Prayer Beads + Chia Seeds

It's a question that's come up many times before, both in conversation and in my mind: How can you promote the great outdoors and eating clean when you support home workout DVDs and nutrition supplements?

And for a while, even I was trying to figure it out. Here I was making leaps and bounds along my personal fitness journey through the use of some amazing health and wellness products, yet most of what I talk about on my page involves becoming closer to nature and getting in touch with your spiritual self.

It wasn't always like that, but as I've grown through personal development both in my life and in my coaching business, I've discovered that what really truly matters is treating your body like a temple. No matter how many reps you rock on the bicep curl machine or how fast your mile is, you aren't going to shine from the inside out until you establish that respect for yourself and start paying it forward.

The connection between both worlds happened this past weekend at a flea market in Florida.

Among the rummage I found two wooden necklaces in what appeared to be a large suitcase full of discarded costume jewelry. So excited by my find, I posted a photo on Facebook and a friend commented something to the likes of "What a beautiful mala! I'm getting a new one soon". Mala? You mean this cool wood bead necklace with the red tassel?

A quick google rendered the following definition:

A Japa mala or mala (Sanskrit:माला; mālā, meaning garland^[1]) is a set of beads commonly used by Hindusand Buddhists, usually made from 108 beads, though other numbers are also used. Malas are used for keeping count while reciting, chanting, or mentally repeating a mantra or the name or names of a deity. This practice is known in Sanskrit as jape. [Source]

Oh. Buddhist prayer beads. Got it.

What I love most about these necklaces - and I promise I will tie this story in with my previous rant - is that the whole point is to use them as a tool while involved in an activity as to not get distracted or hung up on numbers.

Aha! That's exactly what Beachbody programs are to me! I know for a fact that without the nutrition guides and workout DVDs and daily dose of dense superfood nutrition, that I would get so lost as to how to stay disciplined with my health that I would fall off the bandwagon - like immediately. It's happened before. Multiple times.

So while I will always promote going outside and being adventurous and exploring clean, wholesome foods, I will always recommend using Beachbody as your "counting beads". Let all of the fitness experts and nutrition scientists do the "counting" for you and just go through the motions. I guarantee that you will have better results than if you tried to do this on your own.