Page 12 – Cheryl Ilov International

Episode #18 Fifty Is Fabulous

Written by Cheryl on September 9, 2019. Posted in Femininja Podcast.

For a lot of people (especially women), turning fifty seems like the end of the world. However, I am here to tell you that turning fifty is nothing to be afraid of. As a matter of fact, it is something to be celebrated. No, I’m not kidding. As a deliriously happy woman over fifty, I have to tell you not to fear the big 5-0, because fifty is fabulous, and this episode shares some fun facts that prove it. Download this uplifting and entertaining episode to discover a few true and tried tips to make sure that you will be fabulous at fifty, and beyond.

Episode #17 The Walk of A Lifetime

Written by Cheryl on September 4, 2019. Posted in Femininja Podcast.

How in the world do you conquer life’s biggest challenges? Just ask Polly Letofsky, and she will tell you “one step at a time.” Polly would know, because she’s an expert of the subject. Exactly twenty years ago, on August 1st, 1999, Polly Letofsky left her Colorado home and headed west. She traveled across 4 continents, 22 countries and over 14, 000 miles—by foot—becoming the first woman to walk around the world. As an awareness campaign for breast cancer, survivors and supporters around the world came out to walk with her. Everyday strangers welcomed her into their homes, offered food, accommodation and friendship. The world had embraced her. But it was never an easy road. Every day Polly struggled with adversity. Floods, earthquakes, languages, muggings, religious riots–and antiquated...

Peachy Keen

Written by Cheryl on September 3, 2019. Posted in Cheryl's Kitchen.

Ahhhh, it’s late summer and in Colorado its Palisade peach harvest time. If you’ve never had a Palisade peach you just don’t know what you’re missing. The hot days and cool nights of Colorado make it a perfect growing environment for these delectable delights, making them sweet, juicy, and delicious. However, the harvest season is short, so I have a tendency to over-purchase. As a result, a lot of my peaches are sacrificed. What a waste! A few days ago I looked at my huge box of peaches, some of which were already starting to over-ripen, and I decided to try my hand at freezing some of them. Looking online, I found several different methods for freezing peaches, some including adding (ack!) sugar and/or artificial preservatives. Nuh-uh. Not for my peaches! They should...

Episode #16 You can have your kale and chocolate, too!

Written by Cheryl on September 2, 2019. Posted in Femininja Podcast.

Are you ever confused about what to eat, what not to eat, what is going to kill you long before your time, and what is going to make you live forever? Do you feel guilty that you’re not following a kale-only diet and you prefer a piece of dark chocolate every now and then? Then this episode is for you! There is so much conflicting information regrading nutrition, and a lot of crazy fads and bizarre beliefs that can actually be harmful to our health, let alone our mental and psychological well-being. There can even be a lot of public shaming surrounding food choices. Seriously, what’s up with that? Download this fun and informative episode that helps clear up some of the confusion, and discover why it’s possible to have your kale and chocolate, too!

What We Believe is What We Become

Written by Cheryl on September 1, 2019. Posted in Cheryl's View.

One of the most valuable lessons I learned from my Feldenkrais Training is that what we tell ourselves really does matter. Our mind (our brain and our nervous system) is constantly listening and processing the information that it receives. What we tell ourselves is what we believe. And what we believe is what we become. This became quite obvious during ballet class a few days ago when I listened to several of my barre buddies beat themselves down with negative self-talk. Our teacher had just given us a challenging and complex combination. A group of dancers stood around discussing their limitations, their short comings, their injuries, the reasons why they wouldn’t be able to do the combination and what would happen when they tried. It was fascinating to see all of their dire predictions...

Episode #15: The Genius Of Pilates

Written by Cheryl on August 28, 2019. Posted in Femininja Podcast, Uncategorized.

