Sadie Nardini and Jenn Pike Dishing on Yoga and Why It Is So Versatile and Incredible For Your Whole Being!

Jun 10, 2014

 

Happy Tenacious Tuesday!

It’s still fresh and early in the week and you should still be completely stoked about eating healthy, moving your body, staying hydrated and planning for your vibrant success!

Yes? No?

If you are already feeling the effects of the Monday ra-ra’s and excitement of a new week, a fresh start to dissolving some of your un-healthy patterns and moving into a place of more empowerment within your body DISSOLVE and disintegrate right before you eyes; then you need to watch this link below.

Sadie and I will having you feeling re-engaged and inspired in your life PLUS we will give you a small teaser into the type of energy and info we will be providing YOU this coming Summer in our first ever joint Online program

The Metabolic Firestarter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4KeyJbdkhM

To get a head start on all of the INCREDIBLE information you are going to receive in our program The Metabolic Firestarter, click on the link below and purchase your very own paperback copy of Jenn’s revolutionary book

The Simplicity Project ~ a Simple No-Nonsense Approach To Losing Weight & Changing Your Body Forever!

http://www.amazon.ca/The-Simplicity-Project-Jenn-Pike/dp/099175302X/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

and Sadie’s kickass book

21 Day Yoga Body

http://www.sadienardini.com/21-day-yoga-body

To stay connected and receive more incredible information about this program and so much more “LIKE” our pages on Facebook

Simplicity Yoga & Fitness Therapy Studio and Sadie Nardini’s Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga

Cheers to a Summer that is going to ROCK YOUR WORLD

Jenn xo

Whistle While You Work!

Mar 28, 2014

The title intrigued you didn’t it?

Haha

A little trickery to get you in here today and click below to listen to my interview with Whistle Radio about living authentically, what is really means to be holistic and who to follow our dreams and be healthy too!

http://whistleradio.com/Podcast/140318SNp1.mp3

Jenn xoxo

Are you bloated, gassy, burping and straight up uncomfortable?

Mar 7, 2014

Are your pants feeling a little tight after you eat or at the end of the day? Do you already have your top button to your pants open? Do you look pregnant when you’re not? Do you pass gas constantly and belch like a man? Are your bowels ALL OVER THE PLACE???

If you answered yes to any of these, I am here to help you out.

In this weeks dose of healthy living inspirations, I am giving you 3 simple and manageable tips that you can start RIGHT NOW, to have your belly and pants feeling better by tonight!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hymtSDJY5x4&list=UUFz7apcFRisJFPMChKkn1Ng

 As an extra BONUS tip: If you experience regular bloating, indigestion, reflux or gas try drinking 1 Tbsp Raw Apple Cider Vinegar in 1/2 cup of water. You should feel better within 5 minutes!!!

This is also the BEST and most simple digestive aid I have ever found to work for my clients.

And I am all about SIMPLICITY

 

If you want  your very own copy of The Simplicity Project: A Core Revival To Transform Your Body, and trust me, you want this DVD, click on the link below to purchase and we will get it out to you within 5-7 business days.

http://icbookstore.ca/thesimplicityprojectdvd

Click here http://icbookstore.ca/thesimplicityproject to order your copy of my new book today – it will literally change the way you hear your body communicate with you, the way you perceive your digestion, your hormones and help you to choose the most effective exercise, supplements and skin care for your body!

Buy them both as a bundle and save $5 off your total purchase

Follow Jenn on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jenn.pike.3 and like Jenn’s Studio at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Simplicity-Yoga-Fitness-Therapy-Studio/142091862495884?ref=hl

 and @simplicityjenn on Twitter

 

Cleansing & Detoxing – A 3 Part Series

Jun 20, 2013

Pants feeling a little tight? Skin feeling dull or breaking out? Energy low? Cravings out of control?

To cleanse or not to cleanse? I think I need a detox…

WOW!!! Do I ever get asked A LOT about this subject! I have never have a one-person-fits-all, cookie cutter answer though. Everything I do in my array of holistic services truly comes down to the individual, their past, their present and their future goals. So while I can’t give you all THE plan to follow specifically for you, I can help you to narrow down and focus on what every human being should 100% avoid purchasing, preparing and consuming and what most people should begin filling their kitchens and their bodies with.

