Showing posts with label Motivation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Motivation. Show all posts
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Officer Survival Program
This is an opportunity for a professional and personal life change. Will you seize it?
On June 30th, we were asked this question …. Have you been thinking about it? I have. There are two key words that jump out at me ….. “opportunity” and “seize”. Using Microsoft Word’s Thesaurus tool, here’s some other meanings of these two words:
Opportunity = chance, prospect, opening
Seize = take control of, take advantage of
Using the above Thesaurus meanings and changing the above question to a statement, here’s what I came up with:
This is a CHANCE for you to TAKE CONTROL OF your professional and personal life.
The hard part to TAKING CONTROL OF is admitting you don’t have control. As humiliating for me as it was, I had to admit my eating was out of control ….. how else do you explain an extra 55 to 60 pounds! The humiliation still haunts me to this day ….. if only I had the courage to post a fat picture of me (humiliation at its best)!
But there’s a positive side to experiencing humiliation …. It’s the driving force that keeps me running in the other direction ….. HONOR.
If you want to be “Officer X”, here’s your opportunity.
If you are “Officer X”, here’s your opportunity to help your peers.
Humility to Honor ….. it’s a trip worth taking!
On June 30th, we were asked this question …. Have you been thinking about it? I have. There are two key words that jump out at me ….. “opportunity” and “seize”. Using Microsoft Word’s Thesaurus tool, here’s some other meanings of these two words:
Opportunity = chance, prospect, opening
Seize = take control of, take advantage of
Using the above Thesaurus meanings and changing the above question to a statement, here’s what I came up with:
This is a CHANCE for you to TAKE CONTROL OF your professional and personal life.
The hard part to TAKING CONTROL OF is admitting you don’t have control. As humiliating for me as it was, I had to admit my eating was out of control ….. how else do you explain an extra 55 to 60 pounds! The humiliation still haunts me to this day ….. if only I had the courage to post a fat picture of me (humiliation at its best)!
But there’s a positive side to experiencing humiliation …. It’s the driving force that keeps me running in the other direction ….. HONOR.
If you want to be “Officer X”, here’s your opportunity.
If you are “Officer X”, here’s your opportunity to help your peers.
Humility to Honor ….. it’s a trip worth taking!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Brain Workout (Thought For The Week)
There is no real failure…there is no real success….only actions and results. Stop judging yourself and just do what you know you need to do. As the worst action, is taking none at all.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Speaking of Metabolism ...
In a recent newsletter I received from Fitness Magazine, one of the topics discussed was “metabolism”. Here are some “new metabolism-boosting strategies” provided in one of the articles:
1. Become a Spice Girl. Capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their hotness, lights a fire in your metabolism as well as on your tongue. Recent research indicates that eating one tablespoon of red or green chilies can give you a temporary metabolic spike of up to 23 percent! To increase your fat-burning potential, chop up some chilies and add them to a meal an hour before working out. Other great options include cayenne, white pepper, black pepper and jalapenos, according to Robyn L. Goldberg, a registered dietitian based in Los Angeles.
2. Always eat breakfast. According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, participants who did not eat breakfast and rev their metabolism early in the day gained two times more weight over time than those who did!
3. Skip the cosmo. A study at the University of California, Berkeley revealed that having just two alcoholic beverages could slow fat-burning by up to 73 percent! Your liver converts the alcohol into acetate and starts using that as fuel instead of your fat stores. Limit your imbibing for best fat-burning results.
4. Don’t skimp on sleep. There is a direct link between metabolism and circadian rhythm – your daily pattern of activity versus rest – according to a new study from the University of California, Irvine. Findings suggest that maintaining a proper sleep pattern – between six and eight uninterrupted hours a day – and a clean, healthy diet play a key role in maintaining an elevated and healthy metabolism. Lack of rest and sleep disruption can lead to obesity-related illness and accelerated aging, so turn off the television and go to bed already!
One “old” metabolism-boosting strategy is EXERCISE! The Cardio will give you an immediate metabolic boost and the Strength Training will provide your body with a continual metabolic boost throughout the day. I workout alone and have been in a rut trying to come up with new workout ideas to stay motivated and to get better results. Well, I’m pleased to advise that my rut is over …… thanks to a post on Trinity Training’s website! Free group workout sessions being held right next door at Ty Warner Park in Westmont ...
Their workouts are challenging, but can always be scaled or adjusted to each person’s fitness levels. It is an encouraging group that expects you to bring a win-at-all-costs attitude. However, even with its intensity, it is a motivating and accepting group that believes a community of committed people of all fitness abilities is synergistic.
Click on the link below for full details. I’ve attended two sessions so far, and I will be attending a third session today after work!
http://trinitytraining.blogspot.com/2010/06/group-workouts-ty-warner-park-westmont.html
1. Become a Spice Girl. Capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their hotness, lights a fire in your metabolism as well as on your tongue. Recent research indicates that eating one tablespoon of red or green chilies can give you a temporary metabolic spike of up to 23 percent! To increase your fat-burning potential, chop up some chilies and add them to a meal an hour before working out. Other great options include cayenne, white pepper, black pepper and jalapenos, according to Robyn L. Goldberg, a registered dietitian based in Los Angeles.
