A good snowball effect....

I was feeling a little sorry for myself on my birthday this year, so I decided to challenge myself.

I decided that in honor of my 48th year, I would try to get 48 workouts in by New Years eve- which translates to about 3 workouts per week on average. I started on my birthday - September 3rd- well this morning I hit workout 58 - so not only have I beaten my goal - I hit it ahead of schedule. I’m not writing this to brag but rather to explain how I met and exceeded my goal.

Goal setting is still hard for some people. I'll often meet clients who are interested in losing fat and decide that they will start daily cardio, weight train four times per week, eat six small meals, cut calories by 20% and reduce their carb intake.

These are great goals -- but most people are trying to do too much at once. The solution to this is to use the goal snowball effect. Here's how to do it:

List five or six behaviors you need to improve or change to reach your goals. What do you need to be doing that you're not doing? What bad habits do you need to kick? What good habits do you need to instill?

List these things from easiest to hardest.

"Maintain" all your other goals and focus your attention on the first thing on your list (the easiest one.) Spend two weeks just focusing on achieving that goal so that it becomes a habit and part of your daily lifestyle.

Once that change has been made and ingrained, move up to the next item on your list and focus your efforts there.

One by one, knock out these changes and/or goals.

For example: Maybe you sleep late.

First goal might be to get up 30 mins earlier every day.

Second goal might be to go to the gym as soon as you wake up - and go four times a week instead of three.

Third goal may be to make sure you always eat breakfast.

Fourth goal? Reduce portion sizes at 3 out of 5 meals...and so on.
So in 10 weeks or so - you're getting up earlier - never missing a workout, have done an extra ten workouts, and eaten breakfast everyday (which is a key factor in fat loss) while consuming less calories overall. These goals would "snowball" into a bigger overall effect with long-term success whereas trying to do all things at once would likely result in short term failure.

Instead of coasting into the New Year, why not list a few behaviors you want to change between now and December 31st. Work on the easy ones, and see how much momentum you can build into 2008. It might make for a more productive year.

Til next time.

5 steps to an "easy does it" lifestyle...

“Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” --St. Francis of Assisi

Brush fires!? Ice storms!? War! Budget cuts! Escalating gas prices!?

The world feels like a very hard place to be these days. More and more... the people I talk to are just weary (I know at times I am).

We're tired of running faster and getting further behind. I know that at times like this, it’s hard to make changes in your life to pursue your own goals or take time out for your own self care. There’s always something else that seems more pressing to do. And it has to be done right NOW!

When I was a kid I would get wound up in a frenzy or when something seemed overwhelming to me, my parents would calm me with a little cliché: “Easy does it - one step at a time". In retrospect that was so easy to do at that time. I wonder what happened?

When I was a kid, I understood that phrase to mean that if I would settle down and focus, I would be able to get past the trauma. No, i'm not being honest,...it was usually self-imposed drama.

Certainly the more agitated or overwhelmed I am, the less creative and resourceful I am. However, I think that phrase “Easy does it” has even more meanings than just settle down and focus.

One of the commonalities that I share with my clients and friends, is that we think we have no time or enough energy to pursue our passions or seek the life we really want. There is just no more time in the day to squeeze in anything else, especially something as big as changing our lives!

And yet, the people who are most successful at changing their lives do it the “easy” way. Rather than trying to change their lives through big effort, they pick one or two easy things to do to start on the path.

Maybe it’s something as easy as taking a class, or reading a book, or perhaps introducing a new healthy habit. The key is that it is “easy” to do. We don’t earn extra points in life for degree of difficulty like an ice skater, gymnist or diver would. Instead, “EASY does it” in our complex, fast-paced world gets us more points.

Another secret to changing things in your life is to change your thinking or behavior and then stick with it long enough to make the change last.

Doing something once typically doesn’t change your life (unless it’s buying that winning lottery ticket! 60 million this week - right?). Real change happens over time- sort of like forming a diamond, or using braces to move teeth. It's the consistent application of pressure over time.

