A WEightless Alteration

Visualizing Change

Change…

Something needs changing, what could it be?

Not my hair…I have the blonde dye sitting here in my bathroom from last January when my friends visited the hotel Amansala and swapped my order for “Frost & Tip,” a generic brand of blonde hair dye, with a high end salon quality highlighting kit that I have no idea how to use.

I have been considering taking on the challenge recently and even went as far as buying tin foil and a pointy tip comb.

This is how powerful a woman’s need for change can be.

When the urge rises up some women revamp their wardrobes, others redecorate their homes and once in a while women get in cars after midnight and drive out of town with the radio blasting and eyes easily glued on the road ahead.

When I was younger-it never occurred to me to look back.

Now I use the past for reference on every question I have about life from why am I prone to breakouts of eczema if I eat too many eggs to why I feel afraid to love anyone because I think they might disappoint me.

I want to change something BIG this time. Not my hair, not my style, not my decor.

I want to make that little tweak that sparks a chain reaction which ends with me…Living my ultimate life…as my ultimate self…in an ultimate place…with ultimate people…eating ultimate food… making ultimate money…and then sharing it all in an ultimate way… and I’m just crazy enough to think that I can pull it off.

Actually…I may be…right now.

A WEightless Meditation

When I returned from a business trip last night, I put the hair dye in a bamboo box which lives under my bathroom sink.

I kind of like my natural hair color, the red tints shining through, and how healthy it looks…maybe my natural is okay and perhaps what I was looking to “change” was a rearranging or evolution of things on the inside-a stirring in my soul which reminds me never to get too comfortable or to take anything for granted.

Suddenly I feel like I’m 8 years old again and I believe in magic and possibility and true love and best friends and happily ever after. I am capable of growing up to be a super hero and I’m pretty sure It’s written in the stars that I will. I’m alive and everything is possible and all the best is yet to come. Its hope and excitement rolled into one. I just call it lust for life…or being WEightless :)

 

 

 

Project Girl Power

Getting an EDGE from VEG

Any scientist will tell you that in order to conduct a proper experiment you must have a good hypothesis and then apply the scientific method of testing the theory and reviewing the results in a non bias way. After careful consideration I have concluded that Juice+Focused, Rhythmic, Body weight Exercise (like Amazing Arms Blast below) = The reason everyone keeps asking me what I do to achieve this “look.”

Just like the human body cannot survive and thrive without connection to and a rhythm with the mind, heart and soul, a WEightless warrior/ super goddess cannot hone into her internal rhythms and manifest movement magic if she’s concerned with the comfort, practicality and style of her training regime. Well listen up Ladies! The best darn tool you have for being your fabulously awesome self is YOU-Inside, outside all aroundside, your body is an epic machine-as is.

I have been doing a lot of research and have been looking forward to proving I can get an “edge from the veg.” Beets, broccoli, spinach, carrot, apple, peppers and ginger… I can almost feel all of my body’s cells dancing for joy at the thought of saturating my insides with the antioxidant rich, phyto nutrient dense wonder drink. Sipping green juice calls forth my super hero self and I feel invincible, ready for anything!

Let go of the crap that is no longer serving you, get healthy from the inside out and I just bet you feel WEightless too.

WEightless Slow Motion

Start every day with positive intention.

Good Morning! Wait, stop, hold on a second…before you go running off in 60 directions to begin your “busy day” lets take a moment to catch up. Yep! It’s ME your inner voice, intuitor extraordinaire and if you give me a chance I will tell you every little thing you need to know in order to live your most ultimate life…promise.

First step-Get connected. Take 10 minutes every morning to stretch, roll, squeeze and bend…or just stand out on your front porch and breathe in the cool crisp morning air. When it comes to being connected to your personal truth, just a little bit of daily persistence and consistency go a LONG way.

Here are some creative ideas done in slow motion. If you feel resistance to this kind of movement, write about it! Chances are there is more there than you’re seeing with your currently limited sensual experience.Once you identify what is really going on (aka negative subconscious programing trying to hold you back from having it too good)  you can surrender, move into and then past the resistance and get jiggy with it.