2. Always eat breakfast. According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, participants who did not eat breakfast and rev their metabolism early in the day gained two times more weight over time than those who did!
3. Skip the cosmo. A study at the University of California, Berkeley revealed that having just two alcoholic beverages could slow fat-burning by up to 73 percent! Your liver converts the alcohol into acetate and starts using that as fuel instead of your fat stores. Limit your imbibing for best fat-burning results.
4. Don’t skimp on sleep. There is a direct link between metabolism and circadian rhythm – your daily pattern of activity versus rest – according to a new study from the University of California, Irvine. Findings suggest that maintaining a proper sleep pattern – between six and eight uninterrupted hours a day – and a clean, healthy diet play a key role in maintaining an elevated and healthy metabolism. Lack of rest and sleep disruption can lead to obesity-related illness and accelerated aging, so turn off the television and go to bed already!
One “old” metabolism-boosting strategy is EXERCISE! The Cardio will give you an immediate metabolic boost and the Strength Training will provide your body with a continual metabolic boost throughout the day. I workout alone and have been in a rut trying to come up with new workout ideas to stay motivated and to get better results. Well, I’m pleased to advise that my rut is over …… thanks to a post on Trinity Training’s website! Free group workout sessions being held right next door at Ty Warner Park in Westmont ...
Their workouts are challenging, but can always be scaled or adjusted to each person’s fitness levels. It is an encouraging group that expects you to bring a win-at-all-costs attitude. However, even with its intensity, it is a motivating and accepting group that believes a community of committed people of all fitness abilities is synergistic.
Click on the link below for full details. I’ve attended two sessions so far, and I will be attending a third session today after work!
http://trinitytraining.blogspot.com/2010/06/group-workouts-ty-warner-park-westmont.html
Monday, July 5, 2010
Brain Workout (Thought for the Week)
While science is looking for a “cure”, the rest of us should be living with “prevention” (and not expecting for a magic pill to bail us out, it’s our responsibility to stay in good health…not your doctors).
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Brain Workout (Thought for the Week)
Perfection is an illusion, it means there is some final destination to be achieved (and disappointment to be had if you don’t get there). Strive for living daily instead, not trying to achieve a goal that your happiness is depending on. Your happiness is now.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Lifestyle Challenge - Start Simplifying Life
Last week I brought to light that diet and exercise were not the only issues which needed to be addressed when trying to achieve your New Years Resolution to lose weight and get healthy. The writer of the article suggested that we examine the current structures and systems of our lives to find out what areas sabotage us from achieving our goals.
A few weeks prior to that, I touched on the subject of cortisol and how high levels of it may sabotage weight loss efforts. I have additional information I obtained from an article I read (womentowomen.com) which I would like to share regarding cortisol, stress and the adrenal glands:
Stress and the adrenal glands
Unlike our ancestors, we live with constant stress. Instead of occasional, acute demands followed by rest, we’re constantly over-worked, under-nourished, exposed to environmental toxins, worrying about others — with no let-up.
Every challenge to the mind and body creates a demand on the adrenal glands. And the list of challenges is endless: lack of sleep, a demanding boss, the threat of losing your job, financial pressures, personality conflicts, yo-yo dieting, relationship turmoil, death or illness of a loved one, skipping meals, reliance on stimulants like caffeine and carbs, digestive problems, over-exercise, illness or infection, unresolved emotional issues from our past or present and more. The result is adrenal glands that are constantly on high alert.
The destructive effect of high cortisol levels
What is cortisol? In its normal function, cortisol helps us meet these challenges by converting proteins into energy, releasing glycogen, and counteracting inflammation. For a short time, that’s okay. But at sustained high levels, cortisol gradually tears your body down.
Sustained high cortisol levels:
• destroy healthy muscle and bone
• slow down healing and normal cell regeneration
• co-opt biochemicals needed to make other vital hormones
• impair digestion, metabolism and mental function
• interfere with healthy endocrine function; and
• weaken your immune system.
So how can we simplify our current lifestyles in an effort to make time for diet and exercise and to reduce stress? An article I read (fitnessspotlight.com) suggests 15 ways …..
Below are just a few ways to start (this weekend!) and apply to your lifestyle. You may find that freedom that comes from becoming less attached to things (or needing more things) and finding appreciation for what you have. You really have everything you need to be happy right now, but it is all in your perspective.
• Take a Fast From Technology – TV, cell phones, computers, video game, and other forms of technology. While useful, can take away time from other positive life experiences that you may be missing out on. Go for a walk, go hiking, go have a picnic, go to the beach, or just sit around and take time out for yourself to clear your head and get perspective. It’s your time, so use it wisely.
• Learn to say “No” to people – Again it is your time, do you really need to be running around doing things all the time? Pick and choose what things you would like to participate in because they bring you a positive feeling, and let go of the rest. It’s ok to say “No” to people, you are not obligated to do anything. Take control of your life.