Here are a few of my simple tips to help you rid a few pounds, increase your energy and jump-start your new healthy habits and vitality regime:

• Begin each day with warm water and 1/2 fresh lemon juiced
• Take a daily probiotic
• Add greens to your morning smoothie and trade in cow’s dairy for either unsweetened almond, rice, flax, coconut or hemp milk
• Downsize your dishes! Start using a salad size plate instead of a dinner plate. Focus on building your plate with nutrient dense colour and nutrients instead of large portions of calories and waste.
• Eat plenty of organic produce; fruits and veggies.
• Onions and garlic have amazing anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties to them.
• Choose lean vegetarian protein in an attempt to reduce your exposure to excess animal proteins and arachidonic acid.
• Protein sources such as edamame, tempeh, raw nuts and seeds, chia, raw nut and seed butters, dark leafy greens, beans, lentils and hemp
• Healthy fats daily such as raw nuts and seeds, avocados, olive oil, flax oil, hemp oil and coconut oil
• Choose whole grains that are gluten free such as quinoa, brown rice, amaranth and millet

Avoid these foods:

• Wheat
• Dairy
• Corn
• Limit Red meat
• Pork
• Lunch Meats
• Sausage
• Bacon
• Processed foods, sweets and baked treats
• Artificial Colours and Sweeteners
• Alcohol

The THREE TOP THINGS you can do to FEEL BETTER and CLEANER right now:

1. Drink lots and lots of water – aim for 3-4 litres every single day
2. Get your sweat on! Exercise at least 5-6 times per week combining Yoga, Pilates, Cardio, Strength Training…whatever you love GET UP and JUST DO IT!
3. Get your beautiful self to bed. Aim to be in bed no later then 11pm. According to Chinese medicine the most beneficial time for sleep to restore our liver and gallbladder, which are two huge organs involved in cleansing and detoxing, are from 11pm – 3am.

Get started on the new tips and stay tuned later this week for Part 2 of this series!!!

To purchase my new book The Simplicity Project – A Simple No-Nonsense Approach To Losing Weight & Changing Your Body Forever!

http://www.amazon.ca/books/dp/099175302X

Follow me on Facebook by liking ‘Simplicity Yoga & Fitness Therapy Studio and twitter @simplicityjenn

Losing Fat & Building Lean, Long, Strong Muscles From Head To Toe

May 15, 2013

The SECRET is out…Cardio is the best way to lose weight. WRONG!!! This is one of the most common exercise myth’s that I have heard over and over in my 17 years in this industry.

The more muscle you have on your body the fat you will burn – period.

You will even be burning fat while you sleep and for up to 16-36 hours post-exercise, depending on the type, intensity and current state of your own well-being plus how you feed yourself before and after; this is a phenomenon called EPOC Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption.

Get Strong Not Scrawny: Your Twice Weekly Dose of Sculpting

LADIES, load-bearing exercise is not an option if you truly want to maintain strong bones and healthy joints in addition to changing the shape of your body. Cardio will never change your shape, you may lose weight, but you will not firm up.

Thyroid hormones regulate our metabolism and organ function and directly affect heart rate, cholesterol levels, body weight, energy, muscle contraction and relaxation, skin and hair texture, bowel function, fertility, menstrual regularity, memory, mood and other body processes. However many times I see clients & students who are unknowingly lowering their thyroid – with TOO MUCH exercise!

Researchers at the University of North Carolina have also linked strenuous, fatiguing, lengthy exercise to higher cortisol and lower thyroid hormones. Remember, thyroid hormones stimulate your metabolism, so depletion is definitely not a desired effect of exercise! The same study found thyroid hormones remained suppressed, even 24 hours after recovery, while cortisol levels remained high throughout the same period.

Unless you are training for a specific sport or event, training sessions that last longer then 45 minutes of intense activity are most likely working against you and may be harmful. When you train too long, too hard, too often you keep your cortisol levels elevated for longer periods of time. This stress hormone cortisol is quite destructive to your lean muscle tissue and prevent you from healing properly from your training.

