Will you achieve your resolutions in 2013?

Instructor and Trainer Jason Van Sant is expecting more from himself in 2013. Read up on how he is getting real with his resolutions for the year.

New Year’s resolutions and why most of us never achieve them.

Now that the holidays are over, we have all started to think about the things we would like to do or want to change in this New Year: eat better, workout more, be a more positive person, etc. Around this time last year, I decided that I wanted to increase my overall flexibility. I was always envious of those who were able to fold forward at the waist and easily place both hands flat on the floor between their feet. So I decided that in order to become more flexible, yoga was going to be my thing in 2012. I purchased a mat, made some space in my schedule for a class or two a week, and was ready to go. I did pretty well for the first month or so and was actually able to do a forward fold and touch the floor with my finger tips without feeling like I was going to rip my muscles in half, but after a while “life got busy,” and I eventually stopped doing yoga. Sound familiar?

The truth is, what happened to me is exactly what happens to most people who set New Year’s resolutions.

We identify something that we want to change (increase flexibility), get excited and make a purchase that says “I’m serious about this” (yoga mat), work toward our resolution for a month or so (attend yoga classes), get a little closer to where we think we want to be (touch the floor with my finger tips), and then slowly start to fade away until we eventually stop. Why does this happen to so many people?

The reality is that setting out to eat better, work out more, be a more positive person, or, in my case, increase overall flexibility are all great things to work for, but the problem is that they are not specific and do not have a defined end goal. Let me explain. Going back to my resolution last year of increasing flexibility, I had an idea of what I wanted to achieve but had no defined goal against which to measure progress. What I should have done was identify a specific goal and then formulate a strategic plan to successfully reach that goal. My plan was to simply attend yoga classes, but what kind of yoga class should I have attended? Or better yet, was attending a yoga class every week the best approach for me to reach my goal? Instead of asking these questions, I just went with what I thought was best and found myself in an ashtanga yoga class where people were practicing headstands. Nothing wrong with ashtanga yoga or headstands, but they just weren’t what I needed to reach my goal.

My other problem was that I didn’t have a realistic timeframe set for my resolution; in fact, I had no timeframe at all.

When we set goals, we need to set a time or deadline by which we desire to reach our goals.

Otherwise, we get lax and say things to ourselves like “you have plenty of time to do this, so don’t worry if you don’t work toward you goal today.” Before you know it, December 2013 will be here, and you will set the same exact goal again because you didn’t reach it this year.

So this year, instead of setting a resolution like eating better or working out more, I encourage you to set a specific goal with a timeframe attached to it (Google S.M.A.R.T. goals). Some examples are: losing 20 lbs by Memorial Day, signing up for a half marathon in the fall… and completing it, or doing a set of 10 consecutive pull-ups by next Christmas. Once you have your goal in mind, formulate a plan to achieve that goal. Need assistance? Talk to a professional. This could be your physician, a nutritionist, a trainer, a yoga teacher, or anyone who specializes in the field that relates to your goal. Don’t approach this blindly (think headstands), and be wary of online advice, as it can be difficult to discern what is true and what is applicable to you as an individual. Ask questions, a lot of questions. And please don’t give up if you didn’t have your goal(s) set by January 1st.

There is absolutely no significance in starting your goal on the first day of the year.

Plus, you are better off starting after the New Year with a well-defined goal and plan versus scrambling to put things together as the ball dropped in Times Square.

Lastly, find someone to take this journey with you.

You will have a much better chance of reaching your goal if you work toward it with a partner or a group. This could be a friend, family member, co-worker, or anyone who will hold you accountable, encourage you along the way, and pick you up should you fall. This person or group doesn’t even have to have the same goal as you. They just need to be there to support you and cheer you on as you work to improve yourself.

Here’s to a wonderful New Year filled with many achievements.

Want more wisdom from Jason?  You can find him in his weekly classes, at his weekly Level 1 Kettlebell Workshops OR you can schedule personal training with him by emailing jason@syncstudio.net

[Meet LifEKiT Lifestyle Co.]

Sometimes we get lucky and people come into our lives that serve as a reminder to do what you love, love what you do and to believe in the power of positive thinking.  We couldn’t be more excited to introduce a collective of positive influencers, thinkers and creators….MEET LifEKiT!

1. Clue us in: Who are you? What is LifEKiT Lifestyle? Why do you create?

LifEKiT Lifestyle Co. is a lifestyle brand based here, in the beautiful city of Durham, N.C. We specialize in handmade accessories, quality apparel and a select offering of suitable lifestyle items. The production all of products are fueled by the company’s four principles of Love, Energy, Knowledge & Time. We create because we believe in the mission and the principles by which the company was founded. We use that substance to identify with others who live by the same principles. Lifers.

