Happiness

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Happiness is not found in what we have. Happiness comes from who we are, how we build our lives, and who we surround ourselves with. 

Take a few moments to think of what makes your truly happy. 

What are your happiness moments of the day or week?

For me it’s the 30 or 60 minutes on my yoga mat, my time just for me to tune in and connect.

It’s watching my husband walk in the door after a long day of work or his comforting embrace after a big meeting.

Family, and friends whom I consider family, are what matter. 

It’s knowing that even if we had lost everything in Hurricane Irma, I would still have everything that matters most. 

Happiness does not come from what we have, happiness is what is already inside of us. 

When life and stress steps in and starts to overwhelm you, pause and reconnect to these happy moments. These are the small daily moments in life that we often overlook. 

Sometimes all it takes is one small happy moment to change the whole course of your day. 

Be Happy! xx

First Marathon...

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There are two green letters sewn into the right side of my Nike running hat — MB.

These two letters ran dozens of road races with me. They taught me to sprint at the finish. They taught me how to laugh and drive a car and make the best chocolate chip pancakes. 

These two letters are my dad’s initials. He’s the reason I’m running my first marathon this fall. 

Before he passed away five years ago, my dad was an avid runner. He had a running group in my New Hampshire hometown, and he ran countless miles throughout my childhood. 

Sometimes we’d run together, and he always told me to finish strong. This meant sprinting the last half mile even if I felt I didn’t have much more to give. 

That’s how my dad lived his life. He ran his first marathon in Philadelphia, and I’ll never forget how he could barely walk after the race. Even through the pain, he had the biggest smile on his face — something that rarely left him. 

No matter what he was going through, he always had that smile. If you asked him what the best part of his life was, he’d say “right now,” because that’s the part he was in. 

I want to carry on his legacy. I want to run 26.2 miles and smile at the finish. I want to share this experience with my dad, even if he’s not around to see it. 

I have four months until race day. I’m running the Fort Myers Marathon on November 4, 2018. As I transition into training, I marvel at the transformation about to take place. Today, running five miles was painful and almost impossible. Four months from now, I’ll be able to run more than four times that distance. 

It’s a very humbling process, and I have so much to learn. 

And I know my dad will be there with me, encouraging me to enjoy the process every step of the way.

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NOT JUST A FITNESS STUDIO

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Lean and Green Body® is not just a fitness studio. We are a Total Mind, Body and Soul Wellness Brand. We specialize in holistic nutrition & wellness, yoga and personal training. 

Our team looks to heal and strengthen the body. Jennifer, the founder and owner of Lean and Green Body®, LLC has a degree in sports medicine and specializes in diagnosing, treating, preventing and rehabbing injuries in the athletic population. Lean and Green Body® has three functional certified personal trainers on staff with a multitude of specialties and experience. Our trainers can help you reach your goals, whether you are looking to heal and rehabilitate an injury, lose weight, tone your body, or prepare for your sport season. Our trainers have worked at the high school level, collegiate level, and with our United States military training them to be their best. Even with all this experience and focus on the physical body, we are much more than a fitness studio.

Lean and Green Body® has three yoga teachers on staff with a passion for helping you deepen your yoga practice. All three yoga teachers specialize in vinyasa yoga, aiding you in connecting breath to movement. Lean and Green Body® offers private sessions at the studio or your home. We offer weekly yoga classes at our 5th Ave S studio in downtown Naples Florida, all levels welcome.

One of Lean and Green Body®’s most unique and specialized areas of expertise is Holistic Nutrition. Our founder, Jennifer is not only a Mind Body Wellness Practitioner, but is also a Holistic Nutrition Specialist. After going to graduate school for clinical dietetics, Jennifer realized that working in a hospital and pumping patients full of medicine was not how she wanted to approach healing. Jennifer found that holistic nutrition allows us to heal the body naturally through food, herbs, and lifestyle. We are able to look at the entire body, and treat it as a whole instead of one aliment at a time. We are able to treat underlying issues such as food allergies, intolerances, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, cholesterol, and weight management.

Lean and Green Body® stands out because of our team’s ability to see the whole person, identify what each client specifically needs, and create a customized plan. The Lean and Green Body® team is comprised of educated and licensed yoga teachers, certified trainers, and holistic nutrition specialists.  No one on our team took a weekend course and read a book to get where they are. Each member of the Lean and Green Body® team has a passion and a drive to do what they do, and  they continue learning and educating themselves, constantly pushing themselves to be the best they can be, and to offer the best to their clients. 