 

 

Dive In

Training Camp in Costa Rica for WE-UFA

Yesterday I wrapped shooting on the pilot for a video series I want to create called WEightless Escape-The Ultimate Fitness Adventure. The idea was inspired by my life’s work (so far). 11 years of travel and research in a variety of diverse cultural situations, most of which had me tongue tied and turned upside down…Fake it till you make it right?

I know some of you roll your eyes when I talk about turning 30 but it represented a huge shift in consciousness that I am still in the process of sorting through.  I’m not trying to say that “I think I’m so old,” I just want to pay homage to the sensations I felt when the earth shifted on its axis. Right at the moment the clock stuck midnight on the Mayan Riviera and the first moments of 2012 marked the end of unconscious living (or the end of the world in way, I guess). Okay, okay, That may be a tad dramatic but you get the idea. I’ve always called Tulum my “creative portal of genius” named after a garage I used to share with my college roommate. It made perfect sense that I would manifest my ultimate exercise scenario deep in the jungle on the Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The area’s highly energized, almost magnetic charm is enough to change your mind on just about anything. The landscape’s soft, almost transparent glow makes it feel like you’ve died and gone to heaven.

The minute I enter the jungle I feel a distinct element of danger though. The poisonous tree sap that melted my husband’s right ear off last July is enough to make me a little afraid to go any further than a half mile or so beyond Amansala Eco Chic Resort. 

The duality of the landscape reminds me of the place inside myself where a Warrior meets a Goddess in perfect balance and I am capable of everything. It’s the reason I will always come here to celebrate being full of myself and to ask what else?  There are very few places on earth (I think) that have such a unique recipe for higher consciousness and that’s one of the many reasons I am completely addicted to Melissa Perlman’s Bikini Bootcamp.

Like any good explorer though, I will need to go find out first hand.

When I set out to film the pilot for WE-UFA I had no idea that every piece of “advice” I’ve given over the past 11 years would come back to haunt me in the final moments of the days filming.

After hours of running, jumping, climbing, twisting….and that was all BEFORE the workout…I arrive at the edge of a creaky pier on a deserted lagoon deep in the Mayan jungle. The final shot of the day is me diving into the lagoon head first. The entire production team consists of 2 genius, multitalented artists who have 4 cameras pointed at me for the final plunge: One camera directly behind me propped up toward my lower half on a pair of flip flops, One camera directly in front of me on a rock, The photographer circling off shore in a canoe being powered by an 8 yr old barefoot Mayan boy/guide and finally the producer wearing mask and snorkel with an underwater camera. I had one shot to get it perfect. After that I was wet, the opportunity was over.

Zack Morris Time Out-Those of you who know me know that I am a bit like a cat in water. I do my best to move past the resistance and follow my insanely brave husband into waves on a surfboard but it is not my most graceful element.

I yell to the producer, “Is it safe to go head first?” “It looks kind of shallow.” He peels off his snorkel just enough to say “oh yeah, you must make a shallow dive.” “Try to snake your body,” he says. My heart starts pounding  and I realize that this is the one thing I need to do today that scares the shit out of me.

I hear the word “go!” and drive in with my best scared shitless mermaid impression.

I feel the sand at the bottom and push up just as the team burst into applause. WHEW! They like the shot. That’s a wrap.

Can’t wait to show you all how I Get WEightless.