Luckily it doesn’t take tons of pressure or hundreds of years for us to change. Consistently taking even small action for just a few weeks can create an amazing shift in our lives. The real key is choosing something and DOING it. When the action is easy, we’re more likely to take that consistent action. So to create change, “easy DOES (do) it.”

The last aspect of “easy does it” for changing your life is creating momentum.

Many of us have tried and failed at some change we wanted to make. I used to set enormous goals that required “do-or-die” action. For years I would periodically take on the big exercise and weight loss goal: exercise daily, eat only fruits and vegetables, or other unrealistic (for my lifestyle) expectations. I set myself up for failure because when I didn’t take the big action, I lost all of my momentum. Rather than doing SOMETHING toward my goal, I gave up and did NOTHING. And then I didn’t try again until I took on yet another heroic goal.

Today, the strategy that works for me, is to achieve little successes. I celebrate those successes, then leverage that momentum for the next action. So for example, I promise myself that for today I’ll get some form of exercise. For today I’ll skip the bread and have vegetables instead. Each day that the “easy does it” approach is successful, I build on that success and keep creating bigger and bigger action. In other words, I set myself up for success rather than failure.

Living in today’s world can seem hard enough without creating our own additional challenges and struggles. If there’s something that’s important for our quality of life, we need a way to deal with the realities of our lives, while still taking the steps to create that important change. An “easy does it” approach to working toward your goals and dreams can set you up for success . . . without all the struggle!

So, here are some suggestions for how to put the “easy does it” approach to work for you:

First, be realistic about the time and energy you have to create the desired change. At the same time, remember there is ALWAYS time for what is most important for you. It’s truly a matter of focus and choice.

Second, identify some small action, or variety of actions, you can take daily to gain some momentum. Keep it easy, fun, and focused on something attainable every day.

Third, be consistent with it for at least 3 weeks, preferably more like 6 weeks. Even if you can’t do all of what you planned, do something. If you lose momentum for several days, just start again to create the consistency.

Fourth, celebrate the fact that you are taking this action – no matter how small or how inconsistently. Enjoy progress and success in whatever way is meaningful for you.

And finally, fifth, as the first “easy” item becomes habitual, think about what you can do next to build on that success. What will help you move, even in small increments, closer to your dream? Repeat all of these steps, and whenever life starts to get overwhelming, just remember, “Easy Does It.”

Til next time....

Women and heart disease

I was reading this morning and found an article about heart disease specifically directed at women. For the longest time, heart disease and women weren't mentioned in the same sentence. Other than the grieving spouse.

You may want to take a look at this article there are some pretty alarming trends. For example did you know in 1996 that 11 times more women died of heart disease than of breast cancer. And currently heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women.

http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/how-prevent-heart-attack.html?pageNum=1

Read the article and let me know what you think.

Until next time.... Larry

The fastest(and simplest) way to lose fat...

OK we all made it through Thanksgiving and have about 51/2 weeks before the New Year.

For a personal trainer January 2nd is a big day. Resolutions, new diet goals, etc...

With that in mind I was talking to colleague recently, trying to pick his brain about the most effective strategies that help people shed fat weight. Robert, really understands fat loss better than 99% of the people on the planet. He has helped professional body builders, athletes and movie stars shed unwated inches and weight for major competitions and movie roles. After talking about this system or the newest supplement we came to an interesting conclusion...

We've all been brainwashed into thinking that the only way to improve results is by pushing forward harder.

Think of a car with the parking brake on. You push the gas harder you'll only run out of fuel quicker right? Take off the brake and with no more energy (less even) the car will go further and faster.

Removing the negative factors will improve your results far more than another set of squats, bench presses or sprints ever will.

Looking to accelerate progress is pointless when the brakes are still on.

For example - adding an extra workout day or adding 15 minutes of interval training post-workout is an acceleration tool.

But if you skip breakfast before weight training – you are in a catabolic (muscle wasting) state and any acceleration techniques will only create a further cataboic or detrimental situation.