 

Setting yourself up for a successful day

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Take time each morning for YOU. 

I like to start each day early…before my family is awake. Taking this special time for just me.

I try to start the day calm & relaxed - manifesting a great day ahead!

Set your intentions for the day. 

Perhaps journal or meditate. 

For more info on meditation, check out my blog post here.

Think about what you are going to achieve that day… not in an overwhelming manner…but instead with a “yes, I’ve got this” attitude.

Think about each day being the best day of the week!

I like to make a cup of tea and then head into my home office. I light a candle or incense, and typically read a passage from Journey to the Heart, and then journal whatever comes to mind. This allows me to get any ‘stuck’ ideas out of my mind, and allows me to be open for a positive day ahead. 

Instead of getting stressed about the day, I am calm and collected. I start my day off with a meditation and quiet time, and if my day begins to get off track I bring myself back to this moment. 

How do you start your day?

 

Celebrating over 16 years in the fitness industry!

Did you know?

Our founder, Jennifer Khosla, has been in the fitness industry for over 16 years?!?!

Read on to learn more!

Jennifer, how long have you been in the fitness business? How did it start?

Jennifer:

I have been in the fitness industry for 16 years! I can’t believe how fast time has gone by and all the changes. I started working at the local YMCA in Northwest Connecticut when I was 16 years old. My job was to teach members how to use and adjust the many exercise machines, I had to clean the machines and monitor clients while they used them. During that time, I was available to provide exercises to members, and answer fitness questions. You may be wondering how I knew so much. I was like a sponge, I learned everything I could from trainers, DVDs, and books. I was only 3 years old when I started dance classes and gymnastics, and team sports in school began early on. I loved playing sports year round, but I found that it wasn't about being competitive. I liked the sports because I loved the feeling of being physically fit. I started working with the Athletic Trainer in my school to learn more. Eventually, I designed an internship for Athletic Training at our school for myself and future students. I knew then that I needed to find a career that would make fitness and wellness a part of my life. I have to thank my brother for giving me my first yoga mat. It was the start of something beautiful. Yoga was one of the many pieces to my education and journey of fitness and wellness.

Springfield College was the top school in the nation for sports medicine. I knew that was where I had to be to make my dreams come true. I went on to receive my B.S. in Athletic Training, with a minor in Nutrition.

I started personal training during my time at Springfield College, and actually took my first personal training course through ACE when I was only 18 years old. I have been working actively as a personal trainer now for 11 years! It’s hard to believe, the past decade has flown by! I worked as a personal trainer in Boston for several years while furthering my nutrition education, and later decided to combine all my passions into one total wellness business. 

California here I come! I wanted to get my yoga certification at one of the leading yoga studios in La Jolla, California. I trained with some of the top Yogis in the field. This was important for me personally as well as for future clients.

I have worked in several gyms, private training settings, yoga studios, and owned two fitness and wellness businesses in New York and currently now in Florida. I officially opened Lean and Green Body® in 2015, and now lead a team trainers, coaches and fitness & wellness professionals here in Naples. We are a growing national brand with clients in Florida, New York, Connecticut, Ohio, Minnesota, Georgia, and California. We currently see clients in their home, community gyms in Naples, Florida, or at our studio on 5th Ave S in downtown Naples, host weekly yoga classes at our studio and live stream, as well as see clients nationally through live stream technology.

It is amazing how far I have come professionally in the last 16 years! I could never have imagined my career what it is today, and I am grateful for this journey everyday! My clients and my team continue to push me daily to be the best leader in wellness and fitness that I can be. This is only the beginning for me and Lean and Green body®. 

Balance

Balance | Lean and Green Body® Blog

It can be difficult to make it all happen… and make it look effortless.

Run your household, run your business, go from meeting to meeting all with a smile on your face. It’s not always easy. Honestly, I am 100% living my dream. (somebody pinch me)

I am married to an incredible man, who is very successful in his own right, I run a thriving business that is growing by the day, and live 3 blocks from the beach. Amazing! (again..pinch me)

Even though this is the dream for me, I have been working hard for this life for over 30 years. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day that we (I) forget to appreciate how freaking amazing life is! We tend to get caught up in the rise and grind, the hustle of the daily life. Which for women can be very overwhelming at times. We are ingrained to have a do-it-all mentality.