xo

A WEightless Absolution

Sexy Strength

Sexy Strength

I admit it. I’m guilty of being really hard on my body. I’m talking whipped, waxed, painted, braced, stuffed and basically brutalized to be “better than I am right now.” 4 years ago I went on a diet of yams, chicken breast, green beans, oatmeal and protein powder for 3 months in preparation to stand on stage in front of the “experts” in a barely there bikini. We were a group of nervous, hungry, painted ladies balanced on five inch heels all wondering how our own physique compared to the 10 or so other competitors propped up beside us in rinestones and 8 layers of makeup. Even our nails were fake! There we were strutting around half naked under neon lights looking for confirmation that we were superior to the lady standing beside us based on the symmetry of our muscles. The prize? Respect from the Golds Gym community and a plastic statue painted bronze to look like precious medal. Looking back I have to laugh at the whole scenario. GOD! I wanted approval. I ached for it.
Turning 30 in November felt like the perfect moment to reaffirm my commitment to truly love my body and remind myself to play in it, just the way it is. The result? The best damn physique of my entire life and you know what? I feel REALLY strong. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is let go. After all, if we loose control, what will they think? I’ll tell you what, I’m no guru but I promise you that you wouldn’t care what people thought of you if you realized how little they actually do.
There is this beautiful moment when I slip into my skin, put on some inspiring tunes and move to the sounds of pure motivating magic with reckless abandon. I sway, shake, crunch, and breathe my way toward bliss and just when I think I can’t stand any more tingling, energizing power infused emotion driven ecstasy…the workout ends, I wipe the sweat and continue on with life….a little lighter…WEightless actually:)

Sexy, Juicy February

Jugo, Saft, Jus, šťáva, 果汁….JUICE!

I am officially declaring February the month I fall in love with juicing. My ears are open these days and it seems like all I’m hearing about are the miraculous benefits of PLANTS, cool luv em ready to eat more, how? The easy way to get all those healthy workers in ya quick-juicing!

I’ve actually been juicing in my head for 7 months, ever since watching the documentaries: Sick, Fat and Nearly Dead, Food Inc. and Forks over Knives while on vacation at my Sister’s house. By the way, I highly recommend all three. It’s about to be a raw plant power collective consciousness up in here!

I do A LOT of talking and I LOVE to gab but it all means shit unless I’m walking the walk-I had no other choice than to take action on my gut intuitive feeling (aka voice in my mind) that’s been saying (rather loudly I may add): “If you don’t get serious about using plant based whole foods on a daily basis to sustain your heath and vitality, as well as use nutrient dense natural foods in the place of gross, synthetic, crappy-ass drugs to feel better when you’re feeling less than your best…. it’s going to be a long, bumpy road to enlightened living.”

Now, don’t get me wrong, I eat pretty well and my diet includes many whole, plant based foods…but the truth is…I can do a lot better and I’m ready to take it to the next level in 2012. I just turned 30 and I am ready to ride into this next decade like a whiplash rodeo clown-ready for ANYthing.

I scooted down to Chedraui (a Target-ish super store in Tulum, Mexico where I currently reside) and picked up the Hamilton Beach 800 watt juicer…it was the most powerful. I know myself and already the task of gathering fresh veg and fruit daily + creating delicious, healthy immune boosting cocktails + my usually somewhat rebellious bodies inevitable resistance to detox would be a big enough challenge without having to chop everything into little pieces. I want to be able to throw and go.

Although now that I think about it- all that chopping could have been cathartic too. Like cleaning or painting…both on my to-do list.

By Kris Carr, New York Times best-selling author and wellness warrior.

Here is where it gets cool: Inspired by my snazzy new juicer and feeling quite proud of myself for taking ACTION I boogied down to a fruitaria called Pool which provides the produce delivery service to most of the restaurants on the beach. I know the drivers from working at Amansala and I figured they would be a good resource for finding pure (chemical free) fruits and veggies and other healthy, tasty treats-let the research begin! What I discovered at Pool was a treasure chest full of culinary delights! I even found pumpkin seeds and pecans YUM! The trip was a total success… and about $35. A small price to pay for preventative health.
I bought a huge big bunch of mangos and pears. broccoli, carrots, beets, celery and ginger. I also picked up some butter lettuce and cabbage for salad and raw honey for flavor. I was so inspired by my sacks full of “medicine” that I decided to do a little “Cleanse.”

I’ll keep ya’ll in the loop on how it goes and you can always check in with me on facebook for more details.

 

If you are looking for some Detox thinspiration, here is a book I recommend by an amazing Woman Kris Carr-check it OUT WhooT, WhooT!!

 

 

Start FRESH!

Is it noble to sacrifice ourselves for others, jobs, finances etc… or just plain crazy?

This week I challenge YOU to a little WEightless science experiment and propose we put US first.