Remember, roughly 1/3 of your results come from your direct physical training, 1/3 from your nutrition and 1/3 from your rest, supplementation, hydration, consistency and stress management.

I generally recommend 20-30 minutes (no more than 40) of intense, circuit style weight or load-bearing training sessions 2-3 weekly, that work a number of muscle groups. While the amount of time you train for is important so too are the types of exercises that you choose. I am a huge fan of functional strength training as well as offering progressive overload training to your accessory/stabilizing muscles, however when you are short on time you need a combination of both to create optimal results.

Choose compound exercises that train 2 or muscles group simultaneously to increase your body’s metabolic response and to increase the amount of muscle fibers you are recruiting plus calories that you are burning. Also choose a few exercises that have you isolating stabilizing muscles specifically those of the abdominals, glutes and hips.

If you are taking part of a group training class enjoy the pace of a longer 45-60 minute class but no more than 2x week at most. For at home training try this routine below.

You should perform roughly 8-10 exercises per workout moving quickly from one to the next with very little rest between sets. Do as many as you can with good form. Repeat 2-3 times.

Workout A

Squats into a Standing Shoulder Press

Reverse Lunges into Single Leg Bent Row

Step Ups into Bicep Curls

Pushups into Side Plank

Kneeling Side Leg Lift into Bent Knee Lift with Kick and Kneeling Clam

Medicine or Pilates Ball side to side Oblique Twist

For an added bonus try adding 30-60 second burst of cardio such as running on the spot, skipping, jump squats or jump lunges to amp up your training.

To fully round out your training be sure to add at least 2 x weekly yoga sessions and 1x Pilates/core style practice.

Stay tuned tomorrow as I chat about cardio training specific to those of you wanting to shed excess weight without losing too much of your hard earned lean muscle tissue.

Jenn

http://www.simplicityyoga.ca

Look for my new book The Simplicity Project at http://www.amazon.com

Your Metabolic Firestarter

Mar 5, 2013

Welcome to Day 8 of ‘The 14 Days of Simplicity’

If you want to kickstart your metabolism and get that internal firestarter working for you and not against you, listen up!

You need more muscle on your body! Why? Because muscle burns about three ties more calories then fat. Everyday that we age our body is losing more muscle mass and is more easily able to gain body fat, especially visceral fat around our vital organs, so you need to start now!

The key is to add a combination of targeted strength training moves to your weekly routine, that will not only challenge your larger muscle groups such as your chest, back, shoulder and legs but also your smaller stabilizing muscles of these areas as well as a balanced whole-core-trunk stabilizing and strengthening routine.

Some easy ways to incorporate muscle strengthening and building moves into your day:

1. When watching TV hold plank for your first commercial, do pushups for the second, lunges on one leg for the third and the opposite leg for the fourth. Repeat this every time a commercial comes on. Now you want snack on sweets, instead you’ll be firming up your sweet cheeks!
2. Hold Uttkatasana (seated chair pose) while you brush your teeth or wait for the kettle to boil or smoothie to blend.
3. At work set the timer on your phone for 2 minutes, stand up and push your chair supported against the wall, now squat – tapping your bum to your chair for the full 2 minutes until the bell rings.

Simple, yet effective tips that won’t change your body overnight but will get you going and have you amazed at how these small intervals of movement change your level of motivation, help you choose healthier meals afterwards and how much better a connection you are building within yourself. I firmly believe and educate that EVERY single step you take in the right direction is an AMAZING one, don’t judge it, don’t attach to it, just frigging do it!

For those of you who have more then a few moments to spare and are ready to kick some ass in your health and give some juice to your Metabolic Firestarter, I want you to hit it hard with a schedule that looks like this:

Monday – Pilates or Vinyasa based yoga

Tuesday – 20 minute strength training circuit plus 20 minutes of interval based cardio

Wednesday – Vinyasa based yoga

Thursday – Front Body Opener Yoga class – think chest, heart, hips and quads

Friday – 30 minute combo of strength training and cardio built into a circuit

Saturday – Vinyasa based yoga

Sunday – chill out or go for a walk outside, do a gentle yoga practice or simply enjoy

That’s right 6 days per week of exercise, put your eyes back in your head LOL, YOU WERE BORN TO MOVE not to sit 2-3 hours per day driving or 8 per day in your office chair.