That is why it is so important to find balance. Without some sort of balance in our lives, it is very difficult to make it all happen. 

We have to find time for our families, growing our career, taking care of our home, grocery shopping, cooking and meal prep, working out (regardless of what people say you are judged on how you appear)… oh, and wait… time for us. Why does that always come last? Why don’t we prioritize ourselves into that list? As women, why is it that we naturally put everyone before us? Are we not that important?

We are! I always tell my clients (and myself) that if we do not take care of ourselves, we can not take care of everyone else. 

This is where finding balance comes in!

Finding balance in your own life can be as simple as waking up an hour earlier to have solitude and quiet time for yourself. Or taking the dog for a beach walk after work. It can be meeting up with girlfriends for happy hour, or even taking the time to date your spouse. 

However you choose to find your balance, I honor you. It is never easy, but I promise it will be worth it. 

Follow Up On Our New Years Resolutions

Follow Up On Our New Years Resolutions | Lean and Green Body® Blog

It’s March 5th, and many of us have long forgotten our New Year’s resolutions and promises to ourselves. Happens every year. It’s okay! You still have time to make big changes this year. My advice: START small! At the beginning of every month create a list of goals or desires for the month. Add your personal touch to the list. Perhaps draw, sketch or add some color to the list! Think, what will inspire you to reach these goals? I know personally looking at a typed black and white list of goals is not inspiring for me. I need color and a bit of excitement. 

So take a few moments now to create your list, perhaps 6-10 goals for the month of March. 

These goals can be anything from….

  • Leave 5 minutes earlier for work

  • Take the dog for an extra walk in the evening, the fresh air will be great for both of you.

  • Take 20 minutes everyday just for me!

  • Eat more greens

Now think and create!

After you create your list, think where you would like to hang it. Some place prominent that you will see several times per day. Make a point to read and review the list several times a day, and create a plan on how you will make these goals happen. You can do this!

Presence Not Presents

Presence Not Presents | Lean and Green Body Blog

Presence is a gift we give ourselves and those around us. 

During the holidays, it can be so easy to get wrapped up in presents and gift giving, that often times we forget to be present ourselves. 

We are so busy multi-tasking and making sure our work is done, our kids are happy, we mailed the holiday cards, and we bought gifts for everyone on our list. With all the to dos on our list, we forget, or don’t take the time, to be present. All of this is compounded with the fact that we are glued to technology these days (I swear it’s a blessing and a curse). 

Instead of focusing on the to do lists and gifts, cherish these moments and focus on being fully present for your loved ones. Give them the gift of your presence and maybe you will be gifted with their presence. This is the gift that continues grow long after the holidays are over.

Happy New Year! 

Setting Yourself Up for Success in the New Year

Setting Yourself Up for Success in the New Year | Lean and Green Body Blog

The holidays are over and the New Year is quickly approaching.  Instead of setting traditional New Year’s resolutions this year, why not try something new?

This year let's set intentions for the New Year, instead of looking at these as resolutions or jobs, that many of us will forget come March.

Consider setting intentions, consider what you need, and allow yourself to be open to receiving.

Here are a few of my Intentions for 2018:

  1. Self-care. Take 30 minutes every day just for ME.

  2. Read. Every day, not contracts and emails, something that will stimulate my mind and my soul

  3. Date my husband.

  4. Live my best life.

  5. Smile every day. Have fun! Life does not always have to be so serious.

Take some time to breathe and really think about your intentions for 2018. 

We can’t wait for you to share what your intentions are!

 

Take Time For YOU

Take Time For YOU | Lean and Green Body Blog

The holidays can be a hectic time. Full of expectations, juggling daily life, holiday parties, and all the things that come with this season. This is said to be one of the most stressful times of the year…and yet it is also the happiest time of the year.

How can you juggle everything, find your balance and spread holiday cheer?

Take time for YOU!

We cannot take care of others, unless we are taking care of ourselves. 

You cannot serve from an empty cup.

Take 20 minutes per day just for you. I’m not talking about working out, power yoga or  answering emails with a glass of wine. 