As in 10 minutes of YOU time first thing in the morning. Go ahead and set your alarm clock just a little early and then make a ritual out of it. I always make a cup of coffee and then dance slowly through the following warmup to a new playlist on my ipod outside as the sun rises. It makes me feel alive and full of energy for the day…could be a little bit the coffee too:)

When you put YOU first A little bit goes a long way. Take 10 minutes every morning to tune into your muscles and joints before you do anything else. This warm up is a perfect way to get your body, brain and breath prepared for the day’s challenges and opportunities. Consistent, focused practice will lead to a more connected mind, body, heart and soul. Plus, these mini movement sessions can add up to big time fat loss by helping you identify what it is you REALLY want in life (not the double dipped chocolate doughnut, that’s not really what you want)

Wake Up – Get WEightless
Purpose: To wake up the joints and draw your awareness and attention into your muscles so you can begin each day feeling connected and flexible.

-Start with 10-15 minutes of focused YOU time. Breathe deep and clear your mind. Create space to focus your intention and set your brain, body and breath to a powerful, positive frequency.

1. 3 deep breaths, arms reaching overhead. Squeeze your muscles as you move.
2. Arms out to the sides, open the chest, pat on the back (right arm, left arm on top).
3. Swimming arms front, reach out of the shoulders and lock the elbows.
4. Swimming arms back, palms out.
5. Shake out the hands and fingers and let go of any negative energy/thoughts.
6. Legs wide, knees slightly bent. Exhale hip bones up to bottom rib bones, breathe out and engage the abdominals.
7. Small hips circles, breathing into the abdomen.
8. Straighten the legs, lock the knees. Big hips circles.
9. Shift your weight to the right leg, lift the left leg, keep the knee bent at 90 degrees. Point the toe and circle from the knee cap.
10. Hold the left leg up and circle the ankles in both directions.
11. Repeat steps 9 and 10 for the right leg.

Remember Recess?

“You can be ordinary by getting away with less than your best. But if you want to be a great, you have to give it all you’ve got- your everything.”

- Duke P. Kahanamoku

Joshua Nilsen Photography

When I was 9 years old I was the tallest girl in my class by a head. I wore big pink eye glasses and rocked a crocked toothy grin that looked like a pile of Chiclets.

I was happy.

We did not own a television set, not even for movies. The Alaskan wilderness was my backyard and rain or shine I was off exploring my environment, discovering tiny universes in the muskeg and enjoying the sensation of being a dirty little girl. I investigated every tree, bush, and bug. I would hike off into the great outdoors and snuggle up in in one of my outdoor forts to read Judy Blume and Sweet Valley High books. My appetite for adventure was insatiable and being bored never even occurred to me. I felt relaxed and confident knowing I was going to be somebody important…someday.

A chime sounded over the loud speaker in Mrs. Foster’s third grade classroom to signal recess. I was always one of the first out the doors and running! For the next 30, glorious minutes I would race around the playground. I climbed up the slide and dove down head first to feel the rush. I swung from the monkey bars and pumped my legs on the swing set. I reached my tipie toes toward the stars. Other than lunch, recess was my favorite activity of the day.

My friends and I piled together after recess sweaty, laughing and poking fun at one another. The kids at school didn’t care about my big pink glasses or my silly smile. My buddies in third grade didn’t even mind straining their necks to whisper secrets in my ear. I was a nerdy skyscraper, full of enthusiasm and big ideas. I was feeling the love.

I wonder when playing became exercise? And working out became a job? I think it happened in my early teens. I stopped having ideas and spent most waking hours worrying about, “are my thighs proportionate to the size of my head?”

In high school, playing outside turned into organized sports with rules and expectations. Instead of running around as fast as I could because it was fun, I started running as fast as I could after a basketball to earn a spot on the team. When we missed a shot or caused a turnover, our team ran up and down the stairs as punishment. I was told that to be successful I was going to have to learn to play by the rules. I packed up all my opinions and questions and listened to my coaches. If we lost a game my friends and I would sit in the lockeroom and feel the heavy burden of defeat with tears and our open hands slammed against locker doors. My first experiences with failure shook the foundation of my belief system and I started to wonder if I was really good enough?