I choose yoga more then anything else because it pulls every aspect of not only only your physical health and well-being together but also your mental and emotional pieces, plus everywhere in between hiding in the layers of life. You are asked to hold, squeeze, open, breath,  flow, endure and smile through it all. Learning to be okay with being uncomfortable can give you some of the best answers and tools to uncover and peel back the many layers of who you are.

Yoga is also my TOP choice for reducing stress, managing cortisol, increasing your body’s response to insulin and diminishing insulin-resistance, improving your sleep, balancing out your hormones, banishing belly bulge, increasing your bone density and teaching your insides to smile brighter enough to see and FEEL it on the outside. What ever form of movement you choose, all I ask is that you be consistent, you pick something that brigs you joy and become part of a group or environment that will elevate you higher, cheer for you when you do well and pick you up when you don’t.

Love your body, nourish it well, move it often and feed it joy!

Much love and potential to you all

Jenn xo

Seven Steps of Simplicity to Beat Holiday Bloat & Weight Gain

Dec 19, 2012

Tis the season to enjoy time with friends, family, co-workers, appetizers, meat on a stick, dips galore and enough sugar to rock your pancreas all the way to Spring…however there can be a better way.

You absolutely want to enjoy yourself over the holidays but you also don’t want to sabotage all of your this year’s hard work in the gym, on your yoga mat and in the kitchen with all the new healthy meals you’ve been whipping up.

Here are seven of my top tips to stay connected, committed and aligned with your goals of feeling your most energized and sexy for 2013!

1. Shake Your Tail Feather! Do NOT miss your workouts. You may not be able to hit the yoga mat or gym everyday but be sure to exercise at least 4 x per week in a more structured setting and the other 2-3 days move for at least 5-20 minutes. Go for a walk or jog or if you’re really tight on time choose 1 minute of squats, 2 minutes of alternating lunges, 1 minute of plank and 1 minute of alternating arm/leg lifts from all fours. You will feel a little warmer, a lot happier and definitely more ready to take on your busiest days of the season!
2. Super Nourish Your Body During the Day! Don’t make the mistake of eating nothing all day or skimping to try and ‘save up’ your calories for your evening party or event. Your blood sugar will be a nightmare to manage, your cravings will peak, your alcohol tolerance will be zilch and you will end up eating twice as much as usual. Stick to a few smaller meals throughout the day beginning with eating a balanced breakfast such as a smoothie or oats with cinnamon, raw pecans and fresh fruit within one hour of waking and then eating every 3 hours there after. Be sure to eat within 1 hour of leaving to attend your function so that you are not starving when you arrive.
3. Pack Your Own Food! No I don’t mean to show up with a lunch bag BUT you should definitely bring an uber-healthy meal, salad or appetizer so that you are know there will be at least healthy option for you to enjoy.
4. Go For Colour & Avoid Pastry, Cream & the Spring Rolls! When choosing the food to fill your plate, be sure to stick to the salads, veggies, goat cheese and lean protein sources. Avoid too many appetizers that are fried, puffed, creamy or wrapped in bacon. They are loaded with sodium, excess saturated fat and empty calories that will only lead to mega inflammation, bloating, constipation or diarrhea and a little extra muffin top for your holiday photos!!!
5. Avoid Candy In A Glass! Choose white wine spritzers, vodka soda lime or a lighter white wine like Jacob Creek’s Moscato which has half the amount of alcohol as regular white wines. If you fill your night with sugary coolers, tonic, cranberry juice or jello shooters you’d might as well lay out your jogging pants to wear the next day as soon as you get home. Not only will your hangover be brutal from the alcohol + sugar but you will be extra puffy, bloated and gassy  for the next 24-48 hours…not to mention that you will have an appetite to scare grown men and Ronald McDonald himself!
6. Stay Hydrated! Make sure to drink enough water leading up to the big event, around 2 litters, and then at the party or gathering have a few glasses in between your ‘spirit’s’. If were worried about looking like the ‘lame-o’ who needs a drink break, have your water in a fancy glass with some fresh lime, lemon or pomegranate to dress it up. Your head, belly and bum will collectively thank you for this the next day.