2. What is a typical day in the life of a LKLS Collective member?

Typical day…let’s see. There’s everything from making mail runs to filling web orders. There’s meetings and important decisions. Then there’s product development and customer service, all the way down to back porch conversations about the next undertakings of the company. We talk. We debate. We love. We laugh. And that’s a full day, every day. Running a company grants you freedom, yet at the same time it really doesn’t.

3. Favorite restaurant in Durham?

One of our favorite Durham eateries is Roy’s Kitchen. It’s a small family-owned breakfast and southern cuisine restaurant. It’s located not to too far from where we all attended college. Roy’s is like home for most of us.

4. Where will we see The Collective out in Durham? What do you do for fun?

Well, of course we’ll be in attendance for the SYNCSTUDIO Downtown Block Party! We also hope to host a few more events of our own before year’s end. We’re an eclectic energetic bunch who never shies away from a good experience. What’s great is that Durham now offers an opportunity to connect people with movement. Activities such as festivals and concerts are an excellent space to take a gander at. As a collective, we’re everywhere. We just try to make living fun.

5. MUSIC:

What are you listening to in your car right now?

Right now, it’s the Knowledge Quarter Mixtape. It’s a compilation album of distinct artists across multiple genres. It’s actually a LifEKiT production.

What do you listen to when you cook?

We love culinary preparation; it’s an art, so something soothing and creative like old Blues or classic Hip-Hop.

What do you sing in the shower?

In the shower it’s old-school Soul ballads, hands down, or the last thing that comes to mind, I guess.

What is making you dance right now?

You wouldn’t believe it, but we love those BMW commercials. They’re like the cool epitome of vintage garage rock. Oh, and anything by Santigold.

Favorite song to exercise to?

One single song is tough, but anything by Kendrick Lamar is good to exercise to. He’s like “The Man,” multiplied by two!

6. What is the STAY HUMBLE movement and what does it mean to you?

The Stay Humble Campaign is a branch of LifEKiT Lifestyle that encourages sustainable living, social awareness and humility across a range of issues. The campaign means a lot to the brand. It’s a very significant part of our company and movement. It gives us an opportunity to not just speak on the issues we identify with, but also a chance to garner support and raise awareness by getting our friends involved.  We can all use some “Stay Humble.”

7. Biggest perk to running your own lifestyle company?

The biggest perk is freedom – freedom to create – freedom to speak – freedom to engage.

8. What does it mean to be a Lifer?

To be a Lifer is to identify with the principles, movements and messages of the brand. It’s like the final stage of when a supporter becomes one who embraces the principles of LifEKiT as their own. Lifers take true flight.

9. What is the collective’s biggest accomplishment to date?

The biggest accomplishment to date is driving our entire company to Las Vegas, Nevada for the 2012 Magic Show. We were first year participants in the Pool Trade Exhibition. The Magic Show was a week-long waltz of high end fashion, new trends and the competitive drive it takes to make it. Such exposure to fashion and entrepreneurship on a global level was priceless. It was a huge undertaking. As a brand, we really grew-up fast in one week. There were nine of us in a fifteen passenger van, operating on fumes and a shoe string budget. We can go anywhere now and KNOW that we belong. It was a huge accomplishment, but growing every day, week and year is an accomplishment in itself.

10. Who in the collective is going to be the next SYNCCYCLING® instructor?

(Laughing) I think we ALL want a shot at that one! I think most of us would even do it for free.

11. What are you reading right now?

Interesting you should ask that. Two of us are reading a book right now called Life of Pi. Someone else just finished a book called The 4-Hour Work Week, and hasn’t stopped talking about it since. We’re almost all finished with The Alchemist. We also just picked up the new GQ. Denzel Washington is on the front cover. Fast Company is another magazine that stays on the rack. With reading, we keep it diverse and always positive.

12. What/Who is the greatest influence in your life?

It’s family. It’s friends. It’s experiences. That’s all you need.

13. What do you think makes Durham a unique place to be right now?

We look at Durham as one big urban cooperative, a cultural bed of art, intellectualism and creativity. You merge that with Research Triangle Park and you’ve got some real energy. As business owners, we’re seeing the growth every day. I guess you can say we’re living it. We hope to continue that unique spin through LifEKiT Lifestyle.

14. What can we look forward to next from LKLS?

Up next are some awesome Fall products in the realm of apparel – new textures, new colors, new designs, as well as some new lifestyle items. All we can say for now is “Please, stay tuned y’all!”

