Making resolutions, deciding, having will power and persistence all come from the conscious mind - which is only good for short term sprints, but long term results necessitate a sub-conscious make-over.
Creating new attitudes, beliefs and habits require a daily practice of impressing our vision and goals into our sub-conscious mind or we will always achieve what we've already achieved thus far. This is the key to success in creating permanent lifestyle changes.
Until you create new beliefs that match up with your new habits, you will be subjected to the same distractions, fears, doubts and self-sabotaging failures of the past. If you can stay intimately involved with your goals and fuel your desire with emotion; those emotionally charged goals will drive you to take consistent action. If you visualize what you want to feel and then 'feel' the feelings of having it now you will reach your goal. You've heard the term "act as if". Acting as if will help to recalibrate your cybernetic mechanism and the sub-conscious mind.
Though daily use of visualizations, meditation, scientific goal setting and other technologies you can reprogram your mind for success and create the life of your dreams. These techniques have been used by Olympic athletes, NASA astronauts and some of the worlds most successful and influential people.
Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals and values are in balance. - Brian Tracy
You are you most valuable commodity in reaching your goals. I hope that these principles and strategies in this series will help you make the leap in you path to improving and reaching your health and fitness goals over this next year. (Now time for the shameless plug) One of the most valuable tools used by almost every successful person is having a coach. A professional and competent coach can give you guidance, support and help you refine your goals, keep you accountable and offer valuable feedback. Let me know if you need someone like that - I'd be happy to try to help.
You are the only problem you will ever have and you are the only solution. Change is inevitable, personal growth is always a personal decision.... me
May you have a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year.
'Til next time.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Great in ' 08 - Part 8
We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them - Einstein
#8 More of the same = more of the same
Our brain has a control and response system, termed by Dr. Maxwell Maltz as a Psycho Cybernetic System. It's function is to protect itself from failure. This protective mechanism picks up any deviation from what it recognizes as normal (current self-image, expectations and beliefs) and corrects its course to maintain the current norm. Whenever you set goals outside of your current self-image, this system will cause distraction, doubt, fear, and sabotage you so that you maintain this image.
This self-image, includes beliefs about our abilities and limitations, whether we are smart, if we are to be successful or not and so forth. Some of these beliefs may have been true at one time, but are no longer true, nor are they congruent with your new vision or goals.
Have you ever started a diet and been excited for a few weeks only to lose motivation then feel bad about it and then rationalize why you can't do it? Did you join a gym, hire a trainer and then get "too busy" or easily side-tracked by a myriad of reason to continue after a few weeks? Do things seem to snowball and several weeks go by before your realize you are just not 'cut-out' to do it? These are examples of this system in action.
In order to grow and make significant improvements beyond your current health and fitness levels, you must recalibrate this cybernetic mechanism and create a new internal map of reality consistent with your new goals and habits. Did I mention this might be the time a competent health and fitness professional might be of help? : - )
Til next time
#8 More of the same = more of the same
Our brain has a control and response system, termed by Dr. Maxwell Maltz as a Psycho Cybernetic System. It's function is to protect itself from failure. This protective mechanism picks up any deviation from what it recognizes as normal (current self-image, expectations and beliefs) and corrects its course to maintain the current norm. Whenever you set goals outside of your current self-image, this system will cause distraction, doubt, fear, and sabotage you so that you maintain this image.
This self-image, includes beliefs about our abilities and limitations, whether we are smart, if we are to be successful or not and so forth. Some of these beliefs may have been true at one time, but are no longer true, nor are they congruent with your new vision or goals.
Have you ever started a diet and been excited for a few weeks only to lose motivation then feel bad about it and then rationalize why you can't do it? Did you join a gym, hire a trainer and then get "too busy" or easily side-tracked by a myriad of reason to continue after a few weeks? Do things seem to snowball and several weeks go by before your realize you are just not 'cut-out' to do it? These are examples of this system in action.
In order to grow and make significant improvements beyond your current health and fitness levels, you must recalibrate this cybernetic mechanism and create a new internal map of reality consistent with your new goals and habits. Did I mention this might be the time a competent health and fitness professional might be of help? : - )
Til next time
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Great in ' 08 - part 7
The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind - William James
#6 Belief in self and you abilities is paramount when it comes to reaching goals. Successful "goal catchers" are not waiting until things are "right" because they will never be "right". Believing in yourself becomes a self-fulfulling prophecy of sorts. Once of the most important attitudes of sucessful people is belief in self and an unshakable conviction that he or she will attain their goal.
#7 Take the road less traveled.
You've read, seen or heard in the media that two thirds of the country's population is overweight and obese - if you want to be different than most, you must think and act differently than most.
One of the main reasons my clients find it difficult to stick to their health, fitness and fat loss goals is because they are being bombarded by messages to do the opposite. To avoid distractions and pitfalls and stay true to your plan, it may be necessary to "deprogram" your mind of all the marketing information, and hype that has been marketed into your subconscious. The information on food, diet, fitness and weight loss that is available today is full of fat-loss mythology, falsities and fallacies. Most of the information that we are being told through the media is funded by food and product manufacturers, drug companies, corportate interests and other "experts" with their own agendas. This is where a good health and fitness professional can help you establish a real plan with reachable goals.
The marketing machine is all around us, programming you mental hard drive without you knowing since childhood. Although this programming may not be obvious to you, they are like computer programs that have been minimized on your screen, taking up your energy and directing many of your thoughts and actions. These programs are reinforced everytime you pass a billboard, read an article, or watch a television program.
Don't think so... what do you think of if I say, "Melts in your mouth not in your hands" (1954), or "Just Do it" (1988), "finger licking good" (1962), "Like a good neighbor (blank, blank) is there." (1971) "Tastes great...less filling!" (1974). Probably my all time favorite - Home of the Golden Arches!(1959) The list is endless- but not insurmountable....
What this means to us is that we have to be much more selective about believeing what you see and hear on news reports, magazines or the internet. Heck, I even have an agenda.. If the words I write make sense, maybe down the road you might become a client or purchase a product I put out.
But first and foremost, be careful with your time and try to place your attention on books, newsletters, audio programs and shows that inspire, teach or support you in your goals. You can use this valuable information to educate yourself and create new core beliefs and values that fall in line with your vision.
Til next time...
#6 Belief in self and you abilities is paramount when it comes to reaching goals. Successful "goal catchers" are not waiting until things are "right" because they will never be "right". Believing in yourself becomes a self-fulfulling prophecy of sorts. Once of the most important attitudes of sucessful people is belief in self and an unshakable conviction that he or she will attain their goal.
#7 Take the road less traveled.
You've read, seen or heard in the media that two thirds of the country's population is overweight and obese - if you want to be different than most, you must think and act differently than most.
One of the main reasons my clients find it difficult to stick to their health, fitness and fat loss goals is because they are being bombarded by messages to do the opposite. To avoid distractions and pitfalls and stay true to your plan, it may be necessary to "deprogram" your mind of all the marketing information, and hype that has been marketed into your subconscious. The information on food, diet, fitness and weight loss that is available today is full of fat-loss mythology, falsities and fallacies. Most of the information that we are being told through the media is funded by food and product manufacturers, drug companies, corportate interests and other "experts" with their own agendas. This is where a good health and fitness professional can help you establish a real plan with reachable goals.
The marketing machine is all around us, programming you mental hard drive without you knowing since childhood. Although this programming may not be obvious to you, they are like computer programs that have been minimized on your screen, taking up your energy and directing many of your thoughts and actions. These programs are reinforced everytime you pass a billboard, read an article, or watch a television program.
Don't think so... what do you think of if I say, "Melts in your mouth not in your hands" (1954), or "Just Do it" (1988), "finger licking good" (1962), "Like a good neighbor (blank, blank) is there." (1971) "Tastes great...less filling!" (1974). Probably my all time favorite - Home of the Golden Arches!(1959) The list is endless- but not insurmountable....
What this means to us is that we have to be much more selective about believeing what you see and hear on news reports, magazines or the internet. Heck, I even have an agenda.. If the words I write make sense, maybe down the road you might become a client or purchase a product I put out.
But first and foremost, be careful with your time and try to place your attention on books, newsletters, audio programs and shows that inspire, teach or support you in your goals. You can use this valuable information to educate yourself and create new core beliefs and values that fall in line with your vision.
Til next time...
Great in 08 - part 6
All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts. - James Allen
#5 You are what you think about all day.
I was reading a text book the other day and research bears out that the average person has about 70,000 thoughts in the course of ONE day. No wonder we need a bottle of aspirin near our desks!
The question is: what are you thinking about all day? When you start to monitor your thoughts throughout the day, you might be surprised where you place your attention. - IF it is not on your goals you will need to ask yourself why not?
Take a mental inventory over the course of the next few days... write down what you consider to be assets and deficits in your thought patterns. Successful goal achievers have a certain harmony between their focus and vision.
How much positive self talk is going on inside your head?
Til next time.
#5 You are what you think about all day.
I was reading a text book the other day and research bears out that the average person has about 70,000 thoughts in the course of ONE day. No wonder we need a bottle of aspirin near our desks!
The question is: what are you thinking about all day? When you start to monitor your thoughts throughout the day, you might be surprised where you place your attention. - IF it is not on your goals you will need to ask yourself why not?
Take a mental inventory over the course of the next few days... write down what you consider to be assets and deficits in your thought patterns. Successful goal achievers have a certain harmony between their focus and vision.
How much positive self talk is going on inside your head?
Til next time.
Great in 08 - part 5
"All successful people are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, dream or goal." - Brian Tracy
#4 Successful people know EXACTLY what they want.
What do you ultimately desire or intend to create for all the areas of your life? Health and fitness is just one of the components of your vision.
Often times I've found that it is one of the easier aspects of your vision to attain. Let alone a great stepping off point to get you reach your other goals and shape your vision.... Just think about it for a minute... taking just 30 minutes a day to do some type of activity gives you a payoff for more than 16 hours. Not a bad return on you investment and as you gain fitness you gain confidence that you can reach your goals.
Just imagin how it would feel to fit in your "thin" clothes stuffed in the back of your closet. Or how would it feel to run up a flight of stairs and not gasp for air? Just think of all the extra energry you'll start to have by working out less than 1% per week?
So are you ready? OF the five fitness goals you wrote down.... What is the first that you want to achieve?
Til next time.
#4 Successful people know EXACTLY what they want.
What do you ultimately desire or intend to create for all the areas of your life? Health and fitness is just one of the components of your vision.
Often times I've found that it is one of the easier aspects of your vision to attain. Let alone a great stepping off point to get you reach your other goals and shape your vision.... Just think about it for a minute... taking just 30 minutes a day to do some type of activity gives you a payoff for more than 16 hours. Not a bad return on you investment and as you gain fitness you gain confidence that you can reach your goals.
Just imagin how it would feel to fit in your "thin" clothes stuffed in the back of your closet. Or how would it feel to run up a flight of stairs and not gasp for air? Just think of all the extra energry you'll start to have by working out less than 1% per week?
So are you ready? OF the five fitness goals you wrote down.... What is the first that you want to achieve?
Til next time.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Great in 2008 part 4
Ok it's been three days now, have your priorities changed? Still working at completeing your first goal?
#3 Take Full Responsibility for Your Destiny
Want to be healthy? Take responsiblity for your life. Most people who don't meet their goals are expert at making excuses..."It's the holidays" ...you don't understand how difficult it is.... my bones are big... my stomach is too large... Hey, I've used them all!
I know how easy it is to make excuses and come up with good stories, but winners take responsiblity and hold themselves accountable. Only when you take accountablity for everything in your life can be responsible to change anything.