Nothing too crazy here, just a few reminders and fresh tips on how you can still enjoy this years festivities without having to return your new Fidelity jeans or Lululemons. It’s not about restriction, it is about sensibility and reminding yourself about how you want to feel, not only in the moment but more importantly moving forward.

This year instead of setting your goals around weighing a certain amount or fitting into a certain size; choose instead to create more desirable way of feeling. Write it out, draw your beautiful self out in a way, a vision, of what you really see yourself feeling like in 2013. Living with more energy, having better sleep, more fulfilling relationships with yourself and those around you, more vibrant feeling skin, better sex, a stronger, sexier feeling body, fewer colds and more zest for this amazing life you are gifted to live each and everyday!

You are so worth the daydreaming of reclaiming the goddess you are and the effort of staying committed to her too!

Much holiday love and joy to you all,

Jenn xo

The Busy Person’s Guide To Meditation…A Work In Progress

Dec 11, 2012

Believe you and me; I have had a love/hate/need it so bad/can’t make it happen battle with meditation for years. Initially my attitude was that I didn’t have time for it and what was the point, I could be doing so many other more ‘important’ things. It wasn’t until I stopped putting so much pressure on myself for ‘how’ the meditation had to happen that it just stated to happen. I began to sneak the moments of quiet, with my eyes closed and focused breath, when I could, I chose meditation through movement by walks, my yoga or through my music which is very important to me; it feeds my soul and my spirit.

I also stopped worrying about what I was thinking about and quieting my mind, instead I simply chose to notice what I noticed and to remember something very important…

ENERGY FLOWS WHERE ATTENTION GOES

 I will not tell you that I do a daily form of meditation, it wouldn’t be true. I do however, give something back to me daily, even if its itsy bitsy. Most days I journal, some days I doodle and other days its just a word I focus on, there are many days where the people I choose to be around and the conversations I have with them become my meditation.

When I create greater space and feel like I truly need it, I practice this below and it makes me feel calm and happy.

Try this beginners guide to meditation:

 Sit or lay down in a comfortable position and in comfortable clothing. You may want/need blankets, pillows, bolsters or blocks to support you.

 Close your eyes and begin to focus on moving your breath through entire body. Breath into your belly, your heart, your throat and your head.

 Notice and put equal amounts of energy and effort into both your inhale and your exhale. If it takes you 5-6 seconds to breath in, then take 5-6 breaths to breath out.

Now move your breath into your belly, your ribs, your chest, your throat and head, now into your shoulders, down your arms, into your wrists, your palms and your fingers. Smile.

Breath down into your belly, your low back, hips, fronts and backs of your thighs, your knees, calves shins, ankles, feet and toes. Smile

Take 5 full breath through your ENITRE body now. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your nose.

 Draw in one slow long breath through your nose and a deep exhale through your mouth.

 Softly begin to wiggle your fingers and toes, let the arms and legs move into a hug gently rocking from side-to-side.

Roll to your right side for 3-5 breaths, slowly rising when you are ready.

Take a deep breath in, palms together at your heart. Soft exhale and bow.

Namaste

Sweet dreams:)

Jenn

Stressed Out Adrenals = Big Belly, Big Bum, Big Opportunity to Create A SHIFT!

Sep 8, 2012

Too many of us wear stress and busy lifestyles like a medal or something to be proud of. Unfortunately, the medal that goes along with stress is usually adrenal fatigue. If you’re one that burns the candle at both ends, leaves stress unchecked, and exists on coffee and nutritionally devoid food, then this is something you might need to address.

I can completely relate to this, and of any area in my body, my adrenals are my one spot of constant check in. It is so easy for us to begin taking on more then we can handle, or more then our bodies can cope with, even though you may ‘believe’ your fine…until the walls start caving in, your body starts breaking down and you begin to feel completely out of touch with your true sense of being.