Pilates is a household name. But it wasn’t always that way. As recently as twenty-five years ago, very few people had even heard of The Pilates Method. But when it became popular in the ’90s, it hit the fitness industry as the hottest “new” exercise on the market. Not true. Pilates has now been around for a hundred years, and has helped millions of people recover from injuries, improve their posture, core strength, balance, fitness, fitness, health, and general mobility. Pilates has a lot of really cool (and incredibly expensive) equipment that provides a safe and supportive way to work out, as long as you have a qualified instructor. But what makes Pilates so powerful and effective are the six basic principles outlined by Joseph Pilates as he developed this...

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Written by Cheryl on August 27, 2019. Posted in Life's Lessons.

Don’t you absolutely just love the song about respect by Aretha Franklin? You know the one,“R-E-S-P-E-C-T…..Find out what it means to me.” I never thought about it before, but I guess it does mean different things to different people. To me it means being polite, mindful, thoughtful, considerate, and treating everyone with the human dignity they deserve. A few weeks ago I met a woman for the first time. We were introduced online by a mutual acquaintance who assured us that we had a lot in common and would get along famously. She was wrong. We met at a coffee shop, got a table, and exchanged a few pleasantries. Suddenly, she whipped out a notebook and said that she just got an idea and had to jot it down before she forgot it. No problem. I often do that myself. She...

Episode #14 Three Ninja Tips For Life

Written by Cheryl on August 26, 2019. Posted in Femininja Podcast.

Often times life presents us with unexpected and challenging opportunities. We have two choices: embrace the challenge or walk away. However, if we walk away we might be missing out on an incredible experience that can change the direction of our lives forever. In a good way. Which is exactly what happened to me when I had the chance to begin training in Ninpo Tai Jutsu. What started as “I’ll take a few classes and quit” eventually resulted in becoming my teacher’s first female black belt. Honesty, effort, and commitment are the first three traits of the ninja that I learned as a brand new martial arts student. However, these three little words have different practical applications to each and every one of us, both in martial arts training and life in general. This...

Episode #13: Everything’s A Weapon

Written by Cheryl on August 21, 2019. Posted in Femininja Podcast.

Here’s a fun-filled ninja secret which I learned even before I began my martial arts training. It was my teacher’s favorite subject, which was, “Everything’s a weapon.” I thought he was insane. Until I finally began training with him and realized he was right. The reality is that we do need tools to protect ourselves. Unfortunately, another reality is that a weapon can easily be taken away from us by an attacker and used against us. So, what’s a person to do? The answer is in this episode. Download this episode to discover the one secret weapon that every woman needs in her arsenal. It’s safe, practical, and extremely effective. It rocked my world, and it can rock yours, too!

Ballet Is For Everybody, and Every Age

Written by Cheryl on August 20, 2019. Posted in Femininja Podcast.

Ballet is the motherload for health, fitness, strength, and flexibility. However, traditional belief is that ballet is only for children and aspiring young professionals. That simply isn’t true! Adults of every age (and any age) can enjoy the remarkable health benefits of ballet. Ballet is the ultimate fountain of youth, and you are never too old to start taking ballet classes. I know many adults who began their ballet training in their 50s, 60s, and even 70s. This Bonus Episode features professional ballet dancer, teacher, choreographer and all-around great guy, Radoslaw Kokoszka. He shares his remarkable story of becoming a professional ballet dancer as well as his personal philosophy of ballet and dance in general. His unique and gentle approach to teaching ballet to people of all ages...

All of her experiences, training and practice contribute to a truly customized workout/core-strengthening program for each of her clients.
-Claudia D.
She not only helped alleviate the pain, she helped me regain flexibility and got me back on my center.
-Misti M-K
She gently guide you so that ultimately you understand your body better and are able to move with greater ease and less pain.
-Gwendolyn P.
Some of the numbness around my knees has subsided and I’ve regained some feeling as well as had deep joint pain reduction. Flexibility and overall strength has increased.
-Melinda C.
Her gentle, loving approach is just what my body needs to fully recover from a recent car accident. I leave each session with a slight tingling sensation and movement seems much more fluid.
-Shannon G
Cheryl’s background in physical therapy, dance, Pilates, Feldenkrais, and martial arts make her very capable of not only understanding movement but helping others achieve their goals!
-Sheila S.