The National Weight Control Registry (http://www.nwcr.ws/Research/default.htm)is part of the Brown University Mdeical School in Providence RI - and is United States register of people (18 years or older) who have lost at least 30 lb of weight and kept it off for at least one year.

Members lost weight by a wide variety of methods, but the one commonality was that almost all of the registry members ate breakfast. (78%)

Seems like a pretty simple habit - but one that in my experience several people don't do.

So what's your own "brake" that you need to release?

Are you a breakfast skipper?

Are you a program-hopper - who switches programs every time something new appears?

Do you design your own programs - based around your favorite exercises only?

One of my own personal "brakes" is meal frequency. I get busy, or caught up doing something - writing an article, or reading something etc. And I forget to eat.

I could recommned several supplements that might cost you near $100 per month.

I could have you add in several doses of creatine, beta-alanine and/or any supplement you can think of. We could put together a very regimented and structured workout program - but I'd be unlikely to help you get the optimal benefits until your meal frequency is optimal.

Release the brakes. And lets see what kind of muscle gains and lower body fat goals we can meet for the new year.

A quick Thanksgiving thought

Happy Thanksgiving everyone:

I read something the other day.... just seems like it would be a good thought to focus on for Thanksgiving Day and the holidays.

"If you don't make time for gratitude you'll have plenty of time for despair."


If this one hits home, take some time today to recall everything you have to be grateful for. Doing so can completely rewire the day for you. My guess is that if you practice this exercise regularly - it will rewire your life.Take care!

Larry

The Positives of Failure

I have a great many things to be thankful for this holiday season.

A loving family, loyal friends and honorable co-workers. Along the way I have also experienced some tough lessons - unfortunatly during this period of my life I wasn't mature enough to learn what those lessons were until much later.

In the aftermath of this particular event I was too busy licking my wounds and wasn't paying attention to the lesson that could have been learned. Had I paid attention, things may have worked out differently.

Following is one of those experiences from many years ago. This event bubbles up from time to time (like tonight) and serves to both humble and remind me of where I need to direct my focus so that I may reach my personal and professional goals.

What I am about to tell you is the secret of failure. Yet, it can be viewed in a number of ways. You can view this message as bitter medicine ... or as a salve for your soul.

You can see it as harsh - or as the shot of adrenaline you need to get yourself going.

27 years and 6 months ago today, I returned from the NCAA Jr. College Midwest district tennis championships. Despite having high hopes of going to the National tournament, I lost in the first round. Afterward I felt utterly humiliated and frustrated. I felt that all my hard work had been in vain. I had only lost once in that entire season (my first match) and that was to the current #1 nationally ranked player – I was cruising to that point, and was busting my butt training hard and really becoming a student of the game!

Even so, the day after the team van pulled back into town, I went down to the local tennis club to work out; to press on. I believed that no matter how often I failed, if I kept moving forward I would eventually succeed. I was taught this early on by my parents, You only fail when you quit - when you stop trying, when you give up on yourself or your teammates.

So I pressed on. Deep inside, I will admit to feeling a lot of hurt because at that time in my life, whenever I made a mistake or experienced a setback, I felt that I, personally, was a failure. Not that I had suffered a loss, but that I was a loser.

No matter how many victories a person accumulates in life, if you view failure as final or personal, then you'll begin to think you're a failure, and this can become an inconsolable wound. It can affect and infect every single area of your life.

But this needn't happen, especially when you realize that all of the most successful human beings were also great at failing, at making mistakes and learning to rise above their setbacks; to cast them aside and think ONLY of what was desired.

Remember, it is not so much your desire - but how strong the desire you have IS. This was brought to my attention the day after the district meet, when my former tennis instructor and friend, Tom, asked me how I did.

When I managed to cough up the disturbing fact that I lost, he looked at me and said, "It all boils down to desire, doesn't it?"

Ouch!

Before Tom said this to me I thought I was working hard. I thought I had a strong desire to succeed. I thought I was doing whatever it takes to win. But I was kidding myself. On many occasions I weakened - and every single time it was the MAN inside who weakened. It was NEVER the external me. Whether we succeed or fail, if we're honest we'll admit that it was the "stranger" within us who called the shots.