"You must take personal responsiblity. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself and how you react. That is something you have charge of" - Jim Rohn
New homework...How many times did you say today. "I really should do that but.... "
Starting today.... no more "but" club...
Til next time
#3 Take Full Responsibility for Your Destiny
Want to be healthy? Take responsiblity for your life. Most people who don't meet their goals are expert at making excuses..."It's the holidays" ...you don't understand how difficult it is.... my bones are big... my stomach is too large... Hey, I've used them all!
I know how easy it is to make excuses and come up with good stories, but winners take responsiblity and hold themselves accountable. Only when you take accountablity for everything in your life can be responsible to change anything.
"You must take personal responsiblity. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself and how you react. That is something you have charge of" - Jim Rohn
New homework...How many times did you say today. "I really should do that but.... "
Starting today.... no more "but" club...
Til next time
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Great in 2008 part 3
How’d you do on your goals?
Did you write down specific dates that you wanted to accomplish your goals?
#2 Successes in health and fitness is a direction – it is not a destination.
You do not work hard for a certain period of time and suddenly wake up with a body of a runway model or that of a pro athlete. You have to make healthy choices everyday, if you do, you will benefit from those choices. Is feeling good, looking good, strength, vitality, high energy levels and the ability to tolerate stress healthy living? Sort of… Healthy living is making intelligent choices every day in life. By making the intelligent choices, you become healthy.
I have learned that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.
Henry David Thoreau
Homework time…. What have you done today to reach your five goals? What are you going to do tomorrow?
Til Next time…..
Did you write down specific dates that you wanted to accomplish your goals?
#2 Successes in health and fitness is a direction – it is not a destination.
You do not work hard for a certain period of time and suddenly wake up with a body of a runway model or that of a pro athlete. You have to make healthy choices everyday, if you do, you will benefit from those choices. Is feeling good, looking good, strength, vitality, high energy levels and the ability to tolerate stress healthy living? Sort of… Healthy living is making intelligent choices every day in life. By making the intelligent choices, you become healthy.
I have learned that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.
Henry David Thoreau
Homework time…. What have you done today to reach your five goals? What are you going to do tomorrow?
Til Next time…..
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
The greatest of miracles is
A quick thought to start your day....
The greatest of miracles is...
That we need not be tomorrow what we are today.
The greatest of all insights is...
that we cannot be tomorrow what we do not do today
That's why today matters!
What have you done today to make yourself a better tomorrow?
The greatest of miracles is...
That we need not be tomorrow what we are today.
The greatest of all insights is...
that we cannot be tomorrow what we do not do today
That's why today matters!
What have you done today to make yourself a better tomorrow?
Great in 2008 - Part 2
People just don’t wake up one day and are FAT! (or for that matter - old). It is a process. Your current body and fitness level is the results of choices you made in the past, which are the results of thoughts and beliefs you have running through your head all day long.
Do you want to know what your mindset has been regarding your health and fitness? Just look in the mirror – the results are right in front of you. (That was Dr. Phil like wasn’t it?!) Regardless of what you say – your current body speaks louder than words. Ok, just look at your health and fitness over the last 10 years…how often did you get sick? How much body fat do you have relative to muscle mass? How many injuries have you sustained, and more importantly, how fast did you recover from those injuries? How many diets have you started? And how many gyms, classes and resolutions did you start? How often do you look in the mirror and not like what you see? To create new thoughts, attitudes and habits that lead to successful fat loss, follow the principles I’ve outlined below.
#1 Prioritize
It will be impossible for you to loose weight or improve your health, unless you make it a priority. There is a saying in the industry that you cannot lose weight to improve your health, you must first improve your health to lose weight. Please read that again. If you are not healthy, you cannot loose any substantial fat weight unless you are reasonably healthy - both mentally and physically.
But to prioritize you must first focus on what you want and set goals to improve your health by reducing stress, eating better and exercising the right way and fat loss will happen as a result. (I Promise.)
“The key is not to prioritize what is on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
Do you want to know what your mindset has been regarding your health and fitness? Just look in the mirror – the results are right in front of you. (That was Dr. Phil like wasn’t it?!) Regardless of what you say – your current body speaks louder than words. Ok, just look at your health and fitness over the last 10 years…how often did you get sick? How much body fat do you have relative to muscle mass? How many injuries have you sustained, and more importantly, how fast did you recover from those injuries? How many diets have you started? And how many gyms, classes and resolutions did you start? How often do you look in the mirror and not like what you see? To create new thoughts, attitudes and habits that lead to successful fat loss, follow the principles I’ve outlined below.
#1 Prioritize
It will be impossible for you to loose weight or improve your health, unless you make it a priority. There is a saying in the industry that you cannot lose weight to improve your health, you must first improve your health to lose weight. Please read that again. If you are not healthy, you cannot loose any substantial fat weight unless you are reasonably healthy - both mentally and physically.
But to prioritize you must first focus on what you want and set goals to improve your health by reducing stress, eating better and exercising the right way and fat loss will happen as a result. (I Promise.)
“The key is not to prioritize what is on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
Stephen R. Covey
So here’s your homework…. What do you really want? And when do you want it? Go a head write down a few goals (no more than 5) and then list them by priority….
Til Next Time….
So here’s your homework…. What do you really want? And when do you want it? Go a head write down a few goals (no more than 5) and then list them by priority….
Til Next Time….
Be Great in 2008! - part 1
OK... we've got FIVE days to get our heads on straight to make sure that 2008 will be our most successful with health and fitness.
This is the first of a multipart series on the “how to's”, of forming a game plan to reach your health and fitness goals in 2008. This was spawned on when I read a bill board the other day that said…”Be great in 2008!” I think its time to start.
Unfortunately when it comes to health and fitness in this country, 95% of dieters fail within the first few weeks, the few that do make it through the first month and are successful, don’t maintain their fitness or fat loss for more than a few years.
For example, did you know that less than 25% of Americans exercise on a regular basis?
Exercise as defined by the Centers for Disease Control is 30 minutes per day 4 days per week. However the definition of exercise in this study included playing with children, sweeping floors or raking leaves. It really should be defined as activity – which means that only 25% of Americans are active! I guess that better explains why more than half of Americans are overweight and obese, and those numbers are not getting smaller (pardon the pun).
So I went on a mission of sorts, I wanted to find out how much information was readily available to the average person on health, diet and exercise. I was amazed… I searched Google, for “weight loss” there were 230,000,000 listings! Exercise 194,000,000 million listings! Personal training…yields 8.4 million, and Health Clubs 10.5 million… ho-key schmokes!
Clearly, there are more gyms, health clubs, DVD’s, books, magazines and experts than ever – but where are the results? In fact, (again according to the CDC), there are more diet and lifestyle related diseases, degenerative conditions and obesity than at any other time in our history. Depressed yet?!
Despite our efforts, and despite the overwhelming information and resources, people are still failing to reach their health and fitness goals and getting fatter. So I think one can conclude that the solution to America’s growing weight and health problem isn’t more diet and exercise information. So what are we Americans missing?
Doing research for my Masters Degree over the past year opened my eyes. One of the many areas of study was to research current and past clients to find out what made these highly motivated people more successful than others when it came to mastering metabolism and reaching their fitness goals. Another part of my education was studying some of the leading expert’s in personal development, human potential and success we even got into some quantum physics and neuroscience – not sure that I will recover from that month…
What became clear after pouring through this research and old client files was that all of those who were successful have three things in common.
First was a well thought out plan; in the case of weight loss – the best diet for their specific goals. Second was a specific and consistent mode; again using weight loss for example these folks had an exercise program that was enjoyable and easy to consistently achieve. And last but not least, (the most important ingredient – my view), a very positive mindset.
No matter the prize you wish to achieve - YOU have to have the ability to maintain a certain mindset that will allow you to take constant action towards reaching your stated goal(s).
Through all of this study, I learned that success is created in the mind, first. I also learned why only 2-3% of people in this world are effectively achieving their fitness goals. If you do not have the right mindset (beliefs, attitudes and expectations), you will not be successful no matter how good your diet, exercise plan and goal setting systems might be.
A person who is successful has a mindset that drives them to think and act in certain ways. So what I tried to do over the course of this study was to compile beliefs, attitudes and habits in a step by step plan to help you cut through confusion and take consistent action to allow you every advantage in reaching your health, fitness or sports performance goals.
First things first, time to get real…
Next post tomorrow...
Larry
This is the first of a multipart series on the “how to's”, of forming a game plan to reach your health and fitness goals in 2008. This was spawned on when I read a bill board the other day that said…”Be great in 2008!” I think its time to start.
Unfortunately when it comes to health and fitness in this country, 95% of dieters fail within the first few weeks, the few that do make it through the first month and are successful, don’t maintain their fitness or fat loss for more than a few years.
For example, did you know that less than 25% of Americans exercise on a regular basis?
Exercise as defined by the Centers for Disease Control is 30 minutes per day 4 days per week. However the definition of exercise in this study included playing with children, sweeping floors or raking leaves. It really should be defined as activity – which means that only 25% of Americans are active! I guess that better explains why more than half of Americans are overweight and obese, and those numbers are not getting smaller (pardon the pun).
So I went on a mission of sorts, I wanted to find out how much information was readily available to the average person on health, diet and exercise. I was amazed… I searched Google, for “weight loss” there were 230,000,000 listings! Exercise 194,000,000 million listings! Personal training…yields 8.4 million, and Health Clubs 10.5 million… ho-key schmokes!
Clearly, there are more gyms, health clubs, DVD’s, books, magazines and experts than ever – but where are the results? In fact, (again according to the CDC), there are more diet and lifestyle related diseases, degenerative conditions and obesity than at any other time in our history. Depressed yet?!
Despite our efforts, and despite the overwhelming information and resources, people are still failing to reach their health and fitness goals and getting fatter. So I think one can conclude that the solution to America’s growing weight and health problem isn’t more diet and exercise information. So what are we Americans missing?
Doing research for my Masters Degree over the past year opened my eyes. One of the many areas of study was to research current and past clients to find out what made these highly motivated people more successful than others when it came to mastering metabolism and reaching their fitness goals. Another part of my education was studying some of the leading expert’s in personal development, human potential and success we even got into some quantum physics and neuroscience – not sure that I will recover from that month…
What became clear after pouring through this research and old client files was that all of those who were successful have three things in common.
First was a well thought out plan; in the case of weight loss – the best diet for their specific goals. Second was a specific and consistent mode; again using weight loss for example these folks had an exercise program that was enjoyable and easy to consistently achieve. And last but not least, (the most important ingredient – my view), a very positive mindset.
No matter the prize you wish to achieve - YOU have to have the ability to maintain a certain mindset that will allow you to take constant action towards reaching your stated goal(s).
Through all of this study, I learned that success is created in the mind, first. I also learned why only 2-3% of people in this world are effectively achieving their fitness goals. If you do not have the right mindset (beliefs, attitudes and expectations), you will not be successful no matter how good your diet, exercise plan and goal setting systems might be.
A person who is successful has a mindset that drives them to think and act in certain ways. So what I tried to do over the course of this study was to compile beliefs, attitudes and habits in a step by step plan to help you cut through confusion and take consistent action to allow you every advantage in reaching your health, fitness or sports performance goals.
First things first, time to get real…
Next post tomorrow...
Larry
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Something to tickle your funny bone
A friend of mine sent this to me this morning.... made me laugh, maybe it will make you laugh as well. Have a wonderful day
http://weblogs.newsday.com/news/opinion/walthandelsman/blog/2007/11/animation_baby_boomers.html
http://weblogs.newsday.com/news/opinion/walthandelsman/blog/2007/11/animation_baby_boomers.html
A wish for you and yours....