Follow LifEKiT on

[Tumblr] [Facebook] [LifEKiT Store] [Instagram] [@LifEKiT]

[Meet Jim]

Jim might be the new kid on the block, but his roots with SYNC go way back!  We’re elated that he’s officially part of the SYNCCYCLING™ team, and we hope you get a chance to check out one of his classes.

Any projects you are working on right now?

I actually have two things going on right now I’m pretty excited about.  The first is that I am co-stage managing an upcoming play called Richie – a modern/alternate universe interpretation of Shakespeare’s Richard II focused on the “royalty” of celebrity rather than of kings and queens.  It’s going to be funky and highly entertaining.  It’s a promenade piece, meaning that the performance will be played out over several different locations in downtown Durham (15 in all, most of which are bars, restaurants and other watering holes).  You can find out more about that at littlegreenpig.com.  The other cool side project is that I have been asked to co-write a script for a video game based on a female comic book character of some repute.  That’s really all I can say about that one for now, but it should be awesome.

What are you listening to in your car right now?

NPR.  This may sound odd to most people, but since I’ve become an instructor at the Studio I hardly ever listen to music over the radio.  If not NPR, I’m listening to my current playlist or candidates for my next playlist on Spotify.

Favorite song to dance alone to?

I’ll never tell!

Favorite place you have traveled to?  Place you want to travel to next?

Ireland.  I took my mom there a few years ago.  She always wanted to go see “the Motherland” (yep, I’m Irish), and it really was as green and lush and beautiful as you would imagine it to be.  We were lucky, too, in that it was unseasonably warm and sunny for the whole trip.  For my next trip, I feel the pull towards coastal California.

Favorite SYNCCYCLING™ move?

Travel.  It’s hard to beat the classics.

Favorite place in Durham?

Fullsteam Brewery

Favorite place in Raleigh?

It’s a tie between Cafe Helios and Hayes Barton Cafe

Top 3 Favorite movies?

This is really tough!  I can’t say these are my three absolute favorites, because I have so many, but I love It Happened One Night, Heat and The Shawshank Redemption.

If you could make a movie, what would it be about and who would the lead roles be played by?

It would be a period piece murder mystery taking place on a great estate in 18th century England.  All of my friends from SYNCSTUDIO would be in the cast.  Ashley would be the mysterious lady of the house who is found dead in Act I.  Matty, Kyle, Cathy, Laurissa and Leigh Ann would definitely all be suspects.  I would wish to either play the super sleuth who solves the crime, or the sweet friendly one with a dark secret that you never-saw-coming as the murderer.  Ha!

What is the best dish you can cook?

I confess little talent in this area.  But I do make a pretty good lasagna.

Best moment in this year’s Olympics?

The men’s 4×100 relay finals was the most thrilling thing I saw.  The speed and grace of the athletes takes your breath away.

[Meet Stephanie]

The secret is out!  Classes at SYNCSTUDIO taught by [Stephanie Lybarger] are challenging, motivating, and full of “magic!”  People are hooked on Stephanie like phonics!  Let’s spell out a little bit about our awesome lady…

.

Any projects you are working on right now?

My garden – it’s my first one and I’m still trying to figure some things out.

What are you growing in your garden?

Cucumbers (although the heat has nearly killed them), tomatoes (roma and golden cherry tomatoes), Thai hot peppers, basil, watermelon, green beans (but the aphids killed those), multi-colored carrots, swiss chard and buttercrunch lettuce.

Best thing about having two sweet bambinos?

Seeing their own little personalities develop.  Cooper has a lot of empathy and is a really caring kid and Bridgette is very assertive and bright.  I like to think they both got those traits from me.

What are you listening to in your car right now?

I actually have a playlist on my iPhone called “Car” (no really, I’m not making that up) and it has a variety on it:  Kid Rock, Michael Franti, Eminem, P.O.D., Gym Class Heroes, Ke$ha, Linkin Park, and a few others.

Music for class?

For yoga I really like Michael Franti and Marc Broussard and for cycling my favorite is a mixture of cheesy pop music and angry rock.

Favorite song to dance alone to:

“Dancing with Myself” by Billy Idol.  Just kidding–I don’t dance.

What is your favorite SYNCCYCLING™ move?

Swing – because I can’t dance and that move makes me feel like I can (at least on a bike).

Strangest place you’ve practiced yoga?

My office – I was really stressed one day so I just shut the door and practiced in between a filing cabinet and my desk chair.

What posture do you do to relax?