After Tom told me this I began to realize that getting my butt whooped was a good thing. It was necessary for me to strengthen my desire. And this was a lesson I have carried with me in everything I do to this very day.

Whether I have a goal that is fitness related or career related, every time I have failed there is only one reason. I can discover this reason at any time by taking a look in the mirror. I can look into my eyes and ask the question, "Have you REALLY given it everything you've got?"

The answer coming from the man inside is always "No."

Somewhere along the line I wasn't willing to do whatever it takes: I wasn't willing to follow instructions: I was bull-headed, stupid, stubborn or just plain ignorant.

Each and every failure gave me an opportunity to grow. But before there could be any growth, I had to face the facts. First, I had to acknowledge that I wasn't perfect - even if I wanted to be. And second, I had to let go of the past, even if my mind was still searching for someone to blame.

As you work toward meeting your fitness goals, or if you are just trying to, improve your career, increase your income - or whatever your goals may be, you will make mistakes. You will encounter setbacks. But none of these need to be a bad thing. Your mistakes literally help lead you to your goals - so do your failures. But only if you stay in the GAME and learn from what you've done.

If you've fallen off the wagon for a spell, don't flog yourself. Just get back on.

If you've given up on yourself, your family, friends or coworkers through this spell, simply refocus and get back to where you want to be.

Don't waste a single second whining or complaining.

Focus instead on playing "the game" the way you think you should.

Focus on doing what you can do to be a better person. Make sure you are doing everything you can to meet your goals. Do what you need to do so that you can look at yourself in the mirror and know that you gave it everything you got. That goes for work, it goes for family, and it goes to living life.

Next time you look at yourself in the mirror. Ask yourself, "Have you REALLY given it everything you've got?

Do this and you will come to know that the strength of your desire is far more important than merely having a desire. When your desire burns bright, you get what you want. When it's dim, you don't.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and make sure you enjoy the stuffing! : -)

Belly Fat BE GONE!!!

The big day for giving thanks is this Thursday.

Followed of course, by Black Friday - the day many men and women spend on the Cardio Confessional.

That's my term for people who think that an hour of cardio will make up for the previous day's dietary indiscretions. But nothing can be further from the truth.

For the next two months, millions of bloated men and women will be stepping on stairmasters, mounting elliptical machines, and parking their butts on bikes for hours while repenting their sinful pumpkin
pie indulgences and other holiday feast transgressions.

Unfortunately, they will do all this with little return for the investment of their time.

Just take a look at the two most shocking research studies in the last year.

First, from Australia, came the study showing us that cardio did nothing for female fat loss, while interval training helped burn belly fat.

And second, an American study showed that even doing 300 hours of cardio in a year led to less than 6 pounds of fat loss in men and women. I know kind of depressing isn't it?

So to sum up the big findings of this year...

The cardio confessional is a waste of time.

A mindset that involves "exercise as punishment for overeating" is unhealthy and ineffective.

Resistance training is the only way to build muscle and burn fat at the same time.

Short burst interval training workouts are the best way to lose your belly fat and sculpt your body.

If the goal is to keep belly fat off for the holidays...You are better working out more times per week 20 to 40 minutes per session, than doing monster marathon workouts once or twice per week....

See you in the gym...

12 rules to live by....

I’m in a mode this weekend, emptying boxes of journals, throwing stuff out and basically cleaning up the place…. I found some notes I wrote a few weeks ago.


These are rules that I have been trying to live by – with varying degrees of success. I’m posting this not so much that you may want to learn from it, (although if they make sense to you please be my guest)- but more so that I have another place to remind myself what my goals are.



So here goes…. If you want to challenge me about them, please do.

1. Train consistently 4 days a week.
   


2. Train hard for as long as you feel good with high intensity training, as soon as you feel the need to back off, LISTEN to your body and “deload “/ cut back for a 1 - 2 week period.
   Every 3 months, take 1 week off from strength training entirely – clean out boxes, throw stuff away and go traveling.
   