We all need time for reflection... for me, it happened at Christmas Eve candlelight service this evening...
Whether you are spiritual or not, Christian or not... you have to admit that George Handle rocks! I was listening to the pipe organ, accompanied by a string quartet and choir. It got me thinking what it must have been like in early Germany or Austria with the various choirs accompanying the likes of Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. Talk about song writers? They would have definitely put the likes of Elton John, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Paul McCartney to shame
In Austria it must have been our version of rock and roll duels...with the great composers their choirs and music. Then I started to think about miracles... not like miracle on 34street, or miracle of turning water into wine... no just "simple" everyday miracles.... like the birth of our children, or how we can communicate by fax! Life is full of miracles. So, on this very special day I wish you miracles like....
A fresh pot of coffee you didn't have to make yourself.
An unexpected phone call from an old friend.
Green stoplights on your way to work or shop.
I wish you a day of little things to rejoice in...
The fastest line at the grocery store.
A good sing along song on the radio.
Your keys right where you look.
I wish you a day of happiness and perfection-little bite-size pieces of perfection that give you the funny feeling that the Lord is smiling on you, holding you so gently because you are someone special and rare.
I wish You a day of Peace, Happiness and Joy.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire lifetime to forget them. Send this phrase to the people you'll never forget. It's a short message to let them know that you'll never forget them.
If you don't send it to anyone, it means you're in too much of a hurry and that you've probably forgotten your friends.
Take the time!
Wishing you the very best for 2008
Whether you are spiritual or not, Christian or not... you have to admit that George Handle rocks! I was listening to the pipe organ, accompanied by a string quartet and choir. It got me thinking what it must have been like in early Germany or Austria with the various choirs accompanying the likes of Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. Talk about song writers? They would have definitely put the likes of Elton John, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Paul McCartney to shame
In Austria it must have been our version of rock and roll duels...with the great composers their choirs and music. Then I started to think about miracles... not like miracle on 34street, or miracle of turning water into wine... no just "simple" everyday miracles.... like the birth of our children, or how we can communicate by fax! Life is full of miracles. So, on this very special day I wish you miracles like....
A fresh pot of coffee you didn't have to make yourself.
An unexpected phone call from an old friend.
Green stoplights on your way to work or shop.
I wish you a day of little things to rejoice in...
The fastest line at the grocery store.
A good sing along song on the radio.
Your keys right where you look.
I wish you a day of happiness and perfection-little bite-size pieces of perfection that give you the funny feeling that the Lord is smiling on you, holding you so gently because you are someone special and rare.
I wish You a day of Peace, Happiness and Joy.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire lifetime to forget them. Send this phrase to the people you'll never forget. It's a short message to let them know that you'll never forget them.
If you don't send it to anyone, it means you're in too much of a hurry and that you've probably forgotten your friends.
Take the time!
Wishing you the very best for 2008
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Lose the F.E.A.R. for 2008
I wanted to share a little story with you about a conversation I had with one of my clients the other day.
Let me give you the stats first; she is a mid 40 something, size 4, person who still thinks she is fat... (OK, now your thinking that isn't fair - aren't you).
Now in fairness a half a year ago, she was bigger. Much!... Yet she persisted and busted her hinders, dropped down from a size 10 to a size 4, gave up smoking, drinking and other recreational (illegal) poor habits.
Since November 1st, She has dropped 6 pounds, stripped nearly nearly 3% body fat, and lost about 2 inches off her waist.
This was all done over the holidays while most people are putting on about the same amount.
I asked her nicely if I could use her story as an example... of how not to do things.
To my surprise she agreed...While she has had really, great results that I am very proud of her for, she is basically just waiting to "fall off the wagon."
(Sound familiar? How many times - I'm talking to my clients now - have I heard you say, well, I'm going on this cruise, or that trip and they have this kind of food, and that kind of drink and I'm sure I'm going to put all the weight back on, blah, blah, blah... most of you come back the same weight....
That's why you are paying me the big bucks so you can get strong enough to be active everyday, (plus not get hurt while you are away) - so you can enjoy eating and playing on your trips!)
Anyway, back to my story....
Every time she works out with me she just keeps telling herself that what she has done has changed her life and she has more energy than she ever has had, but she knows it's just a matter of time before she screws up.
Now between you and me, what do you think is going to happen?
Of course she will put the weight back on. She has already convinced herself that she cannot keep up her new healthy lifestyle. (Now lets take all fact out of this equation...she has changed her lifestyle for the better part of this year. I think she has developed some pretty good habits!)
We all need to realize that our thoughts really control our reality. F.E.A.R., should really stand for forever expecting awful results....
I've been doing this job for nearly 30 years, and the one thing that I am fairly certain of, is that we really can achieve any goal we set our mind to. If we want to lose flab and keep it off, it is our decision to do it. If we want to learn a new language, it ours for the taking. Learn to write on a blog everyday! That's easy. When it comes to weight loss, or strength development, Lord knows that there is enough"how to" information is out there to choke a horse - you can even get it for free!
But it doesn't matter! Until you are ready to accept that you have the final say in changing your lifestyle, and you are willing to commit to change you behavior. - You will not lose the weight you want without having that sense of F.E.A.R. hanging over your shoulder.
Remember in school when you thought about giving that presentation in front of the class and you knew you were just an accident waiting for a happening? What happened? Most of us goofed up the way we envisioned ourselves goofing up. What ever happened to envisioning our selves succeeding? We are always bolstering up our kids and our grand kids - why not ourselves?
So here is a thought for the New Year..... why not see where you can succeed. I bet if you wanted to lose weight, or learn something new you could. But you have to take the first step, and if you can learn to take that step without the F.E.A.R. You'll be the better for it.
Til next time....
Let me give you the stats first; she is a mid 40 something, size 4, person who still thinks she is fat... (OK, now your thinking that isn't fair - aren't you).
Now in fairness a half a year ago, she was bigger. Much!... Yet she persisted and busted her hinders, dropped down from a size 10 to a size 4, gave up smoking, drinking and other recreational (illegal) poor habits.
Since November 1st, She has dropped 6 pounds, stripped nearly nearly 3% body fat, and lost about 2 inches off her waist.
This was all done over the holidays while most people are putting on about the same amount.
I asked her nicely if I could use her story as an example... of how not to do things.
To my surprise she agreed...While she has had really, great results that I am very proud of her for, she is basically just waiting to "fall off the wagon."
(Sound familiar? How many times - I'm talking to my clients now - have I heard you say, well, I'm going on this cruise, or that trip and they have this kind of food, and that kind of drink and I'm sure I'm going to put all the weight back on, blah, blah, blah... most of you come back the same weight....
That's why you are paying me the big bucks so you can get strong enough to be active everyday, (plus not get hurt while you are away) - so you can enjoy eating and playing on your trips!)
Anyway, back to my story....
Every time she works out with me she just keeps telling herself that what she has done has changed her life and she has more energy than she ever has had, but she knows it's just a matter of time before she screws up.
Now between you and me, what do you think is going to happen?
Of course she will put the weight back on. She has already convinced herself that she cannot keep up her new healthy lifestyle. (Now lets take all fact out of this equation...she has changed her lifestyle for the better part of this year. I think she has developed some pretty good habits!)
We all need to realize that our thoughts really control our reality. F.E.A.R., should really stand for forever expecting awful results....
I've been doing this job for nearly 30 years, and the one thing that I am fairly certain of, is that we really can achieve any goal we set our mind to. If we want to lose flab and keep it off, it is our decision to do it. If we want to learn a new language, it ours for the taking. Learn to write on a blog everyday! That's easy. When it comes to weight loss, or strength development, Lord knows that there is enough"how to" information is out there to choke a horse - you can even get it for free!
But it doesn't matter! Until you are ready to accept that you have the final say in changing your lifestyle, and you are willing to commit to change you behavior. - You will not lose the weight you want without having that sense of F.E.A.R. hanging over your shoulder.
Remember in school when you thought about giving that presentation in front of the class and you knew you were just an accident waiting for a happening? What happened? Most of us goofed up the way we envisioned ourselves goofing up. What ever happened to envisioning our selves succeeding? We are always bolstering up our kids and our grand kids - why not ourselves?
So here is a thought for the New Year..... why not see where you can succeed. I bet if you wanted to lose weight, or learn something new you could. But you have to take the first step, and if you can learn to take that step without the F.E.A.R. You'll be the better for it.
Til next time....
Friday, December 21, 2007
10 research sites you may want to bookmark
Hi Everyone, just couldn't stop bloggin... anyway I recieved this list from a fella who is much smarter than I when it comes to the internet - his name is Terry Dean. Anyway, he wanted to share some of his favorite information sites on the net. Hope you might find some of these useful.
Take care
Larry
Research Site #1: http://pulse.ebay.com/
Search different categories to find out exactly what people are looking for on eBay. Here’s a powerful principle to remember. On Google, many people are simply looking for free information. On eBay, they’re looking to BUY something.
Research Site #2: http://buzz.yahoo.com/
What are people searching for this week online? Find out what they’re looking for information on now.
Research Site #3: http://www.viralvideochart.com
What are the top 20 most popular videos online? The majority of these are celebrity videos, but sometimes you’ll find a marketer just like you get something through to the top.
Research Site #4: http://youtube.com/browse?s=mp
Which videos do best on Youtube? Find out with the above link. The beauty is you can also search by category on the left side of the page.
Research Site #5: http://popurls.com
Find the most popular buzz going on right now on Digg, Delicious, Reddit, Newsvine, Google, and more. This site combines more than a dozen of the top sites to see which articles get the most attention.
Research Site #6: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/new-for-you/bestsellers/-/books/
Find the hottest selling books on Amazon. Use the categories along the left to search for books related to the subjects you’re interested in producing information products on.
Research Site #7: http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
Over 20,000 digital ebooks ready for free download. Many of these ebooks are even in the public domain (not all of them - so check the licensing information). You can even check the Top 100 Books and Authors section to see what’s most popular.
Research Site #8: http://www.download.com/3101-2001-0-1.html
Find the most popular software downloads.
Research Site #9: http://findarticles.com
Over 10 million articles available online. Great resource whenever you’re doing any type of research for your own articles.
Research Site #10: http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/dvd/554048/ref=pd_ts_d_nav
Find the most popular instructional DVDs selling on Amazon. This continues with the principle to sell things people are ALREADY buying.
Take care
Larry
Research Site #1: http://pulse.ebay.com/
Search different categories to find out exactly what people are looking for on eBay. Here’s a powerful principle to remember. On Google, many people are simply looking for free information. On eBay, they’re looking to BUY something.
Research Site #2: http://buzz.yahoo.com/
What are people searching for this week online? Find out what they’re looking for information on now.
Research Site #3: http://www.viralvideochart.com
What are the top 20 most popular videos online? The majority of these are celebrity videos, but sometimes you’ll find a marketer just like you get something through to the top.
Research Site #4: http://youtube.com/browse?s=mp
Which videos do best on Youtube? Find out with the above link. The beauty is you can also search by category on the left side of the page.
Research Site #5: http://popurls.com
Find the most popular buzz going on right now on Digg, Delicious, Reddit, Newsvine, Google, and more. This site combines more than a dozen of the top sites to see which articles get the most attention.
Research Site #6: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/new-for-you/bestsellers/-/books/
Find the hottest selling books on Amazon. Use the categories along the left to search for books related to the subjects you’re interested in producing information products on.
