me to even go there.
But even if this weren’t the case, what difference does it make how many classes someone else has or who likes who? These are not worth spending any amount of energy on, no matter where you are on what ladder. Simply focus on the goal, like the terminator. You think if you said “Hey Terminator! You can’t shoot for shit! You look terrible, put your skin back on!” that would stop her or him? I don’t think so. You would maybe get a glance, and then the terminator would get right back on track- aiming for the goal.
So when your Ego pops up (let’s demote the Ego right now to ego…) find your Inner Terminator and shoot that ego dead! Even if ‘they’ don’t like you, your ego will do you no good. Find your way to where you want to go. If you really want it, you’ll find your way.
Go For It!!!!
Your Wellness Coach,
Miranda Zukowski
Posted in Motivation/Inspiration | 7 Comments »
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