3. Stop training fancy “schmancy”. You are not going to impress anybody.
   


4. Use heavy weights for low reps…Use moderate weights for moderate reps…Use light weights for high reps. It all counts as work and will burn calories. It’s the lack of intensity, lack of consistency and poor nutrition that cause lack of results.
   


5. Eat as much wholesome food as possible. Stay away from processed foods, go organic as often as possible and eat approx. 5 meals a day (4 - 6 meals).
   The basics always work - barbells, dumbbells, bodyweight.
   


6. Move your body! Jumping rope, hill sprints, stair climbing, trail running, swimming, boxing, wrestling, etc. - all these different activities keep you mobile, agile and hostile! Do not allow yourself to become a one dimensional person who can only lift heavy, or only do calisthenics, or only _________ (fill in the blank)
   


7. Drink tons of water. Non-caffeinated. Eat fruit and veggies everyday. There’s pretty much nothing that can be done to out-train a crappy diet.
   


8. Once a week, loosen up on the food choices and splurge to your liking. The next day, get back on track.
   


9. Lots of training methods and principles work, do not subscribe to one and only one. This is a great way to get overuse injuries and get burned out.
   


10. Take time EVERY day to give to yourself. Lie down and read a few pages from a good book get some extra shut eye, even if it’s for 15 minutes or have a glass of wine. In life, it’s important to do what makes YOU happy!
    


11. Do NOT fear the unknown. Learn to love the unknown and go for what you’ve always wanted in life. Tomorrow is never as good as right NOW!
    


12. Don’t talk sh*t behind other people’s back, it only shows your insecurity and lack of respect for self and others and wastes too much time. Respect all and walk the walk, don’t talk the talk.
    

Ready, Aim, Fire?!... maybe not

Life is what happens while you are planning....

John Lennon

Most people are familiar with the phrase “Ready, aim, fire!”



The problem is that too many people spend their whole life aiming and never firing. They are always getting ready, getting it perfect.



But I have found that the quickest way to hit a target is to fire, see where the bullet landed, and then adjust my aim accordingly. If the hit was 2 inches above the target, I lower my aim a little. Fire again. See where it is now. Keep firing and keep readjusting. Soon you are hitting the bull’s-eye.



The same is true for anything.



Am I against planning? I'm not...



Lord knows that I have to plan to head off all kinds of potential problems. But sometimes what happens is that I wait until the "perfect time"! I want it to be the perfect situation before I start the journey.



Once on the move, it's been my experience that even though you thought you had the "perfect" plan it wasn't and you end up adapting the plan as you go.



So, plan a little, then check out the plan by firing first - you actually might get to the bullseye faster.

If you have a goal you want to achieve or a burning desire to do something.... start NOW.... there will never be the perfect time to start.



Talk to you later



Larry

Simple CAN be best....

This was one of those weekends that I sat at home and just read….



You see I’ve come to figure out that the “benefits of membership” is that I get to fill a cardboard box full of brightly colored journals, newsletters and magazines. So every couple of months, when I can’t stuff any more into the box, I pour myself a cup of tea, pour myself in to the recliner and start skimming (read: dozing).



Looking down at the floor after my latest nap I would swear to you that I must have a good third of the sequoia national forest on my living room floor right now… but at least I’m learning something today.



One of the most talked about topics in the magazines is the topic of diabetes. Apparently, folks have figured out that we have a diabetes problem in this country, and their might be more strategies in helping to manage it this insidious disease. (Read: a more profitable way for the drug companies to manage the disease)



Looking at the journals, various articles and blogs, there seems to be an article referenced from The New York Times In Diabetes, a Complex of Causes. - pardon the link. I hope it works.
You’d be forgiven if your first thought upon reading this article was about how wonderful it is that we live in the technological age where medical breakthroughs happen by the day.



But let’s examine this article a little more closely.