Supta Bada Konasana with my feet bound with a blanket and a bolster under by back.

What posture do you do to get energized?

My favorites to build energy are Warrior 2 and Half Moon

What is your favorite dessert?

I really can’t name just one – how ’bout I give you a top five?  These are in no particular order:

1. Hagen Daas plain chocolate ice cream
2. crème brûlée
3. monster cookies (which I prefer to make myself)
4. chocolate peanut butter cheesecake (from my own kitchen)
5. fresh peaches

You just did a Magic Mike themed SYNCCOMBO (SYNCCYCLING™ + Yoga Fusion) class… Tell us, who is your favorite Magic Mike stripper?  And what song goes with him?

First of all, I love that you’re asking me this question.  This is a tough call– if we’re going just with physical appearance then Joe Maganiello (who dances to “Can I” by Tank… and you can see exactly why his stage name is “Big Dick Richie”).  If we’re factoring in dancing ability here, then the answer is clearly Channing Tatum (who dances to “Pony” by Ginuwine and “Calypso” by Excision & Datsik).

If you could choose any character in any movie/book to be in real life, who would it be?

Lisabeth Salander from The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Yeah, she’s a little effed up but she’s crazy smart, resourceful and strong and she has her own beliefs and morals that she follows in a completely unwavering capacity.

Okay, so we know you are a Computerized Coke Machine aficionado. What is the best combo?

Diet Coke with lime and the Cherry Diet Coke to make Cherry Limeade Diet Coke!

Biggest accomplishment in your life so far?

Completely changing the direction of my life at the age of 30.  It was a scary thing to give up the security and familiarity I had to get divorced, give up going to law school and become a yoga teacher but it was, without a doubt, the best decision I’ve ever made.  I just decided that no one was going to come around and ask if I wanted to be happy so I figured I had to get that way on my own.

[Meet Adriana]

If you’re looking for a refreshing yoga experience, try [Adriana Freiberger] at SYNCSTUDIO! We love her cool and tranquil flavor, and she always leaves her yogis feeling empowered and enlightened after each practice.

Any projects you are working on right now?

Exploring new kinds of movement such as ballet and west African dance. Also, attempting to regulate the out of control watermelon and squash vines in my neighborhood garden.

Let’s find out more about your music tastes! What are you listening to in your car right now?

Because it’s summer, I’m listening to a lot of Baile Funk which is a really trashy super fun version of Brazilian reggeton.

Music for class?

I like to keep music for class really ambient. I want help my students focus on internalizing their awareness, sometimes I find music with lyrics in English, but that can really stir up some memories or emotions that could be distracting for their practice. Sometimes, I’ll find a really beautiful Kirtan song (devotional chanting in Sanskrit) that I’d like to share with my students, the repetitive mantra (or words), can really be soothing and powerful.

Music for dancing by yourself?

Anything by M.I.A. or the Backstreet Boys. (yikes!)

Strangest place you’ve practiced yoga?

Probably a high school cafeteria.

Go-to posture?

Definitely handstand! It’s so energizing and you can do so many fun variations.

Signature posture for classes?

I haven’t really ever thought about this before, but I’d guess it would have to be lizard/inside lunge position. I can attribute that to one of my favorite teachers who always makes us practice that pose first thing. I guess I picked up on the habit as well!

Any hidden talents?

I’m tri-lingual and I can touch my tongue to my nose.

If you had to eat one meal for every day for the rest of your life what would it be?

Fancy cheese and olives. And of course chocolate with almonds and sea salt. Forget veggies and proteins. Ha!

Favorite place in Durham?

The Capoeira Brasil Martial Arts Academy (Terreiro de Arte e Cultura) and Whiskey b/c I feel really fancy and special when I go there!

What is your favorite SYNCCYCLING™ move?

Definitely travel. It makes me feel like a beast!

If you could choose any character in any movie/book to be in real life, who would it be?

Such a hard question, because it totally depends on my mood. The first one to come to mind is Lilu (sp) from the 5th Element! Supreme being with amazing skills in martial arts!

Biggest accomplishment in your life so far?

Discovering yoga and getting into the UNC school of Social Work!

[Meet Cathy]

She’s TEN SHADES OF GREAT.  She serves up daily workouts that will make your muscles scream and shout.  She’s at SYNCSTUDIO every day of the week.  She’s [Cathy Winton] and we asked her a few questions to see what makes her so awesome.

What’s your favorite SYNCCYCLING™ move?

Four Corner Swing

Favorite place in Durham?