Research Site #7: http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
Over 20,000 digital ebooks ready for free download. Many of these ebooks are even in the public domain (not all of them - so check the licensing information). You can even check the Top 100 Books and Authors section to see what’s most popular.
Research Site #8: http://www.download.com/3101-2001-0-1.html
Find the most popular software downloads.
Research Site #9: http://findarticles.com
Over 10 million articles available online. Great resource whenever you’re doing any type of research for your own articles.
Research Site #10: http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/dvd/554048/ref=pd_ts_d_nav
Find the most popular instructional DVDs selling on Amazon. This continues with the principle to sell things people are ALREADY buying.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Do you know how to put a smile on someone's face?
I think this will be my final blog for 2007. In closing out the year, I wanted to take a moment to discuss a topic that is of the utmost importance to me.
I'm going to tell you about Sis.
Now I know you are used to me writing about personal training, diet and exercise but after Meeting Sis, I am going to discuss a whole different side of my life and musings of a personal trainer So, please sit back and enjoy where this story is heading...
This past weekend, I did some serious power shopping. After checking my list twice and figuring who was naughty and nice… I decided to head for a nearby mall near my home just outside Chicago.
Being a novice shopper, I wanted to start early that Saturday morning to stay clear of the professionals. Normally on an early morning sojourn I would start off at my local diner and meet with the brain trusts to discuss the topics of the day while wolfing down a 3 egg omelet with whole wheat toast
But today was different – I had to get my list finished before the crowds hit. I resisted the temptation to bond with the curmudgeons and started along my journey...
At around 8am, I was HUNGRY… I found myself near the food court… I needed food, but good food, a Cinnabon just wasn’t going to do it. (Those are blasphemous words in my family)
I had noticed a large sign – proclaiming there to be a new Subway somewhere within the mall.
After a few minutes of searching without success, I decided to ask directions and ask the Mall Information attendant if she knew where the Subway was located.
That's where I met Sis.
Sis is a very spry 70ish mall employee in Chicago Ridge and has never really drifted too far away from the town that she has called home for over half a century. I know all this because I ended up having a cup of hot chocolate with Sis and hearing all about her life and times.
When I first met Sis she was only too happy to tell me exactly where the Subway was supposed to be located in the mall, but couldn't open because of legal problems. She did suggest some other fast food opportunities and then quipped that she had never tried the Gloria Jeans or any other coffee house for that matter…thought it was kinda silly to have someone else brew some flavored water… She preferred her own…
I thanked her for the information and started on to my next conquest at Borders. Just so happened that the Gloria Jeans was located just across the mall from Borders….
Made me smile.
When I got to Gloria Jeans, I thought about Sis and at her young age had never been to a coffee house. T’was “way too frivolous” to have someone brew that “fancy flavored water” as she put it. That little voice in my head started to chirp… it was high time that someone was frivolous on Sis’s behalf.
So, along with my own cup hot chocolate, I took with me a Winter Wonderland coffee(tastes like sugar cookies with a little Carmel on top) and headed back to pay Sis a visit.
Why this woman with the never ending grandma smile and star-like twinkle in her eye inspired me to bring her back a $6 cup of coffee I really don't know, but my story is about to take shape.
When I got back to the information booth, Sis’s eyes lit up like she was seeing an old friend she hadn't talked to in years. I asked her if she enjoyed sugar cookies and was very happy to hear that she absolutely loved them!I handed her the 'Gloria Jeans Cup o Goodness' and told her to take a sip.
I'll never forget what happened next.
Sis took a sip, smiled big, told me she loved it and then proceeded to walk around his information counter and give me a big hug. Sis was a little larger in stature so when she hugged, she HUGGED!
"That's the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for me" Sis said.
We chatted for about 30 minutes, talked about her grand kids, how rude shoppers have become and how kids viewed the holidays with out that sense of magic in their voices….
My experience with Sis was more profound and meaningful than I think I realized at the time......
And of course, I started thinking about how it applies to my business, training and coaching my clients and helping with the various sports teams at work.
At face value, the fact a women who has lived for 70 some years ranks someone buying her a cup of coffee as 'the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for her' seems a bit odd.
I mean, it was just a cup of coffee. But when you dig into that comment just a little, you see something even MORE sobering.
That it is ridiculously easy to put a smile on someones face.
It is easy to make people feel special.
It takes next to no effort to make people feel good.
The problem is, we seldom do it.
How many times do you give an unprompted 'high five' to your child, even though they were unable to do the new task at hand with much proficiency?
How many times do you greet your neighbors or customers during the course of the day and tell them how happy you are that they are there?
How many times do you tell your spouse that you are so proud of how hard they tried to do _______ (you fill it in) and couldn't care less that they do it perfect the first time?
How often do you try to make a unique and individual connection with each of the people around you, even though you might be busy with the next crisis on the list?
Sis is an example on a 'life' scale of what we could and SHOULD be doing each and every day with the people we run into in our lives.
Go out of our way.
Make the people around you feel special.
Put a smile on there face. Be sure that they know they matter.
In my business, sports and training are vehicles that are used for training to live a better life.
Unfortunately, we have learned to walk with our heads down and become isolated even though our global community extends into the billions.
My challenge for you in 2008 is to put a smile on the face of people who surround you each and every single day.
I think if we make a conscious effort at this, maybe the next generation doesn't walk through life with there heads down. And just maybe, they may have twinkle in their eye when it comes to the holidays…
I might just have to stop by the mall this next weekend….And yes, I'll be making a stop to visit my friend Sis every single time.
Have a wonderful holiday,
Larry.
I wish you nothing but the best and brightest for 2008.
'Till next year...
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
The Present...
I recieved this email the other day, I thought that I would share it. Perhaps it might be the break in your day that will give you pause to think. It's funny how sometimes small things can make a difference, perhaps the 37 seconds it takes to read this might change your thinking and give you added perspective.
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.
His bed was next to the room's only window.
The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end.
They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.
Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man could not hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days, weeks and months passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body
of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.
She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.
It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who
had described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.
She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'
Epilogue:
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just
count all the things you have that money can't buy.
Today is a gift, that is why it is called
The Present
The origin of this letter is unknown.
Til next time....
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.
His bed was next to the room's only window.
The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end.
They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.
Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man could not hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days, weeks and months passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body
of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.
She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.
It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who
had described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.
She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'
Epilogue:
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just
count all the things you have that money can't buy.
Today is a gift, that is why it is called
The Present
The origin of this letter is unknown.
Til next time....
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Stumped for a gift?
10 days left for you to purchase gifts for the holidays – Stumped? Why not be recognized this holiday season for giving the gifts that keep on giving. (And no, you do not need penicillin here!)
Why not give the gift of fitness and health to someone you care about? Or, why not do something for yourself? After all you give isn’t it time to give back to yourself? Taking the time to revitalize who you are from the inside out could be the most important gift of all.
I’ve made a list of 10 of the top fitness gifts that everyone would love to have to help start off the New Year in a healthier way – all from the comfort of your home!
1.
2.
3. Jump rope – Jumping rope is one of the best short burst interval tools around. You can easily take it with you on vacation and provides a great cardio workout. I suppose you could spend at least $1000 on a treadmill, but for $10 this gift comes with a much longer list of benefits.
4. Medicine Balls – These can add variety to your workout routines. They are a great tool to exercise any area of your body, whether upper, lower or core. Sizes vary from 2 – 25 lbs and only your imagination limits your workouts.
5. Yoga/Floor Mats – are a great padded surface for comfort during your floor based exercises
6. IPod/Mp3 Downloads – Enhance workouts with portable music! Focus on the pleasurable feelings you get from following the rhythm of your favorite songs. Select the ideal tempo of music for the exercises you’re doing you can actually help yourself get through the tough parts of your workout.
7. Exercise bands – easy to travel with, and a great way to work every body part without the hassle of going to the gym. And for those just starting out with their fitness plan, non intimidating and easy to use.
8. Stability balls – Want to talk about a core workout – plus there is so much more you can do with them, legs, buns, shoulders, arms, balance etc… Just make sure you read the box –the correct circumference of the ball is based on the height of the person.
9. Gift cards for fitness wear – hey, need to be fashionable while working out. Right?
10. Workouts with me! Hey I had to put the shameless plug in there for my business.
If you liked today’s gift ideas, feel free to pass this fitness list on to any of your friends, family and coworkers that would enjoy it.
Remember, there is only a few days left! Have a great holiday.
Til next time...
Rough Week?
I was speaking with one of my clients last week and asked how her workouts were going. Her response was, "it's been a rough week." Have you noticed that just about every week is a "rough week." By that I mean that things just don't happen exactly as you'd like them to. A variety of circumstances affect your schedule and your available time.
With that in mind, if you're going to exercise on a regular basis, exercise has to be high enough on your priority list to survive the "rough weeks." For example, during "rough weeks" do you eat, sleep, and brush your teeth every day? Of course you do, because they are priorities in your life.
If exercise is important enough to you then put it high on your priority list. Make your exercise "rough week" proof. Here are two things that can be very helpful..
1. Block out the same time period everyday for exercise. This makes it a priority in your life. You're declaring that this period of time is prioritized for exercise. Don't let anything change that. No cell phones, (egad!), no regular phones, no meetings, no nothing - just time for you!
2. Keep some type of record of what you do. This helps people to make exercise a priority. Even if you just jot down how many minutes you exercise every day. Step back and look at the big picture. Regular exercise is not only important for your health, fitness, and weight loss now, but also for the rest of your life. Don't struggle with trying to exercise consistently for the rest of your life. Make exercise an absolute priority now. If you don't have your health, you don't have anything (in this life)!
Til next time...
With that in mind, if you're going to exercise on a regular basis, exercise has to be high enough on your priority list to survive the "rough weeks." For example, during "rough weeks" do you eat, sleep, and brush your teeth every day? Of course you do, because they are priorities in your life.
If exercise is important enough to you then put it high on your priority list. Make your exercise "rough week" proof. Here are two things that can be very helpful..
1. Block out the same time period everyday for exercise. This makes it a priority in your life. You're declaring that this period of time is prioritized for exercise. Don't let anything change that. No cell phones, (egad!), no regular phones, no meetings, no nothing - just time for you!
2. Keep some type of record of what you do. This helps people to make exercise a priority. Even if you just jot down how many minutes you exercise every day. Step back and look at the big picture. Regular exercise is not only important for your health, fitness, and weight loss now, but also for the rest of your life. Don't struggle with trying to exercise consistently for the rest of your life. Make exercise an absolute priority now. If you don't have your health, you don't have anything (in this life)!
Til next time...
Friday, December 14, 2007
The muscle rag dilemma
After spending the better part of the night at Borders finishing up some shopping for the holidays...I found myself wandering in the magazine section. Well it may be perceived as "un-holiday" like but it is now time for me to step up on my soapbox, get Scrooge like and blast a portion of my industry. It's time to get nasty and tell you the truth about all the health, fitness/bodybuilding and food magazines that lead millions of us astray.
Did I just hear you say, "But if it's in print, then it must be true...right?" Nope...Sorry. Fitness magazines are, perhaps, the most deceitful communication medium in the health and fitness industry let alone in publishing.
Some magazines attempt to print reliable training and dieting recommendations, with good intentions - yet most are just full of propaganda, lies, and fraud to protect their vested interests!
C'mon, not all these magazines, publishers or editors set out to commit fraud. Right?
That's true - sorta, but when I read ignorant and stupid advice over and over again in these magazines, it leads me to believe that these editors must be committing fraud or worse they are simply too incompetent and unqualified to give advice.