Find 20 minutes in your day for you. Our workouts and workaholic lifestyle has become a daily part of our life. At some point, we need time to unwind and relax.

When are you the most relaxed?

What are you doing? What does it smell like? What is the lighting like?

Find time to create these moments everyday. 

Perhaps, you enjoy reading with soothing lighting and a vanilla candle. Perfect!

Or you enjoy the beach, sitting there as the sunrises, smelling the salty air. Great!

Or perhaps you enjoy sitting by the fire and just breathing, the smell of the wood burning and the feeling of your stress melting away. Wonderful!

Take Time For YOU | Lean and Green Body Blog

Think about what relaxes you. Choose to make yourself a priority this holiday season. 

Lean and Green Body® Reading List

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Every month we will be sharing our favorite books of the month. 

Please comment below with some of your favorite books. 

This will be like a book club, without the weekly commitment. 

Look forward to hearing your feedback! 

 

Be Well,

Jennifer

 

 
Lean and Green Body® Reading List | Lean and Green Body Blog
 

Journey to the Heart by Melody Beattie

Daily meditations and passages to help you navigate life and find freedom. I enjoy reading the daily passages while having my cup of tea every morning.  Click here to find on Amazon.

 
Lean and Green Body® Reading List | Lean and Green Body Blog
 

The Universe Has Your Back by Gabrielle Bernstein

One of the favorite books of 2017. This book discusses a bit about Gabrielle’s past, and how she discovered that the Universe is there to support us and love us. This book will help you in all areas of life, and just as the title says it will help you transform fear into faith.  Click here to find on Amazon.

 
Lean and Green Body® Reading List | Lean and Green Body Blog
 

Body Love by Kelly Leveque

This book showcases Kelly’s Fab 4 smoothies and meals, and makes loving your body and fueling your body accessible for everyone.  Click here to find on Amazon.

 

Benefits of Meditation

Benefits of Meditation | Lean and Green Body Blog

Meditation has endless benefits for our mind and body.

15 reasons why you should add meditation to your daily routine:

Reduce stress

Improve concentration

Encourages a healthy lifestyle

Slows aging process

Boost immunity

Reduce depression

Reduce anxiety

Increase self-esteem

Increase optimism and awareness

Improves mood

Increases memory

Increases cognitive skills and decision making

Helps one process information and ignore distractions (excellent for those with ADHD)

Decrease blood pressure

Increases energy

 

Creating a meditation practice can be intimidating at first, but it does not have to be. 

Start with just 5 minutes per day. 

Increase by 1 minute per week until you reach 20 minutes. 

Meditating for 20 minutes per day will change your life. 

 

1 Comment

Jennifer Khosla

Founder, Lean and Green Body.  Mind Body Wellness Practitioner, Holistic Nutrition Specialist and Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher; Jennifer Khosla received her B.S. in Athletic Training from Springfield College. She later went on to study clinical dietetics, holistic nutrition and modalities to heal the body naturally through nutrition and lifestyle. 

Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation Techniques | Lean and Green Body

When faced with numerous responsibilities of work and family it can be difficult to find time for yourself. Taking a few moments each day to relax and unwind can be very beneficial.

Practicing relaxation techniques can reduce stress by:

Slowing your heart rate

Lowering blood pressure

Slowing your breathing rate

Reducing production of stress hormones

Increasing blood flow to major muscles

Reducing muscle tension

Reducing or elimination chronic pain

Improving concentration and boosting mood

Lowering fatigue and increasing energy

 

Relaxation Techniques…

Deep breathing

Hypnosis

Massage

Meditation

Yoga

Biofeedback

Music

Learning which relaxation techniques work best for you will help you to manage your tension and stress. You will become more aware of muscle tension, tightness and stress in the body and be able to eliminate or diminish it with these techniques. This will help you to prevent your stress and tension from getting out of control. All of these techniques take practice, and you may need to experiment and try several different techniques until you discover which ones work best for you.

Comment

Jennifer Khosla

Founder, Lean and Green Body.  Mind Body Wellness Practitioner, Holistic Nutrition Specialist and Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher; Jennifer Khosla received her B.S. in Athletic Training from Springfield College. She later went on to study clinical dietetics, holistic nutrition and modalities to heal the body naturally through nutrition and lifestyle. 