The diabetes article belies the “gee whiz” mentality that scientists and some medical professionals display when confronted with results or findings that don’t fall in lockstep with the prevailing scientific or medical orthodoxy - I remember not long ago when all of the low-fat supporters were left scratching their heads when major longitudinal studies on low-fat diets tend to show worse health and longevity for folks on low-fat diets.



I’ll pin down the relevant passages from the diabetes article below in case the link above didn’t work. Of course I have to comment on it, what’s the point of having a blog anyway?



1. “The defining feature of diabetes is elevated blood sugar. But the reasons for abnormal sugar seem to ‘differ tremendously from person to person,’ said Dr. Robert A. Rizza, a professor at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.”



The common thread in Type 2 diabetes is chronic elevation of insulin levels. While there may be many different mechanisms that lead to this hyperinsulimia in different individuals, one thing holds true: the less sugar you eat, the less insulin your body has to dump into the bloodstream to ferry that sugar into the cells. That holds true for all human biochemistry and it’s something that’s within the reach of every person to control (whereas I think controlling the rate of bone secretion of osteocalcin or punching little holes into your brain is beyond the yen of your average Joe or Jane).

2. “Drugs that increase (insulin) production tend to make insulin resistance worse.”


More than being an interesting coincidence, this makes logical sense. If the underlying mechanism of insulin resistance (and ultimately, Type 2 diabetes) is the “deafness” of the body’s cells to the call of insulin, then drugs that serve to amplify the call of insulin would hasten the progression of insulin resistance.



Which just goes to show that treating the symptoms of a disease without an appreciation of the disease’s overall scope is short-sighted indeed.



3. “A deficiency in osteocalcin could also turn out to be a cause of Type 2 Diabetes, Dr. Karsenty said.”



To use a tired analogy, just because fire trucks are usually at the site of a fire doesn’t mean that fire trucks cause fires.



4. “If osteocalcin works similarly in humans, it could turn out to be a ‘unique new treatment’ for Type 2 diabetes, Dr. Malozowski said.”



…or, instead of spending billions trying to make a brand new drug to treat Type 2 diabetes, you could just tell patients to eat less sugar. And to strength train, since strength training improves insulin sensitivity.



Now, I’m not poo-pooing the furthering of science, nor am I against the use of modern medical solutions (Read: drugs) for medical problems. But let’s face it: this nation has a diabetes problem because it has a sugar problem. And it’s irresponsible to promote drug-based solutions (and to profit handsomely from them) if a less invasive lifestyle alternative Sometimes the simplest solution is the best solution (and the cheapest, to boot).



Maybe you could try telling people to eat less sugar. Just a thought. Sometimes simple IS best.

The Coffee Can Trick.....

Many of you have stopped me in the hall or emailed me about the coffee can trick. So here it is.

Many of us will suffer stiff and achy hands especially in the morning, during this time of year. Our fingers are just way too hard to move, painful and sometimes swollen.

During my stint at Health Performance Centers we did a lot of rehab work, and got a lot of referrals from physicians in the area. Often times we would get folks referred by rheumatologists or geriatric specialists.

Being able to move without pain was a priority. Well through trial and error, and little bit of luck we found a system that seemed to help most with stiff and painful hands and fingers.

During my tenure at the clinic I attended a really informative conference on Arthritis, during the trade show portion of this conference there was this machine that looked like a big box, that had a opening at one end where you slid your hand and forearm. If you need a better visual, think of the old Off bug spray commercials and that guy getting bit by a gazillion mosquitoes.

Anyway, after you slid you hand in the box, a fan started blowing a warm breeze onto your arm, then warmed corn husks were “blown” in and you would do various hand movements against the warm husks and stiff breeze. That contraption only costs ten thousand dollars. We didn’t buy it….Don’t get started on health care costs….

So when we got back to the clinic I started experimenting…. We took a 3 pound coffee can, that’s all we had in the office at the time and I filled it about half way with uncooked pinto beans.

What can I say, I’m Mexican and they were in my cupboard.

Sure enough, we started to use it with folks and their hands felt and looked a lot better. We had them moving their fingers in every direction we could think of.