Sounds harsh doesn't it?..... Keep in mind that the public views fitness magazines as an expert source, one to be trusted, so I and the rest of us fitness professionals need to be hard on the industry to make sure they are truthful and forthright. We as professionals need to represent the average guy who are spending their subscription fees trying to find factual information to get healthy and build a better body.
The Muscle Rag Dilemma...
If only truthful, useful and factual info were printed into fitness and muscle magazines, just imagine how difficult it would be to fill 200+ pages every month. Magazines would be reduced to 10 % content and 90% advertising (humm... have you looked at the latest issue of Shape or muscle and fantasy lately? I think most of them are already doing just that!)
If they added just factual content to the magazine, it would be reduced from monthly to quarterly or bi-monthly at best. This would lead to financial suicide since the money made from magazines is not due to newsstand sales or subscriptions...
WHAT?! It's not? Heck, no! Muscle magazines profit from advertisers! (mainly supplement and equipment advertisers) Less monthly magazine circulation means you can't charge as much for advertising. Less advertising dollars leads to less profit for the publisher.
Each month, a new issue must be replenished with a new 'vault of knowledge', so new training programs, philosophies and techniques must be (re)invented each month to keep the readers entertained. Notice I did not say educated....
In any given issue you may read about 10 sets of 3 and a few pages later read about 4 sets of 4 and then 10 sets of 10, etc. Most months you'll read about different programs that conflict with each other in the same issue! No wonder we are so friggin confused.
Why do they do this? Because the publishers of these various magazines are very smart... they are providing their readership some(read: very little) content - but in reality they know that their readers will implement the "new" training programs every month, resulting in very little to show for all their sweat and hard work. (it usually takes 6 to 8 weeks for the body to show any major physiological change)
So as the frustrated reader, you'll read on the cover of next months issue about the next new Mother of All workouts or the Holy Grail of ab and buns training. And again they buy. Can't blame them...you never know when the next ground-breaking system will be discovered, do you?!
So please arm yourselves.... when reading in any magazine, ask yourself one questions. What's in it for the writer, the magazine/publisher, the advertisers and more importantly what is in it for you....
Til next time...
Did I just hear you say, "But if it's in print, then it must be true...right?" Nope...Sorry. Fitness magazines are, perhaps, the most deceitful communication medium in the health and fitness industry let alone in publishing.
Some magazines attempt to print reliable training and dieting recommendations, with good intentions - yet most are just full of propaganda, lies, and fraud to protect their vested interests!
C'mon, not all these magazines, publishers or editors set out to commit fraud. Right?
That's true - sorta, but when I read ignorant and stupid advice over and over again in these magazines, it leads me to believe that these editors must be committing fraud or worse they are simply too incompetent and unqualified to give advice.
Sounds harsh doesn't it?..... Keep in mind that the public views fitness magazines as an expert source, one to be trusted, so I and the rest of us fitness professionals need to be hard on the industry to make sure they are truthful and forthright. We as professionals need to represent the average guy who are spending their subscription fees trying to find factual information to get healthy and build a better body.
The Muscle Rag Dilemma...
If only truthful, useful and factual info were printed into fitness and muscle magazines, just imagine how difficult it would be to fill 200+ pages every month. Magazines would be reduced to 10 % content and 90% advertising (humm... have you looked at the latest issue of Shape or muscle and fantasy lately? I think most of them are already doing just that!)
If they added just factual content to the magazine, it would be reduced from monthly to quarterly or bi-monthly at best. This would lead to financial suicide since the money made from magazines is not due to newsstand sales or subscriptions...
WHAT?! It's not? Heck, no! Muscle magazines profit from advertisers! (mainly supplement and equipment advertisers) Less monthly magazine circulation means you can't charge as much for advertising. Less advertising dollars leads to less profit for the publisher.
Each month, a new issue must be replenished with a new 'vault of knowledge', so new training programs, philosophies and techniques must be (re)invented each month to keep the readers entertained. Notice I did not say educated....
In any given issue you may read about 10 sets of 3 and a few pages later read about 4 sets of 4 and then 10 sets of 10, etc. Most months you'll read about different programs that conflict with each other in the same issue! No wonder we are so friggin confused.
Why do they do this? Because the publishers of these various magazines are very smart... they are providing their readership some(read: very little) content - but in reality they know that their readers will implement the "new" training programs every month, resulting in very little to show for all their sweat and hard work. (it usually takes 6 to 8 weeks for the body to show any major physiological change)
So as the frustrated reader, you'll read on the cover of next months issue about the next new Mother of All workouts or the Holy Grail of ab and buns training. And again they buy. Can't blame them...you never know when the next ground-breaking system will be discovered, do you?!
So please arm yourselves.... when reading in any magazine, ask yourself one questions. What's in it for the writer, the magazine/publisher, the advertisers and more importantly what is in it for you....
Til next time...
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The "Super 7" mistakes people make with fitness
I know what you're thinking. You'd really love to be fit as a fiddle, but you just can't seem to make it happen. Instead of making sweet music, all you get is a bunch of sour notes. Too much weight, too little energy, too much flab, too little tone.
Believe me, I totally understand -- because my clients come to me with the very same problem. They've "been there and done that," but still aren't getting the results they want.
Major Insider Fitness Secret: The #1 key to success is NOT to keep trying harder, but to stop doing what doesn't work, and start doing what's been proven to work. Amazingly, that one simple shift can give you -- literally -- twice the results with half the effort.
Problem is, most people have no idea what actually works. Why? Because all our lives we've been buried under an avalanche of hype, misinformation, wild claims, and outright lies about fitness, fat loss, and health in general. (Ever watch early morning TV?)
So to help make sure 2008 will be the year you get fit -- and stay fit -- I want to help you avoid "The Top 7 Fitness Mistakes Just About Everybody Makes."
Any of these ring a bell?…
1. Wasting your precious time, energy, money, and emotion doing things that simply don't work. This leave you burned out, frustrated, and wanting to quit before you even get to see any measurable results. If that sounds painfully familiar, I urge you in the strongest terms to take this to heart. You deserve to succeed, and I want to help you do it!
2. Fuzzy goals / wimpy motivations - A huge factor in reaching your fitness goals is to have a clear understanding of (a) where you want to be, and (b) why it's so important to do be there. If you don't have clear goals AND see that there are tremendous benefits in reaching them AND huge costs of not reaching them, you simply won't have the motivation it takes to get you off your butt, put down the fork, or make wise choices in the supermarket.
3. Expecting results from "generic" solutions - and failing to recognize that you are a totally unique individual in a unique situation with unique needs. To succeed, you absolutely must have a program that's custom-tailored to your unique needs, and it must involve not just your diet and exercise plans, but also your thinking and motivation.
4. The "6 inch space" between your ears. Are you trying to get fit and healthy through diet and exercise alone? Extensive research has shown that the REAL reasons we succeed or fail at fitness / fat loss has a lot more to do with what goes on between our ears much than what goes on our plates. Odds are, you're not even aware of your own self-sabotaging beliefs and attitudes. But until you correct them, no amount of obsessing about diet and exercise can make any real or lasting difference for you.
5. Unrealistic, unenjoyable, unsustainable exercise program – Have you ever gone to a gym, get put through a “free” workout and was sore for days. Haven’t gone back to that gym have you? (Personal trainers who think beating up their clients is the only way to make progress need to be shot!) What you have to do, this is where a good PT can help you; is to figured out what you like to do, that way you will have no resistance doing it. (Well, maybe a little now and then.) And what a huge difference it makes! People actually get more exercise in when they are enjoying their "prescribed" activities… Did I say most personal trainers are block heads…
6. Failure to build your fitness program into your lifestyle - I'll tell you, I always had a pretty decent diet, but I struggled for years with the exercise thing. What finally worked -- and still works great today -- is to build my exercise program into my daily life. So now, instead of never being able to "find the time" to get the exercise I need, it's simply become part of my day, like eating, showering, or brushing my teeth. The result? It gets done -- automatically, and without stress, struggle, or procrastination.
7. Failing to involve "all of you" in the success process - You are not just your body! You are body, mind, and spirit, and unless you get all three aspects of yourself "on board" for success, you'll only be running on "1/3 power." You'll be like a 6-cylinder car running on just 2 cylinders! The result? Very little power, and a mighty rough ride! That's no way to get to your goals!
Making these mistakes -- even just a few of them -- will just about eliminate any real chance of getting or staying fit and healthy. There are quite a few other mistakes we make as well, but avoiding these "Super 7" will make success a whole lot easier for you!
Next time we're going to zero in on that "6 inches" between your ears and see how to kick it out of your castle. You've got enough problems "out there" without having to fend off "psycho terrorists" inside your own head!
Til Next time.
Believe me, I totally understand -- because my clients come to me with the very same problem. They've "been there and done that," but still aren't getting the results they want.
Major Insider Fitness Secret: The #1 key to success is NOT to keep trying harder, but to stop doing what doesn't work, and start doing what's been proven to work. Amazingly, that one simple shift can give you -- literally -- twice the results with half the effort.
Problem is, most people have no idea what actually works. Why? Because all our lives we've been buried under an avalanche of hype, misinformation, wild claims, and outright lies about fitness, fat loss, and health in general. (Ever watch early morning TV?)
So to help make sure 2008 will be the year you get fit -- and stay fit -- I want to help you avoid "The Top 7 Fitness Mistakes Just About Everybody Makes."
Any of these ring a bell?…
1. Wasting your precious time, energy, money, and emotion doing things that simply don't work. This leave you burned out, frustrated, and wanting to quit before you even get to see any measurable results. If that sounds painfully familiar, I urge you in the strongest terms to take this to heart. You deserve to succeed, and I want to help you do it!
2. Fuzzy goals / wimpy motivations - A huge factor in reaching your fitness goals is to have a clear understanding of (a) where you want to be, and (b) why it's so important to do be there. If you don't have clear goals AND see that there are tremendous benefits in reaching them AND huge costs of not reaching them, you simply won't have the motivation it takes to get you off your butt, put down the fork, or make wise choices in the supermarket.
3. Expecting results from "generic" solutions - and failing to recognize that you are a totally unique individual in a unique situation with unique needs. To succeed, you absolutely must have a program that's custom-tailored to your unique needs, and it must involve not just your diet and exercise plans, but also your thinking and motivation.
4. The "6 inch space" between your ears. Are you trying to get fit and healthy through diet and exercise alone? Extensive research has shown that the REAL reasons we succeed or fail at fitness / fat loss has a lot more to do with what goes on between our ears much than what goes on our plates. Odds are, you're not even aware of your own self-sabotaging beliefs and attitudes. But until you correct them, no amount of obsessing about diet and exercise can make any real or lasting difference for you.
5. Unrealistic, unenjoyable, unsustainable exercise program – Have you ever gone to a gym, get put through a “free” workout and was sore for days. Haven’t gone back to that gym have you? (Personal trainers who think beating up their clients is the only way to make progress need to be shot!) What you have to do, this is where a good PT can help you; is to figured out what you like to do, that way you will have no resistance doing it. (Well, maybe a little now and then.) And what a huge difference it makes! People actually get more exercise in when they are enjoying their "prescribed" activities… Did I say most personal trainers are block heads…
6. Failure to build your fitness program into your lifestyle - I'll tell you, I always had a pretty decent diet, but I struggled for years with the exercise thing. What finally worked -- and still works great today -- is to build my exercise program into my daily life. So now, instead of never being able to "find the time" to get the exercise I need, it's simply become part of my day, like eating, showering, or brushing my teeth. The result? It gets done -- automatically, and without stress, struggle, or procrastination.