In college I studied sport science and learned fitness testing protocol. It turned us all into numbers and formulas. I wanted to know the science so I could control my rebellious body. I memorized equations to determine how much food we can eat, how much time we should spend moving during the day, how fast our heart should beat to burn fat, the list goes on for miles. I learned about all the muscles and bones and their various functions and mechanisms. I began to notice people stacked into gyms, lit up with neon lights, running in place, starring into TV screens. I moved with them. I was going through the motions. Chest on Monday, Back on Tuesday, Legs on Thursday…. Exercise became a means to an end. It was no longer an adventure. I felt restless. Was this it? I wanted to experience something! I felt the rebel in me rising up. I got an idea.

I thought about my 8 year old self. Giving it my all everyday simply because it was fun. I wanted to reclaim the empowered bliss I felt as a kid. Knowing I was special and that my life had a unique purpose. Mostly I wanted to remind my teachers, clients, friends and family that all it takes to be our most ultimate selves is a little bit of imagination, a spirit of adventure and an unwavering belief in our very own “big” ideas.

The other night I paddled a 10 foot surf board out beyond some 2 foot waves. The water in Jaco is warm and the sunsets blow my mind. Costa Rica feels like home. My personal paradise on the Pacific. My house is surrounded by jungle and waterfalls. I strive to discover something new about myself every day, like how to build a really great website and how to sing. I experiment with my flip camera to create fitness video projects and hang out with the local Tica surfer girls. I don’t feel itchy anymore. Now I just want to share.

* Fast forward to present time (this was written a year ago). I am currently “playing” on one of the world’s most spectacular beaches in Tulum, Mexico at BIKINI BOOTCAMP Want to come experience the magic and feel like a carefree kid again?

Get Connected. BE WEightless

BE Your Ultimate Self

Coach Kiya Gets WEightless With Clients In Costa Rica

When we master the art of dancing weightlessly in the space between words and understanding, we become wizards with communication. With the right combination of words we have the power to transform lives and start a movement.

Sometimes I get an itchy feeling, knowing that my body is telling me one thing but my mind wants another. It’s like I’m looking for any way to escape from the present moment. It feels like something is wrong but I don’t know what so I look for reliable ways to sooth the ache: Chocolate, alcohol, food, television…

Lately, I’ve been consciously creating opportunities to tune in to what I’m feeling and sensing rather than what I’m knowing. That little voice inside called intuition. At this point in my life I’ve explored a lot of spaces on planet earth and had many adventures in self discovery. Now I feel like the last frontier is that quiet space inside me. I want to be brave enough to face the possibility of discomfort head on. I’m ready to be liberated from perception, judgment, expectation and the madness of trying to control every aspect of my life with precision.

After 30 years of searching I have come to the conclusion, THE TRUTH is, everything we really need to know to be our most ultimate selves is already inside us!

So what do YOU really want? What is your life’s passion?
There is no better time than NOW to step aside and allow the real YOU to be heard. Start taking action according to your hearts desires and you will experience magic in your life…Every time. By getting honest with ourselves and beginning to deeply trust what we feel, we become focused, powerful and unstoppable. We can create a life of physical, mental and spiritual freedom where anything is possible.

Looking back I realize that it wasn’t long after I began visualizing and writing about my personal wishes that one by one they have manifested in reality.

Start RIGHT NOW !
Make a list of your top 5 wishes for 2012.
Look at it frequently.
Get quiet and listen…This can be active silence, like when you are working out. Just be sure you are not tuning into your monkey mind (that voice that talks about past and future). Be present, right here, right now and see what comes up.
Don’t judge your dreams and desires as impossible, unrealistic, too hard etc. This is your sociological, programmed ego speaking. The magic is in believing that there are NO limits and everything you wish to be, do and have is not only possible but that it’s right on the horizon.
Can you feel it ?
Are you ready to BE it ?
Live it ?
Inspire others to reach for it ?
That is Living WEightless.
Are you ready to let go of the shit that weighs you down?
Come join us for a life changing week in paradise and discover how to be YOUR ultimate self.
Get WEightless with ME…Coach Kiya.
In Love
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