Open them, closed them, we had them spread them apart then bring them together; we had them make circles clockwise and counter clockwise, every conceivable movement…

Movement increases a substance within the joint called synovial fluid…that is the stuff that lubricates the joints. (It has the consistency of 3 and 1 oil). The more movement...especially in every direction, the more lubrication in all the nooks and crannies of your joints. The more oil you produce, the less friction created and less pain and inflammation your body has to endure.

There were some other benefits as well. As our patients continued to use their hands against the resistance of the beans, they got stronger. You may think it is trite, but you should have seen the confident faces of folks who could open jars or bottles without asking their next of kin for help. They felt less pain, and also more confident. Confidence helps a lot in healing.

You aren’t limited to a 3 pound coffee can. Actually, a child’s sand bucket or paper bucket that from the paint department at the nearest home improvement store will work even better. A slightly wider opening is what you want. Just fill the bucket with some dried beans or rice. I even used uncooked pasta when I was helping to rehab my son’s hand and finger after surgery.

It works and its simple….sometimes we try to hard and make things too sophisticated, and we really don’t need to do that to improve our bodies.

Hope this helps….

How productive is your comfort zone

Last week I had the opportunity to speak to a women’s business group that my mom has been a member of for quite a few years. These savvy ladies meet on a bimonthly basis and discuss business and investing strategies.

I was asked to speak before the group… I thought it would be about the general fitness gruel that people ask me to speak about. You know, what is the hot topic or trend in fitness. How can I become a size X in 15 days or less.

But this meetings topic was different. First of all, it was going to be a tough crowd… you have to know my relationship with my mom. She doesn’t put up with too much of my s*%t.. Guess I used that all up when I was a kid. :-)

Second, these folks had A LOT more life and business experience than I had. But they wanted my explanation of how I help motivate people to reach their goals.

I thought it was kind of weird that they asked a fitness professional to speak to them about goal setting. Then I started to think about it… that is what I do day in and day out. Never really thought about in those terms.

I help my clients, my staff and customers reach their goals. I just use a different modality (recreation and fitness activities) to help them reach those goals and hopefully gain confidence. With their renewed confidence carrying over and giving them a better mindset to reach other life goals.

I presented for two hours!

I couldn't believe it, no one got up and left, I didn’t get any stains on my sport coat from freshly tossed fruit - and people seemed genuinely zoned in on to what I was saying.

It ended up being a very good night!

There were a lot of smiles in the crowd...especially when I was describing how people put limits on their success. How past negative feelings and images from previous life events limit their ability to accomplish their current goals.

The scary part is that I had a those same type of thoughts creeping up in my brain about this presentation just days before.

I’m used to spewing about fitness stuff – that’s my comfort zone….But talking about successful business practices. Eeeeek! I really don’t view myself as someone who has been successful in business and managing people.

I must have played the negative tape in my mind of bombing in front of these University of Chicago and Harvard Business School graduates a half a dozen times. Even discribing these events makes we want to find the nearest shrink’s couch! But that is for another email/blog.

Truth is that this was very good for me.

This presentation actually took me out of my comfort zone -- I'm used to presenting to trainers, coaches and athletes on a regular basis -- but this was the first time I'd presented to business owners (some of whom in attendance were running multi-million dollar businesses!) Of course it was a great opportunity for me, and not to mention a great honor.

But I was definitely a little out of my comfort zone.

Comfort zone (Wikipedia definition):
"A comfort zone denotes that limited set of behaviors that a person will engage without becoming anxious. Alternatively denoted as a "plateau" it describes that set of behaviors that have become comfortable, without creating a sense of risk. A person's personality can be described by his or her comfort zones. Highly successful persons may routinely step outside their comfort zones, to accomplish what they wish. A comfort zone is a type of mental conditioning that causes a person to create and operate mental boundaries that are not real. Such boundaries create an unfounded sense of security. Like inertia, a person who has established a comfort zone in a particular axis of his or her life, will tend to stay within that zone without stepping outside of it. To step outside a person's comfort zone, he must experiment with new and different behaviors, and then experience the new and different responses that then occur within his environment.