7. Failing to involve "all of you" in the success process - You are not just your body! You are body, mind, and spirit, and unless you get all three aspects of yourself "on board" for success, you'll only be running on "1/3 power." You'll be like a 6-cylinder car running on just 2 cylinders! The result? Very little power, and a mighty rough ride! That's no way to get to your goals!
Making these mistakes -- even just a few of them -- will just about eliminate any real chance of getting or staying fit and healthy. There are quite a few other mistakes we make as well, but avoiding these "Super 7" will make success a whole lot easier for you!
Next time we're going to zero in on that "6 inches" between your ears and see how to kick it out of your castle. You've got enough problems "out there" without having to fend off "psycho terrorists" inside your own head!
Til Next time.
Monday, December 10, 2007
America on the Move
There is an organization that you may want to check out to give you that new start for a new year. It's called America On the Move. You can reach them at http://www.americaonthemove.org/.
America On the Move Foundation (AOM) is a national non-profit organization. Their mission is to improve health and quality of life by promoting healthful eating and active living among individuals, families, communities and society.
http://pedometer.americaonthemove.org/pdf/IncreasingSteps.Pdf
America On the Move Foundation (AOM) is a national non-profit organization. Their mission is to improve health and quality of life by promoting healthful eating and active living among individuals, families, communities and society.
The goal - to create small, specific changes in physical activity and caloric intake. These changes can make a big difference in body composition. Research shows that 90% of adults can prevent weight gain by increasing daily physical activity by just 2,000 steps and eating 100 fewer calories. I've attached two PDF's that will show you how to make those changes. Heck I have even tried them, and they were painless.
Go to the site, you'll get some great ideas. More importantly you will find - that this getting fit stuff may not be as difficult as you thought.
Til next time.
http://pedometer.americaonthemove.org/pdf/100WaysCalories.Pdf
http://pedometer.americaonthemove.org/pdf/IncreasingSteps.Pdf
A hard, yet simple question...
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you DIDN'T DO than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain
This is one of my favorite quotes…but It makes me come to you with (on the surface) a simple question… Why do you train? Why do you workout?
It doesn’t matter if it is on a daily, weekly, or (with a few of my clients of late) - a monthly basis. You should know the answer to these questions because it helps to give you a sense of purpose and helps you to understand the “why”.
Folks like me, Personal Trainers, find it disappointing when we see a person simply working out and going through the motions. They end up performing arduous workouts and a multitude of sets per exercise for no apparent reason.
I won’t lie, the money can be great; but as a rep counter surely there must be more?
There at least two reasons that I train. I enjoy working out… it helps me get away from my other duties at the center and allows me to blow off some steam. Especially during this time of year; when we are neck deep in budget projections and staff performance reviews!
When I train, I feel good inside, I’m less stressed and have something left in the tank to help me survive my other everyday activities. The other reason I workout? Those damn goals. I have this notion, that IF I continue to workout I will be healthier, that I will more easily function as the family pack mule and live longer with less trouble, aches and pains. Those reasons work for me. But that really doesn’t matter.
What works for you?! Why do you work out?
See if you really understand why you train or why you feel it is necessary to workout. You have just increased your chances of success. Also it may also help you discover who you are and might just give you a better understanding of what really lives inside you.
A new year is just right around the corner…why don’t you take a few minutes before your next workout and reflect on this concept of why you train. Those few minutes just might give us both a chance at helping you reach your goals
Til next time….
This is one of my favorite quotes…but It makes me come to you with (on the surface) a simple question… Why do you train? Why do you workout?
It doesn’t matter if it is on a daily, weekly, or (with a few of my clients of late) - a monthly basis. You should know the answer to these questions because it helps to give you a sense of purpose and helps you to understand the “why”.
Folks like me, Personal Trainers, find it disappointing when we see a person simply working out and going through the motions. They end up performing arduous workouts and a multitude of sets per exercise for no apparent reason.
I won’t lie, the money can be great; but as a rep counter surely there must be more?
There at least two reasons that I train. I enjoy working out… it helps me get away from my other duties at the center and allows me to blow off some steam. Especially during this time of year; when we are neck deep in budget projections and staff performance reviews!
When I train, I feel good inside, I’m less stressed and have something left in the tank to help me survive my other everyday activities. The other reason I workout? Those damn goals. I have this notion, that IF I continue to workout I will be healthier, that I will more easily function as the family pack mule and live longer with less trouble, aches and pains. Those reasons work for me. But that really doesn’t matter.
What works for you?! Why do you work out?
See if you really understand why you train or why you feel it is necessary to workout. You have just increased your chances of success. Also it may also help you discover who you are and might just give you a better understanding of what really lives inside you.
A new year is just right around the corner…why don’t you take a few minutes before your next workout and reflect on this concept of why you train. Those few minutes just might give us both a chance at helping you reach your goals
Til next time….
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Overweight Kids are at a higher risk for developing heart disease
This may or may not seem like common sense, but it's important none the less.
If a child is overweight they are automatically at a higher risk of developing heart disease.
Did you know that the children that are born today have a lower life expectancy than their parents?
I'll let that sink in. You can read more of this story when you get a chance.
What do you think we should do about it?
If a child is overweight they are automatically at a higher risk of developing heart disease.
Did you know that the children that are born today have a lower life expectancy than their parents?
I'll let that sink in. You can read more of this story when you get a chance.
What do you think we should do about it?
Friday, December 7, 2007
I'd kill for a....
Can I let you in on a secret?
I crave sugary food when I am stressed.
If I just got some bad news, I’m headed to the Starv'n Marvin - look out Little Debbie snack cakes and 64oz diet cokes!
Truth is, I crave salty foods when I am tired or bored and I eat comfort foods like pasta when I am blue.
Come on, I know many of you are like me? Be honest... how many of you eat based on how you feel? Go ahead raise your hands… I won’t tell.
Many of us eat in response to a particular evnt or emotion. It is human nature really. Think about it, this type of eating behavior has survived throughout evolution for a reason. Eating used to be associated with survival. Only the fittest (i.e., strongest and most nourished) survive. So over time we have developed a connection between eating and our very survival.
Eating has become a protective mechanism! (Not sure where Portillo’s hot dogs fit in but just go with me here).
We live in a time of abundance when many of us are surrounded by food options every day, many of which are fast food or unhealthy food. The threat of starvation for most of us is slim. Yet our associations with food and eating, remain similar. Like many other evolutionary based associations (think of fears of snakes, spiders, and heights), the connections remain, even though there are certainly more dangerous things in our environments these days.
While the connection between food and survival remains, the difference is that we have become much more discriminating about food. We feel like we need certain foods at certain times.
Upsetting emotions like depression, anxiety or fear, stress, and boredom can trigger the desire to “save” ourselves from threat by eating. Back in time, the threat was starving to death, and now our emotions themselves embody the perception of threat.
With depression, the threat is a dismal or hopeless future. With anxiety and fear, the threat is imminent danger of harm or humiliation. With stress, the threat is being overwhelmed and not being able to function effectively. Finally, with boredom, the threat is the absence of anything fulfilling or enjoyable.
So, we want to help ourselves survive the threat. We do so by craving and eating certain foods.
“I would die for a double fudge brownie”
“I need some Micky D's fries right now.”
“I cannot go on without some chocolate.”
Ever said any of these things? Even though you may have said them in jest, there probably a grain of seriousness in them. Your brain has perceived some sort of threat in your life and has responded by saying “EAT NOW!”
Ironically, the food you would "die for" is likely to actually make you die sooner. We rarely crave carrot sticks or legumes - instead we crave "death by chocolate" cake. (aptly named huh?)
Why do we crave certain foods along with certain emotions?
There are primarily two reasons:
First, these foods are typically inherently rewarding or enjoyable in the short term. This is obvious, right? They taste good.
Second, we learn to associate cravings with vaious emotions over time. We learn based on the responses our behaviors get. For instance, if I feel stressed and crave Little Debbie brownies and I eat the brownies and then feel better (at least initially), what have I learned? To associate relieving stress with eating Little Debbie brownies.
So what do you do next time you think, “I would kill for a piece of pizza”?
Consider whether there is something else threatening to you, such as a negative emotion. Then figure out what you typically crave along with that particular emotion.
Once you've figured that out, do not eat that food that you are craving. You do not further your association of relieving the negative emotion with eating a particular food. Instead, try something to break up that learned response... do something like going for a walk to create a new association. Pretty soon you’ll be saying “I live for a great walk” rather than, “I would die for a cheeseburger.”
Til Next Time….
I crave sugary food when I am stressed.
If I just got some bad news, I’m headed to the Starv'n Marvin - look out Little Debbie snack cakes and 64oz diet cokes!
Truth is, I crave salty foods when I am tired or bored and I eat comfort foods like pasta when I am blue.
Come on, I know many of you are like me? Be honest... how many of you eat based on how you feel? Go ahead raise your hands… I won’t tell.
Many of us eat in response to a particular evnt or emotion. It is human nature really. Think about it, this type of eating behavior has survived throughout evolution for a reason. Eating used to be associated with survival. Only the fittest (i.e., strongest and most nourished) survive. So over time we have developed a connection between eating and our very survival.
Eating has become a protective mechanism! (Not sure where Portillo’s hot dogs fit in but just go with me here).
We live in a time of abundance when many of us are surrounded by food options every day, many of which are fast food or unhealthy food. The threat of starvation for most of us is slim. Yet our associations with food and eating, remain similar. Like many other evolutionary based associations (think of fears of snakes, spiders, and heights), the connections remain, even though there are certainly more dangerous things in our environments these days.
While the connection between food and survival remains, the difference is that we have become much more discriminating about food. We feel like we need certain foods at certain times.
Upsetting emotions like depression, anxiety or fear, stress, and boredom can trigger the desire to “save” ourselves from threat by eating. Back in time, the threat was starving to death, and now our emotions themselves embody the perception of threat.
With depression, the threat is a dismal or hopeless future. With anxiety and fear, the threat is imminent danger of harm or humiliation. With stress, the threat is being overwhelmed and not being able to function effectively. Finally, with boredom, the threat is the absence of anything fulfilling or enjoyable.
So, we want to help ourselves survive the threat. We do so by craving and eating certain foods.
“I would die for a double fudge brownie”
“I need some Micky D's fries right now.”
“I cannot go on without some chocolate.”
Ever said any of these things? Even though you may have said them in jest, there probably a grain of seriousness in them. Your brain has perceived some sort of threat in your life and has responded by saying “EAT NOW!”
Ironically, the food you would "die for" is likely to actually make you die sooner. We rarely crave carrot sticks or legumes - instead we crave "death by chocolate" cake. (aptly named huh?)
Why do we crave certain foods along with certain emotions?
There are primarily two reasons:
First, these foods are typically inherently rewarding or enjoyable in the short term. This is obvious, right? They taste good.
Second, we learn to associate cravings with vaious emotions over time. We learn based on the responses our behaviors get. For instance, if I feel stressed and crave Little Debbie brownies and I eat the brownies and then feel better (at least initially), what have I learned? To associate relieving stress with eating Little Debbie brownies.
So what do you do next time you think, “I would kill for a piece of pizza”?
Consider whether there is something else threatening to you, such as a negative emotion. Then figure out what you typically crave along with that particular emotion.
Once you've figured that out, do not eat that food that you are craving. You do not further your association of relieving the negative emotion with eating a particular food. Instead, try something to break up that learned response... do something like going for a walk to create a new association. Pretty soon you’ll be saying “I live for a great walk” rather than, “I would die for a cheeseburger.”
Til Next Time….
Thursday, December 6, 2007
All I want from Santa is...
Don't get me wrong. I know that it's politically correct to ask only for world peace and redemption during this holiday season. But Santa's bag is only so big.