How to take care of yourself around the holidays in 5 easy steps:

1. SLEEP.
The holidays can be such a busy time. They are filled with tons of emotions, parties, and checklists. You need to take time to unwind every day and allow time for your body to recharge. Perhaps,you can go to bed just 30 minutes earlier every night for the rest of the year.

2. NUTRITION.
The holidays are notorious for cookies, candy and spiked egg nog. Be sure to balance out your indulgences with tons of fruits, vegetables and water. I recommend having a green juice in the morning to start your day off right. Increase your daily recommended water intake from 8-8 oz glasses daily to 10-8 oz glasses of water per day. This will help keep you hydrated, and will assist in cleansing the body.

3. MOVE.
Take a minimum of 30 minutes every day to move your body. Ride your bike, take a walk with loved ones, try a new fitness class... sweat every day! Exercise not only helps keep our physical body healthy, but helps to keep our mental and emotional body in balance as well.

4. PLAN.
Plan your weeks out in advance. One of my favorite things to do on Friday’s is to plan the following week out. I write down all appointments, meetings, dinners, and schedule my workouts. This allows me to clearly see what I am dealing with and create a plan of action. I can schedule mid-week grocery runs, holiday parties, and leave room for the unexpected.

5. MEDITATE.
Meditation is the key to a balanced life. Taking a few minutes, if you are a beginner perhaps start with 5 minutes, every day to sit in stillness and just breathe. Find a connection to your breath, letting go of the outside world and your to-do lists, and really tuning into your body. There are numerous benefits of meditation; one of my favorites is that it helps me to slow down. I am constantly on the go, and the holidays seem to be even busier, my meditation practice allows me time to check in and pause. Afterwards, I feel a sense of renewal and peace.

The holidays can be a very busy time, don’t forget to take time for YOU! 

Comment

Jennifer Khosla

Founder, Lean and Green Body.  Mind Body Wellness Practitioner, Holistic Nutrition Specialist and Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher; Jennifer Khosla received her B.S. in Athletic Training from Springfield College. She later went on to study clinical dietetics, holistic nutrition and modalities to heal the body naturally through nutrition and lifestyle. 

F*** Being Perfect

Lean and Green Body

F*** being perfect. I was in yoga class this afternoon with three girls wearing this exact shirt: “F*** Being Perfect”. I think it was a sign. I tried for years to be perfect. To be who I thought I was supposed to be, to go to the right school, to meet the right people, to do everything “perfect”. Well let me tell you one thing - perfect does not exist. That goal of trying to be perfect is unattainable, boring, and will not allow you to reach your fullest potential. Nothing is perfect. And that is perfectly okay.

When we stop trying so hard to please people, and tune out all the other voices - we are able to tune in to the one voice that truly matters. Our own. Our intuition will guide us. Through yoga, meditation, and a cross country journey I was able to tune into mine. It opened up a whole new world for me. I ended up dropping out of graduate school, quitting my job as a Nutritionist at a Boston hospital, and selling almost everything I owned. I moved across the country to La Jolla, California. In my eyes - the land of dreams. I had finally listened to that voice. The voice that had been telling me to go to San Diego for the past eight years. I finally said F*** being perfect and took the chance. I only knew one person there, had no place to live and no job. Yet in my eyes, it was a golden opportunity. I would start my 200 hour yoga teacher training just days after arriving. Somehow I knew everything would be okay. There was a reason I had to be there. I had started listening to that inner voice, my intuition. To say that La Jolla and that year changed my life forever would be an understatement. It was by far the most challenging year of my life and one of extreme growth and discovery. I finally stopped trying to be so perfect and realized how unattainable that goal really was - and instead, focused on being happy. Through this happiness, I was able to share my shine with those around me. This discovery lead me back to the east coast to finish school and start my first business. Five years later, I sit here writing this to you from my beach house humbled by the journey.

The journey to self took years with many life lessons along the way. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the last decade was sitting right in front of me in yoga. Instead of trying so hard to be perfect, why don’t we try to be real. To be true. To be humble. To love. F*** the rest. 

2 Comments

Jennifer Khosla

Founder, Lean and Green Body.  Mind Body Wellness Practitioner, Holistic Nutrition Specialist and Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher; Jennifer Khosla received her B.S. in Athletic Training from Springfield College. She later went on to study clinical dietetics, holistic nutrition and modalities to heal the body naturally through nutrition and lifestyle.