5-Min Belly Dancing Video

by Kathy Smith

Kathy Smith, New York Times bestselling author, has stood at the forefront of the fitness and health industries for over 30 years. The numbers speak for themselves: Kathy has sold more than 20 million exercise DVDs - landing her in the Video Hall of Fame - and $500 million in Kathy Smith products. With her revolutionary approach to fitness, Smith has touched millions of people, inspiring them to move, live, and love.

3 Meditations To Nourish Your Heart

by Kathy Smith

In the simplest sense, meditation can help banish negative thoughts by clearing your mind entirely. One popular meditation technique is to focus on a positive idea or happy moment. As soon as a negative thought bubbles to the happy, calm surface you created, think of it as a duck that is paddling away from you and return your focus to happier thoughts. It’s not always easy to erase negative thought patterns, but meditation can at least help you become more conscious of them, and that’s the first step.

As if happier thoughts aren’t enough of a benefit, research is showing that meditation can help restructure the brain in ways that lead to more enhanced concentration, boosted immunity, and increased compassion. Even the most basic attempts at meditation have been shown to have immediate positive results.

If you haven’t begun a meditation practice, or are looking to take your practice to the next level, then stay tuned. Today, I’ll guide you through three meditation styles to enhance your life and recharge your batteries.

1. Nature Meditation

One of my favorite ways to change my mental state is to meditate deeply on a part of nature. Take five minutes to look closely at a flower. Study the details of its texture and the structure. By observing the smallest features of a flower or any object, you develop a sense of reverence. The flower becomes a little miracle. You begin to see how complete and fully alive the natural world is at all levels. Meditating on nature can be calming, fascinating, and inspiring all at once.

2. Gratitude Meditation

I love what Oprah said about gratitude, “I know for sure that appreciating whatever shows up for you in life changes your personal vibration. You radiate and generate more goodness for yourself when you’re aware of all you have and not focusing on your have-nots.”

Every morning, I start my day by making a gratitude list. It gets me moving on a positive track!

So take a few minutes today meditating on all the things in your life that you’re thankful for. You might even think about taking out your phone, opening the notes, and writing your daily list.

3. Breathing Meditation

Slow, deep breathing is one of the best stress busters there is. Focus your attention on the breath entering your body, your breath flowing out, and the spaces in between the breath. Several minutes of this can lower your pulse, reduce your blood pressure, and relax much of the muscular tension in your body.

This popular breathing method is one of the easiest and most effective forms for the uninitiated to attempt. Try it during stressful situations throughout your day. Within minutes, you’ll see how it helps you stay present in the moment, and yet separated from the situation that created stress in the first place.

Remember, as you work through these three meditations negative messages may surface. It’s o.k. (and very common) if they do. Your meditation practice will become more profound as you turn your focus back to nature, what you’re grateful for, or your breath. Like anything new, the more you practice, the easier it becomes to switch your mindset.

Here’s to your health and happiness!

Kathy Smith, New York Times bestselling author, has stood at the forefront of the fitness and health industries for over 30 years. The numbers speak for themselves: Kathy has sold more than 20 million exercise DVDs - landing her in the Video Hall of Fame - and $500 million in Kathy Smith products. With her revolutionary approach to fitness, Smith has touched millions of people, inspiring them to move, live, and love.

Flat Abs Are Calling!

by Kathy Smith

Take pride in your midsection, and make it the focal point of your routine this week. Not just because your abs will look a lot better, but because if your core is unhealthy, it will compromise the health of your entire system. It’s the place where all movement is initiated, and the source of your body’s deepest powers. It’s also the factor that determines whether you move freely and with ease, or whether you’re weighed down by aches and pains. A strong core makes everything easier…each bike ride, run, and walk.

Remember, having flat abs isn’t just about vanity. Extra weight around your tummy triggers greater amounts of inflammation, putting your body at an increased risk for heart disease and diabetes.

By adding metabolic acceleration to your routine, you burn more belly fat than with a standard routine. Why the great results with metabolic acceleration? The word ‘metabolic’ translates to the breaking down of food into energy. During metabolic bursts, you burn more calories working at peak levels, alternating between active rest periods. The added benefit is the residual calorie burn after the workout—referred to as the EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption).

As your cells continue to need more oxygen, they are increasing your caloric expenditure and working harder after the workout. There’s a buzz around Metabolic acceleration, since it’s being used in programs such as CrossFit, P90X, and Tabata training. These metabolic workouts push you out of your comfort zone… and that’s when change starts to happen…in your workouts, your body, and your weight.
Let’s get started with this 1-min metabolic acceleration warm up!

Kathy Smith, New York Times bestselling author, has stood at the forefront of the fitness and health industries for over 30 years. The numbers speak for themselves: Kathy has sold more than 20 million exercise DVDs - landing her in the Video Hall of Fame - and $500 million in Kathy Smith products. With her revolutionary approach to fitness, Smith has touched millions of people, inspiring them to move, live, and love.

HOW THEY LIVED TO 100 (IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK)!

by Kathy Smith

While you’d think most centenarians — people who’ve lived 100 years or longer — would offer up lots of do’s and don’ts or diet and exercise regimens, their longevity secrets, it turns out, have little to do with most of the usual healthy-living recommendations. In fact, many spent a lifetime ignoring the advice of health experts. They didn’t avoid smoking or lose weight, yet most centenarians say they feel on average 20 years younger than their chronological age.

Centenarians, it seems, age more slowly than the rest of the population. Sardinia, a region of Italy, has the most centenarians per capita – 6 centenarians for every 3,000 people – 10 times more than in the US where the ratio is 1 per 5,000.

But, the statistics for 100+ year olds may surprise you. For example:

• 37% were smokers for an average of 31 years
• 37% were overweight; 8% were obese
• 20% never exercised at all; 44% only moderately

Yet, these centenarians have lower rates of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. Psychiatric illnesses, such as depression, are almost nonexistent.

But Why?

According to research and interviews with centenarians themselves, the primary difference between them and the rest of us comes down to six key ingredients…

• Zest for life
• Strong family and social ties
• Optimism
• Sense of humor
• Eating real food
• Hard work

Centenarians tend to be exceptionally good at expressing love, nurturing others, working hard, being involved in their communities, and flat-out refusing to stress about the small stuff—or most anything for that matter.

Happiness, say centenarians, is the key to a long life, and research backs them up. In fact, happy people tend to live about 35 percent longer. Positive thoughts and attitudes seem to somehow strengthen the immune system, boost positive emotions, and decrease pain and inflammation.

Sadly, though, life expectancy worldwide is now on the decline. At least half the US population is struggling with chronic illness. Many centenarians think the 21st century lifestyle is to blame. Modern conveniences and technologies have left us stressed-out, unhappy, unhealthy, chronically tired, and disconnected from each other.

They say that if you want to live to 100 and enjoy the happy, healthy lifestyle they had, you must be proactive every day and that managing stress is vital. Most importantly, they all agree that the keys to living to 100 are available to everyone, everywhere. And, as you can see, they’re not complicated.

Kathy Smith, New York Times bestselling author, has stood at the forefront of the fitness and health industries for over 30 years. The numbers speak for themselves: Kathy has sold more than 20 million exercise DVDs - landing her in the Video Hall of Fame - and $500 million in Kathy Smith products. With her revolutionary approach to fitness, Smith has touched millions of people, inspiring them to move, live, and love.