Let's get real here!
Like most middle aged folks, my personal needs are few.
Married twice, I have plenty of toasters, towels, trivets and tupperware without the tops.
You'd think ear-hair tweezers and nose-hair pluckers would be on every old guy's list, but like most, my “barber” at Supercuts takes care of those humble tasks. (Who knew?)
What would really come in handy would be a new kind of timepiece. I need a clock that compensates for time as I feel it, where days pass as minutes and years zoom by before we even consider resetting for daylight-savings. A clock like that, reflecting the real world, would be a boon to folks everywhere.
Also, I'd like is a C.R.A.F.T. finder from Santa (can't remember an f'n thing).
If you're anything like me, you wonder around the rooms in your home looking for something, but you can't remember what. Or you'll start a project only to interrupt yourself with another, and then another, finishing none of them.
What’s that all about?
It's as if we suddenly grasp our fading mortality and rush to accomplish all those things we've put off for the last 20+ years or so. A good mind-focuser would glue us to the task at hand from beginning to end. Sure, it would be boring. Lots less exercise, too. But consider: We'd actually accomplish something, perhaps something important, like getting the garbage can from the back of the house to the curb. Of course that's one of the main reasons why I moved into a condo...just have to walk down the hallway.
“I Put It Here Somewhere!” I wonder, does Santa have the gift of order in his bag? You know, the ability to keep everything in its place. And even more important: the gift of remembering where that place is located.
Just think! It would be the end of daily routines ending with the phrase, "I know I put it here somewhere." Thing is, we MA’s (middle age’rs) tend to lose track of everything. And just between you and me, it's not entirely our fault. By the time we reach our age, we've got so much stuff in our heads we all suffer from what is technically known as “brain bloat”.
Think about it (if you can).
There are all those history dates that you learned in fourth grade. Whole paragraphs of Shakespeare memorized for high school English. Service serial numbers, phone numbers and addresses from every place you've ever lived, useless DOS commands, old computer passwords, even the birth dates and favorite colors of high school girl and boyfriends — everything you ever saw, heard, smelled or felt dating back to Day One.
My God! With all that stuff clogging the old noggin, it's amazing that we even remember our way home! (I use it as a darned good excuse when I don't make it home.)
So here goes.
Dear Santa,
I'll make it short this year. All I want for Christmas are 60-hour days that will grow longer with each month, some kind of clapper that will find my lost glasses when they're on my head, and a Project Magnet that won't let go until I finish.
And, oh yes, world peace.
Thanks,
Larry
P.S. I've been a good boy this year. At my age, I got to change that.
Let's get real here!
Like most middle aged folks, my personal needs are few.
Married twice, I have plenty of toasters, towels, trivets and tupperware without the tops.
You'd think ear-hair tweezers and nose-hair pluckers would be on every old guy's list, but like most, my “barber” at Supercuts takes care of those humble tasks. (Who knew?)
What would really come in handy would be a new kind of timepiece. I need a clock that compensates for time as I feel it, where days pass as minutes and years zoom by before we even consider resetting for daylight-savings. A clock like that, reflecting the real world, would be a boon to folks everywhere.
Also, I'd like is a C.R.A.F.T. finder from Santa (can't remember an f'n thing).
If you're anything like me, you wonder around the rooms in your home looking for something, but you can't remember what. Or you'll start a project only to interrupt yourself with another, and then another, finishing none of them.
What’s that all about?
It's as if we suddenly grasp our fading mortality and rush to accomplish all those things we've put off for the last 20+ years or so. A good mind-focuser would glue us to the task at hand from beginning to end. Sure, it would be boring. Lots less exercise, too. But consider: We'd actually accomplish something, perhaps something important, like getting the garbage can from the back of the house to the curb. Of course that's one of the main reasons why I moved into a condo...just have to walk down the hallway.
“I Put It Here Somewhere!” I wonder, does Santa have the gift of order in his bag? You know, the ability to keep everything in its place. And even more important: the gift of remembering where that place is located.
Just think! It would be the end of daily routines ending with the phrase, "I know I put it here somewhere." Thing is, we MA’s (middle age’rs) tend to lose track of everything. And just between you and me, it's not entirely our fault. By the time we reach our age, we've got so much stuff in our heads we all suffer from what is technically known as “brain bloat”.
Think about it (if you can).
There are all those history dates that you learned in fourth grade. Whole paragraphs of Shakespeare memorized for high school English. Service serial numbers, phone numbers and addresses from every place you've ever lived, useless DOS commands, old computer passwords, even the birth dates and favorite colors of high school girl and boyfriends — everything you ever saw, heard, smelled or felt dating back to Day One.
My God! With all that stuff clogging the old noggin, it's amazing that we even remember our way home! (I use it as a darned good excuse when I don't make it home.)
So here goes.
Dear Santa,
I'll make it short this year. All I want for Christmas are 60-hour days that will grow longer with each month, some kind of clapper that will find my lost glasses when they're on my head, and a Project Magnet that won't let go until I finish.
And, oh yes, world peace.
Thanks,
Larry
P.S. I've been a good boy this year. At my age, I got to change that.
Fit people live longer...even if they are fat!
12 year study at the University of South Carolina:
Those at a normal weight but out of shape had higher risk of death
I just recently read an article that stated that when it comes to living longer, fitness may trump fatness. Researchers concluded that men and women who were fit, as judged by a treadmill test, but were overweight or obese had a lower mortality risk than those of normal weight but low fitness levels, this study was published in the American Medical Journal.
Steven Blair (he’s an exercise physiologist with a LOT of additional letters behind his name) of the University of South Carolina and colleagues tracked about 2,600 people age 60 and up, examining how physical fitness and body fat affected their death rates over 12 years.
Those in the lowest fifth in terms of fitness had a death rate four times higher than participants ranked in the top fifth for fitness.
Now most of us would buy into the notion that being lean and fit provides protection against mortality. But in this study, men and women 60 and older, whether normal weight, overweight or obese if fit, had lower mortality rates.
Sedentary lifestyles
These findings are particularly relevant as people in the United States and many other countries live increasingly sedentary lifestyles and obesity rates keep climbing high. "I believe we have an obesity epidemic. It's a bad sign. We should not ignore obesity," Blair said. "But what happens all too often is we focus nearly exclusively on obesity and forget the activity and fitness part."
The researchers assessed the fitness of the participants using a treadmill test, seeing how long they could walk while the treadmill's incline increased. They measured body mass index — calculated from a person's weight and height — as well as waist circumference and body fat percentage.
The study showed that even a modest effort to improve physical activity can provide health benefits. Those in the bottom fifth in terms of fitness were about twice as likely to die as those in the next fifth.
The bottom line…. If you are overweight, obese and have the mindset that it is useless for me to be physically active you could be doing a great disservice to yourself and your family.
It appears that drastic steps may not be needed to improve mortality rate. "If you're overweight or obese and you're sedentary and unfit and you start taking three 10-minute walks a day and you do that at least five days a week, you're not going to lose an enormous amount of weight," Blair said. “You're going to still be heavy. But you're going to be much healthier and probably live longer”.
Who knew!?... maybe Ponce De leon had this all wrong, maybe we can all find the fountain of youth in our gym shoes? Start moving…
Til next time
Those at a normal weight but out of shape had higher risk of death
I just recently read an article that stated that when it comes to living longer, fitness may trump fatness. Researchers concluded that men and women who were fit, as judged by a treadmill test, but were overweight or obese had a lower mortality risk than those of normal weight but low fitness levels, this study was published in the American Medical Journal.
Steven Blair (he’s an exercise physiologist with a LOT of additional letters behind his name) of the University of South Carolina and colleagues tracked about 2,600 people age 60 and up, examining how physical fitness and body fat affected their death rates over 12 years.
Those in the lowest fifth in terms of fitness had a death rate four times higher than participants ranked in the top fifth for fitness.
Now most of us would buy into the notion that being lean and fit provides protection against mortality. But in this study, men and women 60 and older, whether normal weight, overweight or obese if fit, had lower mortality rates.
Sedentary lifestyles
These findings are particularly relevant as people in the United States and many other countries live increasingly sedentary lifestyles and obesity rates keep climbing high. "I believe we have an obesity epidemic. It's a bad sign. We should not ignore obesity," Blair said. "But what happens all too often is we focus nearly exclusively on obesity and forget the activity and fitness part."
The researchers assessed the fitness of the participants using a treadmill test, seeing how long they could walk while the treadmill's incline increased. They measured body mass index — calculated from a person's weight and height — as well as waist circumference and body fat percentage.
The study showed that even a modest effort to improve physical activity can provide health benefits. Those in the bottom fifth in terms of fitness were about twice as likely to die as those in the next fifth.
The bottom line…. If you are overweight, obese and have the mindset that it is useless for me to be physically active you could be doing a great disservice to yourself and your family.
It appears that drastic steps may not be needed to improve mortality rate. "If you're overweight or obese and you're sedentary and unfit and you start taking three 10-minute walks a day and you do that at least five days a week, you're not going to lose an enormous amount of weight," Blair said. “You're going to still be heavy. But you're going to be much healthier and probably live longer”.
Who knew!?... maybe Ponce De leon had this all wrong, maybe we can all find the fountain of youth in our gym shoes? Start moving…
Til next time
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Can you judge a man by his friends....
I think... YES!
Last evening, I was a listener…. I spent about three and one half hours in a bar and just listened to someone who has so many wonderful opportunities, recognizes them but then just falls short. Now before you go anticipating, my bar tab was $8.50… Soup and several diet cokes. I know… I’ve become a lightweight.
I listened (even through the groans of another Bulls loss) and learned a lot. In front of me, was a very bright person, who is intelligent, charismatic and could have his industry by the short hairs, but for some reason, just can’t seem to get over the hump.
His business ventures start off well (for a while), additional opportunities appear - financially not so bad and then, the bottom just seems to fall out, right before he can make that “big score”.
I think we all know people like that – they go through life, and then all the sudden, they hit one of life’s speed bumps and just completely derailed.
When I listened to my friend, I realized that he gets the ball rolling down the right hill, starts to build momentum but then the business starts to flounder. Why?
His people and support system… You see they don’t share the same vision. They don’t buy into the notion of the opportunities in front of them and tend to look at things half empty. In a sense they are dream stealers instead of dream makers.
I don’t think that anyone would disagree that it’s important to acknowledge the power of positive thinking. This goes not only for yourself, but also for the people you surround yourself with.
Attitudes are catchy. Whether they're positive or negative, they're rubbing off on you. If you're around people who complain, judge, spread negative gossip, blame others, and play victim roles, chances are you do, too.
Who are you around most? Are they achieving their dreams or complaining about their circumstances? Do they look up to others who are go-getters and high achievers or do they make fun of them and roll their eyes? How do they treat you? If you're spending time with people who don't support your dreams and goals, it's seriously time to look at whom you call your friends!
Successful people surround themselves with successful people. They want to be around others who're achieving goals and making things happen. They want to know their secrets and strategies for winning. They're not embarrassed to be hanging out with people who are studying for success and making good money.
We all need to surround ourselves with positive influences. Join the clubs that other successful people are in, learn what they're learning. It doesn't matter from what walk of life you are coming from. Show up and transform youself into an achiever! Success isn't just for those who have had it easy, who came from supportive homes or had expensive educations. They’re so many successful people who rose up from very poor conditions and overcame obstacles to achieve the goals they set their sights on.
But they didn't get there by hanging out with negative energy-drainers!
The New Year is just around the corner, start fresh and ask yourself this question. Have you been limiting your success by letting yourself be influenced by other people's negative energy?