The adrenal glands are two endocrine glands that sit on top of the kidneys. Their main responsibility is for regulating the stress response through the production and secretion of cortisol (belly-fat creator) and adrenaline (insert person with strung out crazy look and typically someone who does everything at mock speed.) you will often find yourself hearing this person sigh outwardly A LOT and you telling them to relax.

Let me break it down for you:

Over-worked adrenal glands = big problems for your health, a big belly & huge ass!

Your adrenal glands are super important for a healthy immune system. They are necessary for proper thyroid function, balancing your hormones, maintaining your ideal weight, stabilising your emotions, controlling your cravings and much more. They are pretty much the regulators of your body, and sorting them out may be the key to solving many of your unexplained health challenges.

How do we know if our adrenals are fatigued? Unfortunately, because of the nature of our fast-paced lifestyles, this is a condition that can go unchecked because we just get so used to feeling less than brilliant.

However, common symptoms include:

• Excessive sweating or perspiration from little activity
• Lower back pain and/or knee weakness or pain, especially on the side
• Dark circles under the eyes
• Dizziness
• Muscle twitches
• Low blood sugar
• Heart palpitations
• Sensitivity to light, or difficulty seeing at night
• A craving for salt
• Low stamina for stress, and easily irritated
• Excessive mood responses after eating carbohydrates such as pasta, breads and sugar
• Chronic infections (bacterial, viral, fungal, yeast)
• Low blood pressure
• Light-headedness on standing up
• Tired but wired feeling, poor sleep, difficulty getting out of bed in the morning
• Cravings for sweets and carbs, intolerance to alcohol
• Premature aging
• Dry, unhealthy skin with excess pigmentation
• Lack of libido
• Cystic breasts
• Tendency to startle easily
• Negative response to thyroid hormone
• Poor concentration and fuzzy thinking

Simple Ways To Support Your Adrenals

1. Sleep. Seven to eight hours a night is ideal, and if you can get to bed between 10pm -11pm you get extra points. This is when our bodies do most of their healing.

2. Schedule  a soul-appointment as part of your daily or weekly routine, and make it a priority.

3. Practice ‘aware’ breathing every day.

4. Incorporate yoga into your routine 2-5 days per week. Create a balance of challenging slightly uncomfortable classes with those that allow you to unwind and chill out.

5. Eliminate refined sugar and processed carbs. They are empty calories and do nothing besides stress out your adrenals, affect your blood sugar, make you gain weight, negatively affect your skin and hair and create a super biatch attitude.

6. Eat a clean diet of organic, fresh, mainly vegetarian based meals. Load up on vegetables, fruits, raw nuts and seeds, dairy alternatives, legumes, beans and whole grains.

7. Break up with Joe ~ your cup of Joe that is! Swap your caffeine fix for green tea, peppermint tea, dandelion and chicory root tea or nice clean water with chlorophyll or fresh lemon juice.

Be clean, restore your relationship with your body, shake your booty and smile…

LOVE THIS LIFE

xo peeps,

Jenn

Looking for the next step in your WELLNESS JOURNEY?

Aug 23, 2012

Years of personal practice working with clients one on one and many years of teaching various workshops, seminars and writing for various health and wellness publications have led to Dr. Laura Foster, Chiropractor extroadinaire and Holistic Nutritionist and Yoga Studio Owner Jenn Pike creating their NEW PROGRAM…

SHIFT to YOUR Unlimited Potential!

This program will fully immerse you with our top tips and tools for live your most authentic life. We will teach you how EVERYTHING is literally connected; your thoughts, your actions, your words, your movement, your food, your rest and/or the lack thereof any of these mentioned.

You will leave this full day workshop with a smile on your face and two strong feet walking you forward on a journey that will never have you looking back. We can all talk a great talk but aren’t you tired of talking? Don’t you want to begin to do more LIVING?

Think Well. Be Well. Eat Well. Move Well.

We cannot wait to begin this adventure with you. Open to the first 24 participants who contact us to register!

Let the SHIFT begin…

SHIFT to YOUR Unlimited Potential Details