SYNCSTUDIO….and a few others:
Fancy Eating = revolution
Sentimental value = American Tobacco campus (David proposed to me under the water tower there after he sent me on a city-wide scavenger hunt)
Hanging out = my house/neighborhood or downtown

What are some guilty pleasures?

Chubby’s Tacos and competition reality shows.

What side do you roll to after Savasana?

I roll onto my right side after Savasana because that it how I was originally taught and it stuck.  I roll to my left side after a big meal.

What are some projects you are working on?

Besides playlists and class plans… currently working on a few sewing projects, along with continuing house renovations (2012 is year of the floor and inside projects, 2013 will be exterior landscaping and building a detached office/workspace in the back yard)

Biggest accomplishment to date?

Becoming a homeowner on my own at age 25, and/or quitting my job to pursue my love of fitness

Music go-tos?

Party songs = Girl Talk
Feeling blue song = “Needle in the Hay” by Elliott Smith, or stuff by The National
Savasana song = n/a (am I not supposed to be sleeping at this point in class??)
Dance alone to = anything by Robyn or The Talking Heads
Driving music = Wes Anderson Movie Soundtracks, Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me, and if I am feeling tired I listen to Toto or The Killers so I can practice my karaoke songs really loudly.

Best city

Duh!  DURHAM (but I really like visiting Washington, DC and San Francisco. And I’d go back to any of the European cities I’ve visited in a heart beat).

What is your stage name?

C-Note (Get it?  Like music AND money!)

Pro-Wrestler Name and/or Finishing Move?

“Buff Valentine” (www.wrestlingname.com) and I would use hilarious jokes to take down my opponents.  Or I’d somehow incorporate star jumpies.

Nicknames?

Baywatch, White Lightning, CRT

THE LOVE HUNT 2012 FINAL CLUE!

Hello My Love Hunters!

I hate to say it, but our short love affair is coming to an end today. I know! I’m sad too. Still figuring out what I will do to fill the time spent together each day. Maybe a good book? Or a reflective cup of coffee? Someone suggested a glass of wine, but a glass of wine at 11AM doesn’t make for a very productive day. Think I will stick to coffee.

Well, since we do have to end this, I am curious to see if you were paying attention to me during our time together with a little quiz…don’t worry, no tricks! All questions will be related to the sites that clues were successfully posted on.

TO WIN THE LOVE HUNT YOU MUST CORRECTLY ANSWER ALL OF THE QUESTIONS ON THE QUIZ BELOW AND EMAIL IT TO

lovehunt@syncstudio.net

THE FIRST PERSON TO EMAIL ALL CORRECT ANSWERS IN WINS A 1 YEAR UNLIMITED MEMBERSHIP.

Remaining 49 prizes will be distributed according to highest number of correct answers and time of submission.

Quiz:

1. On what day did the hunt begin?
2. On what day does the hunt end?
3. Where was the first clue posted?
4. What is the SYNCSTUDIO twitter handle? (our name on twitter!)
5. What kind of item did you find the clue on in our CafePress SYNCSTUDIO SWAG STORE?
6. On what street is Durham Cycles located?
7. Sustain-A-Bull has a slogan they like to use: “Shop Independent….” What is the last word in the slogan?
8. Sustain-A-Bull’s twitter feed directed you to @chirbachirba on twitter…ChirbaChirba specializes in what food item?
9. Have you reviewed SYNCSTUDIO on Yelp.com? (The correct answer is the truth. No tricks, just curious!)
10. What was the title of the February 21 blog post on the SYNCSTUDIO blog?
11. SYNCSTUDIO has 2 COLLECTIONS on Flickr. How many photos are in the collection titled “THE LOVE HUNT 2012”?
12. How many instructors were featured in the Meet the Instructors video on the SYNCCYCLING Youtube channel?
13. Where does the video on the Bean Traders Coffee homepage tell you to go?
14. Right below “SYNCSTUDIO- YOUR FIRST CLASS IS FREE” on the SYNCSTUDIO homepage there is a link posted for a survey…what is the survey?
15. On Saturday, March 17th you will probably see a lot of your friends from SYNCSTUDIO celebrating the Marry Durham Anniversary in Downtown Durham. Is it the 1, 2 or 3 year anniversary celebration?
16. The Retreat in Durham is the best place to escape from a busy day or life…what is the street address for The Retreat?
17. DirtyDurham.com is a fun and creative blog dedicated to events in the Durham community…what is the third word in the slogan “Keep it … , Durham”
18. What question is everyone answering in the 2nd Annual Love Hunt video?

GOOD LUCK! Thanks for our time together these past 2 weeks, we LOVE our community!

XOXO

Until next time,
APL