The boundaries of a comfort zone to result in an internally rigid state of mind. A comfort zone often results from unfounded beliefs which, once dispelled, expand the scope of a person's behaviors within the same environment. A comfort zone may alternatively be described with such terms as rigidity, limits or boundaries, or habit, or even as stigmatized behavior."

Humm… I think I am going to have to get out of my comfort zone more often!

So when was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone?

Think about your goals and your own training.

When was the last time you did an exercise you were unfamiliar with, or pushed beyond your normal limits? We all know that the best results come from attempting a new personal record?

What about your business, your life or career?

This week - make a decision to reach out of your own comfort zone. Try something new - experience something different. that's where the real growth lies.

Til next time

Larry

The Oracle at Wal*Mart

It was a dark and stormy night when….

I always wanted to start a story like that, but really I was enlightened by a flash of insight at the Oracle of Wal-Mart. You didn’t know that Wall-Mart had an Oracle did you?

Saturday nights are pretty wild at the Espinoza house, and this Saturday a few weeks ago was no exception. I'd just called the Chinese place to order dinner, and when I returned with the takeout grub we (the fish and I) would eat - while watching the latest recordings from the past week on my DVR.

A convalescing friend called me on my cell and asked me to stop by the nearest store and get two items on the way to pick up the takeout. That closest store is a Super Wal-Mart.

The first item was no problem: potting soil. It is was near the garden department at the west entrance to the “city-under-one-roof “ that is the Super Wal-Mart.

But the second item was a dairy product, vanilla yogurt. You could fit a par 4 hole between the two, teeing off at the garden center and tapping in your bogie at the yogurt. I would have to pass the toys, then automotive, then electronics, then crafts and hobbies, then children's clothes, then beer – I should have stopped there, before reaching Dairyland.

"Damn it," I thought to myself. "That figures. No such thing as a quick stop at Wal-Mart." I started my death march brooding.

I was tired. It had been a full week and I was starving.

I don't eat vanilla yogurt.

The food was no doubt getting cold at Phil Wong's and I was damp from the rain.

Remember, it was a dark and stormy night.

With each step I dug deeper into how bad and unfair this was. I shouldn't have to do this. I'm wasting time, this blows, etc.

Then, as I passed the guy that mixes paint, it occurred to me that I teach people how to think more positively to help them reach their (fitness) goals. "Perhaps I should try to practice what I preach."

So I immediately applied a simple technique and changed my thinking.

I started taking in really deep breaths and thinking of my goals, of what I want to have happen. I used my best confidence building visualization, and walked in a way that builds my confidence.

By the time I reached automotive I was feeling awesome. I was having a blast, and totally dominating all the others competitors in the store (hey, they were competing with me in my mind, anyway.)

I bagged me a vanilla yogurt with ease at Dairyland and soon was proudly carrying home my fresh kill, feeling like the consummate warrior.

The rest of the night was a true pleasure (well, until the takeout overwhelmed my stomach, but let's not focus on that).

I had turned it around. You know the cliché, "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he?”

Well...I thought-eth really great and felt-eth really great. Clichés are true for a reason.

A stitch in time really does save nine.

Championships really are won by playing one game at a time.

It really is a good idea to buy low and sell high.
(I still don’t have that one down!)

And as a man thinketh in his heart so is he.

My insight was that my trip to the dairy section could be a mental training session. Check that, my trip to the dairy section WAS a mental training session. And it would have been a mental training session whether I'd have changed my thinking or not.

It just would have trained me to think negative, self-defeating thoughts.

That's not the life I want, but that's what I would have been training myself for. As my body was passing the toys, then automotive, then electronics, then hobbies, then children's clothes, then beer, before reaching Dairyland, thoughts were passing through my mind.

Those thoughts would either build me or crush me. I'm conditioning my mind no matter what I'm doing. I get to choose what I'm conditioning my mind for -- success or failure. And, news flash: so do you.

When would be a good time for you to start conditioning your mind for confidence?

Have a great week…