ELEVATE BY LEAH SIMMONS
Have you ever stopped to ask yourself what it means to be truly “fit”?
Getting fit seems to be high up on almost everyone’s hit list. … and rightly so. These days, leading a healthy lifestyle seems to equal more than just having the perfect body. It’s paying attention to our mental health. It’s caring for the environment and making sustainable choices. It’s good nutrition and getting enough sleep. With the world more connected than ever before, we are continually bombarded with the latest fads and the newest technologies. But why have these things all of a sudden become so important to us? As our collective consciousness and self-awareness grows, I’m guessing so too does our responsibility for our own health.
Which leads to the question…. What IS true fitness?
It’s something I have asked myself countless times over the past few years. And up until recently, (truth be told) I was pretty vague on the answer. There has been a long-held belief that “fitness” was solely based on how you looked or performed physically and, well… as time went on (even though I was in the industry “talking the talk”), something just didn’t feel right to me. There was a fundamental piece missing. In all the years I spent training my body… the hours in the gym… granted, I achieved an incredible physique... but was I happy? Were my relationships firing? Was I making good decisions? Was I feeling amazing??
Not by a long shot.
Why?? Why did I look great but feel miserable? Weren’t they supposed to go hand in hand??
I started to delve a little deeper into exactly what it was that I was feeling and was introduced to a body of work that finally made everything fall into place. What I ultimately learned (through using myself as a guinea pig), is that we are NOT just a physical body and that everything that makes you YOU, can be broken down into 4 key areas of health:
MENTAL, PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, SPIRITUAL.
Furthermore, (and this was the kicker for me)… the health of one area directly affects the health of another. Everything is connected. You CANNOT perform at your peak if your mind is foggy. Emotional stress WILL affect your body. Any thought or feeling that takes you out of the present moment and into a world of distraction WILL NOT allow you to function at your best. So whilst having a healthy body is certainly desirable, it is only ONE PART of what it means to be fit. TRUE fitness means being healthy mentally, emotionally and spiritually as well as physically. It’s being deeply connected to yourself, to others and to the world. And by training ALL of the areas, you can ensure you are operating at your optimum.
But how?? I mean seriously… how do you train something like your decision-making?? How do you “train” your emotions??
The answer is deceptively simple. If you break all of those elements down into their rawest forms, they all stem from one thing.
ENERGY
We create and use energy in every moment of every day. Some of it is used to literally get us from A to B. We generate and burn energy in our gym sessions, our spin classes or when we eat. But there also exists a subtle energy.. an energy you can feel. It’s what allows us to sense tension in a room without anyone uttering a word. It’s our intuition, that sense of “knowing”, that “gut feeling”.
The more we can cultivate that kind of energy, the better we feel. The better we feel, the more positive we are. And the more positive we are, the calmer and clearer are our thoughts and decisions.. which leads to better relationships, better communication and ultimately, a better life.
Through my own personal practice, I discovered 4 powerful modalities that allowed me to generate energy across ALL the different aspects of my life (Mental, Physical, Emotional, Spiritual) with the result being a calmer, clearer, happier, more centred version of myself (with a strong body to boot!).
So I decided to develop a training program that incorporated them ALL into one workout. A simple practice that you can do every day. Performed with consistency, it will elevate your energy levels (both physical and subtle) to a place where real transformation can take place, and you’re about to experience it for yourself! Welcome to The Elevate Method.
THE ELEVATE METHOD – 4 MODALITIES, 1 WORKOUT
- BREATH WORK (for Mental Health)
- Increased oxygen intake for laser-sharp focus and a clear mind
- Stimulates nervous system and activates neural pathways
- Brings you into the present moment for clarity and calm
- BODY WORK (for Physical Health)
- Functional movements for strong muscles, deep core conditioning, postural alignment and increased mobility.
- Increase heart rate for aerobic and anaerobic health.
- MEDITATION (for Emotional Health)
- Guided meditations and integrated themes centred around self-love, compassion, gratitude and awareness
- Achieve balance, harmony and peace.
- INTEGRATION (for Spiritual Health)
- Break through fears, remove limiting beliefs, become aware you are more than just a body.
- Align with your centre and tune into your higher self.
- Connect to the energy of the universe and realise your own power.
What I learned is that being “fit” is about being healthy, clear and connected, to not just your body.. but your mind and your soul as well. And raising your energy is how you get there.
It’s time to step outside your comfort zone. It’s time to try something new.
It’s time to INVEST IN YOURSELF.
Grab your activewear, get on the mat and get ready to ELEVATE.
Leah Simmons is a qualified Pilates instructor, personal trainer and kundalini yoga teacher with an insatiable passion for all things health and fitness. She is set to open the first ELEVATE STUDIO in Sydney, Australia in early 2021.
Follow Leah @iamleahsimmons
Follow The Elevate Method @theelevatemethod
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