Why not make a list of all the people you spend time with and make a note of the kind of personality they have. How many negative people are you around every day? How many people on your list are achieving their dreams and supporting yours. How many take responsibility for their lives? In the long run you will be better off spending time alone than with people who hold them selves back with a victim mentality.
Simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list. Join the clubs or organizations that will put you in with a positive circle of friends. Don't be afraid to set a new standard for yourself and don't allow yourself to become friends with people who fall below that standard.
Invite your old friends to come with you. You'll soon find out who has potential and want to grow and who will stop being around entirely.
This is one area in your life that you can take full responsibility. Look around you at the people you call friends. Does it make you proud or are you selling yourself short? Keeping successful people around you will help you to become more successful! Being around people who can accomplish their goals will allow you to accomplish yours!
As always, the choice is yours to make.
Til next time…
Last evening, I was a listener…. I spent about three and one half hours in a bar and just listened to someone who has so many wonderful opportunities, recognizes them but then just falls short. Now before you go anticipating, my bar tab was $8.50… Soup and several diet cokes. I know… I’ve become a lightweight.
I listened (even through the groans of another Bulls loss) and learned a lot. In front of me, was a very bright person, who is intelligent, charismatic and could have his industry by the short hairs, but for some reason, just can’t seem to get over the hump.
His business ventures start off well (for a while), additional opportunities appear - financially not so bad and then, the bottom just seems to fall out, right before he can make that “big score”.
I think we all know people like that – they go through life, and then all the sudden, they hit one of life’s speed bumps and just completely derailed.
When I listened to my friend, I realized that he gets the ball rolling down the right hill, starts to build momentum but then the business starts to flounder. Why?
His people and support system… You see they don’t share the same vision. They don’t buy into the notion of the opportunities in front of them and tend to look at things half empty. In a sense they are dream stealers instead of dream makers.
I don’t think that anyone would disagree that it’s important to acknowledge the power of positive thinking. This goes not only for yourself, but also for the people you surround yourself with.
Attitudes are catchy. Whether they're positive or negative, they're rubbing off on you. If you're around people who complain, judge, spread negative gossip, blame others, and play victim roles, chances are you do, too.
Who are you around most? Are they achieving their dreams or complaining about their circumstances? Do they look up to others who are go-getters and high achievers or do they make fun of them and roll their eyes? How do they treat you? If you're spending time with people who don't support your dreams and goals, it's seriously time to look at whom you call your friends!
Successful people surround themselves with successful people. They want to be around others who're achieving goals and making things happen. They want to know their secrets and strategies for winning. They're not embarrassed to be hanging out with people who are studying for success and making good money.
We all need to surround ourselves with positive influences. Join the clubs that other successful people are in, learn what they're learning. It doesn't matter from what walk of life you are coming from. Show up and transform youself into an achiever! Success isn't just for those who have had it easy, who came from supportive homes or had expensive educations. They’re so many successful people who rose up from very poor conditions and overcame obstacles to achieve the goals they set their sights on.
But they didn't get there by hanging out with negative energy-drainers!
The New Year is just around the corner, start fresh and ask yourself this question. Have you been limiting your success by letting yourself be influenced by other people's negative energy?
Why not make a list of all the people you spend time with and make a note of the kind of personality they have. How many negative people are you around every day? How many people on your list are achieving their dreams and supporting yours. How many take responsibility for their lives? In the long run you will be better off spending time alone than with people who hold them selves back with a victim mentality.
Simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list. Join the clubs or organizations that will put you in with a positive circle of friends. Don't be afraid to set a new standard for yourself and don't allow yourself to become friends with people who fall below that standard.
Invite your old friends to come with you. You'll soon find out who has potential and want to grow and who will stop being around entirely.
This is one area in your life that you can take full responsibility. Look around you at the people you call friends. Does it make you proud or are you selling yourself short? Keeping successful people around you will help you to become more successful! Being around people who can accomplish their goals will allow you to accomplish yours!
As always, the choice is yours to make.
Til next time…
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Healthy foods that aren't so healthy...
We have been bombarded with fat free marketing for a couple of decades now and as most of us have learned, that "fat free" simply means "higher sugar" and is designed (my opinion), to keep you fat.
There's a lot of money in the weight loss industry, and any product that calls itself a "weight loss food" while secretly keeping you fat, keeps you on the treadmill of dieting. A recent Men's Health article that I read has you consider other "Healthy Foods" that aren't healthy. For example.
1. Baked Beans
The upside: Beans are packed with fiber, which helps keep you full and slows the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream.
The downside: The baked kind are typically covered in a sauce made with brown and white sugars. Because the fiber is located inside the bean, it doesn't have a chance to interfere with the speed at which the sugary glaze is digested. Consider that 1 cup of baked beans contains 24 g sugar - That's about the same amount in 8 ounces of regular soda.
The healthy alternative: Red kidney beans, packed in water. You get the nutritional benefits of legumes, but without the extra sugar. They don't even need to be heated: Just open the can, rinse thoroughly, and serve. IF you do try them that way, I suggest that you try splashing some hot sauce on top for a spicy variation. I've eaten baked beans from the can in the past, but I always drained the sauce from them. Yes, a lot of people enjoy baked beans and consider them healthy and tasty. Well, try them without the baked brown sauce and see how you feel about continueing with your "healthy choice".
2. Granola Bars
The upside: Granola is made with whole oats, a nutritious food that's high in fiber.
The downside: The oats are basically glued together with ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, honey, and barley malt -- all of which quickly raise blood sugar.
The healthy alternative: Consider bars made from whole foods, (Sunrider Nuplus or Sunbars) that contain complex carbohydrates and real fruit, and the Sunbar containing only 3 grams of fat with soluble and insoluble fibers. Having Sunrider Nuplus or Sunbars fills the nutritional gaps in your diet and reduces hunger almost immediately because it provides your body with vitamins, minerals and enzymes from a real food source.
3. Pasta Salad
The upside: Most pasta-salad recipes include a variety of fresh vegetables.
The downside: The main ingredient is white-flour pasta, a close relative of white bread.
The healthy alternative: Egg salad has no impact on blood sugar, and a University of Connecticut review reports that there is no connection between egg consumption and heart disease.
Excuse me, but when did plain Pasta Salad become a "healthy choice"? Did I miss something?
It's always been white flower and has always left the eater feeling burnt out a few minutes after eating due to insulin response. How can someone not recognize how a food makes them feel?
Stay away from pasta salad.
I can't begin to enforce the importance of reading labels and recognizing the sugar and fiber content and knowing how it affects your health.
For more information about Sugar, Diabetes, google Hyperglycemia and Syndrome X. Not everything is as healthy as it seems.
Til next time....
Saturday, December 1, 2007
There still is magic in the world...
One of the many things that is pretty cool about my place is that I have very large windows, and can see for miles. The snow really is a beautiful thing, until you have to drive in it. Thankfully, I wont be doing too much of that today.
As we grow up we are taught to mature (sometimes too quickly) and leave behind our fantasies and belief in magic around us in the world. We live in a society where science is worshiped. The new reality is about facts and what we can see and feel because that is what everyone else believes.
However, as I watch the snow fall, I am convinced that there is real magic in the world. Sure there are books that can show you how to tap into it and draw out what you desire…"The Secret" comes to mind.
My folks were always big on me taking responsibility for myself – and that the age of responsibility and reasoning was around 7. So when I first heard that I was responsible for everything in my life, I initially accepted that and began to beat up on myself for every failure and setback. What was harder for me was to take credit for the powerful results I had created and accept that I could manifest what I wanted at any level imaginable.
Over the years I’ve learned that being responsible for everything in your life isn’t about blame or even boasting for every success, but simply acknowledging the connection between what you do and don’t do and how that yields the results you get.
Although you may at first be intimidated and feel reluctant to remove the shield of blaming others and events beyond your control, the truth is that taking full responsibility is the fastest and most powerful way to change what you don’t like and add to what you do want in your life.
After all if something bad happens and you didn’t do it, how can you truly fix it? As the creator or your reality, you can take charge and focus your energy on what will get you the results you want and learn to avoid what won’t.
Imagine how difficult it would be to learn how to ride a bike if you blamed every spill on the pavement, or the bike, or on obstacles that got in you way. Instead, you practice how to balance, how to steer, when to use the brakes, and eventually learn how to ride a bike.
As they say, you never forget how to ride a bike once you’ve learned. Well so it is with taking charge of your life and breaking through obstacles. Once you fully understand how to create your reality, you suddenly have the ability to plot a course to your desires that will amaze you because it feels like magic.
Too often in life we hear success principles like these: “You are what you believe” or “if you say you can, you can, and if you say you can’t, you can’t”. Over time we become numb to the full meaning these principles hold for us.
It’s too easy to let conventional wisdom pack our minds full of comforting nonsense that popular culture feeds us and to overlook the richer, infinitely more powerful truth that we are only limited by our self-imposed boundaries; it is our responsibility to believe what brings us what we want.
So just like learning to ride a bike seems confusing and even painful at first, once you realize you are doing the steering, you’ll be able to finally propel yourself in the direction you want to go in life and ride around any obstacles that appear on your journey.
But now, its time to watch the snow fall…and dream….
Til next time.
As we grow up we are taught to mature (sometimes too quickly) and leave behind our fantasies and belief in magic around us in the world. We live in a society where science is worshiped. The new reality is about facts and what we can see and feel because that is what everyone else believes.
However, as I watch the snow fall, I am convinced that there is real magic in the world. Sure there are books that can show you how to tap into it and draw out what you desire…"The Secret" comes to mind.
My folks were always big on me taking responsibility for myself – and that the age of responsibility and reasoning was around 7. So when I first heard that I was responsible for everything in my life, I initially accepted that and began to beat up on myself for every failure and setback. What was harder for me was to take credit for the powerful results I had created and accept that I could manifest what I wanted at any level imaginable.
Over the years I’ve learned that being responsible for everything in your life isn’t about blame or even boasting for every success, but simply acknowledging the connection between what you do and don’t do and how that yields the results you get.
Although you may at first be intimidated and feel reluctant to remove the shield of blaming others and events beyond your control, the truth is that taking full responsibility is the fastest and most powerful way to change what you don’t like and add to what you do want in your life.
After all if something bad happens and you didn’t do it, how can you truly fix it? As the creator or your reality, you can take charge and focus your energy on what will get you the results you want and learn to avoid what won’t.
Imagine how difficult it would be to learn how to ride a bike if you blamed every spill on the pavement, or the bike, or on obstacles that got in you way. Instead, you practice how to balance, how to steer, when to use the brakes, and eventually learn how to ride a bike.
As they say, you never forget how to ride a bike once you’ve learned. Well so it is with taking charge of your life and breaking through obstacles. Once you fully understand how to create your reality, you suddenly have the ability to plot a course to your desires that will amaze you because it feels like magic.
Too often in life we hear success principles like these: “You are what you believe” or “if you say you can, you can, and if you say you can’t, you can’t”. Over time we become numb to the full meaning these principles hold for us.
It’s too easy to let conventional wisdom pack our minds full of comforting nonsense that popular culture feeds us and to overlook the richer, infinitely more powerful truth that we are only limited by our self-imposed boundaries; it is our responsibility to believe what brings us what we want.
So just like learning to ride a bike seems confusing and even painful at first, once you realize you are doing the steering, you’ll be able to finally propel yourself in the direction you want to go in life and ride around any obstacles that appear on your journey.
But now, its time to watch the snow fall…and dream….
Til next time.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
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.
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.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
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).
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....
Friday, November 23, 2007
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
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.
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.
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