• Keep all your Mail in one Place and Deal with it Once- Don’t leave it scattered around the house, have one inbox for all mail and set aside time to go through it whether once a day or week. When you do go through it , take care of it right then and then file or toss it. No clutter. As those stacks of bills may be just sitting in the back of your mind all day causing you worry and concern.
• Check Email at Specific Times – Same rule as mail above, except you are not checking your email inbox all day. This could be at work or home. Just log one once in the AM and once in the PM (or whenever you want to set a schedule), read mail, respond right away and file it or delete it. Don’t leave your inbox stacked up with emails you are waiting to do something, take action right there and then shut off the computer and walk away to do other things. (This may be harder for people at work, but checking email in routine bunches will distract you less from the more important tasks of your job)
• Get a Shopping List and Go Once a Week - Do you find yourself at the supermarket 4-5x a week? Why? Could you get your shopping down to once (or even twice) a week? Create a list of everything you need for a week including food, supplies, laundry detergent, etc. Check what you need to get, mark it on your list and go to the store once. Imagine all the free time you will have if you are not running around all the time.
• Have a Garage/Yard Sale – How much stuff do you have sitting around as clutter in the house? How much stuff have you not even touched in years? Are you keeping stuff based on the “what if” excuse? (Like I have a raft because what if there is a tidal wave and I need……) Having a garage sale forces you to go through your stuff and who knows what you will find. There is such a liberating feeling in getting rid of stuff you don’t need or use! Use the rule, if you haven’t used it or worn it in 1-2 years, then you don’t really need it.
• Use the 2-Out/1-In rule for Clutter – If you have a garage sale like above, don’t go out and just spend the money on more clutter to come in! That is not the point. With the 2-Out/1-In rule for every 2 items you get rid of, you can only bring in 1 to replace it. So at least that will still keep your clutter down by 50% from before. Or better yet, 2-Out/0-In!
• Practice Dying – We are all going to die someday (hopefully not anytime soon), nothing we can do about that. But it’s amazing the though of that and how it can give us perspective. What if your doctor told you that you had 1 year to live? How would that change your perception of what you are doing with your life? Would you have regrets? Would there be things you wish you had tried? What really matters at that point to you? Practice dying is just a quick way to help you get a bigger picture on your life to make sure you are doing what you want to (now I didn’t say sell everything and spend all your money on a boat trip around the world….have to have a little perspective of long term planning as well)
• Lose Everything – This is another exercise to find out what things matter and to practice detaching from things that don’t. If your house was on fire and you had 5 minutes to grab things, what would you take? Does the rest really matter (assuming you could easily replace them with insurance)? Visualizing losing everything is a simple way to appreciate what you already have.
• Decorate with Less – Do you have shelves of pictures and books and never even look at them? How about just keeping 1 or 2 pictures out and a couple books. Having less will actually help to put more value in them. Appreciate the few pictures you have out, and then enjoy changing them out every few weeks. Have more….with less.
• Keep your Finances Simple – Keep only one credit card for emergencies and pay it off monthly. Pay in cash with everything. If you have debt make a plan to cut your expenses now and pay it off as quickly as possible. Buy used items as they can be 50-70% less than what a new thing may cost you. Haggle prices as people will always give you discounts, if you ask for it. Have auto deposit for your paycheck with an auto withdrawl of say 10% into a savings account (that you will not touch). Do auto debit from checking account for monthly expenses. These are just a few strategies to try out.
• Get Rid of Junk Mail and Telemarketers – Write in to the Direct Marketers Association and tell them you want off the list. Here’s the link for the addresses. You must write in once for mail and another for phone and give your name, address and phone number. You should see a dramatic reduction in like 4-6 weeks.
• Give Back to Those Less Fortunate – You can donate your time or items to charitable organizations for those who may not be as fortunate as you. Nothing will give you a greater appreciation of what you already have than helping those with less.
• Don’t try and Keep up with the Joneses – Chances are the Joneses may have a nice car, house and lifestyle from the outside…but most are 1 paycheck away from bankruptcy, living on credit and so stressed out that their health is at risk. In fact it may be the Joneses who want to live like you in a simple and happy way!
• Stay Healthy – Nothing is as simple as never having to be in the hospital, on medications or deal with other medical issues. Being healthy is also going to save you a ton of money in the long run!
Regarding the last suggestion, specifically as it pertains to never having to be on medications, I’m currently reading a book on women’s health. The author brought up a very interesting point on this issue. She (Christine Northrup, MD) wrote:
“Lacking a way to name and change their situations, many women (and men) instead turn to addictions such as overwork, overcare, smoking, and overeating that result in an endless cycle of abuse that we ourselves help perpetuate. Being abused or abusing ourselves, we become ill. Then we turn to a medical system that is set up to deliver mostly quick-fix pharmaceutical solutions to problems that can’t be healed until we change our core beliefs and thoughts!”
Take the lifestyle challenge and start simplifying and experience freedom (from medication or whatever)!
A few weeks prior to that, I touched on the subject of cortisol and how high levels of it may sabotage weight loss efforts. I have additional information I obtained from an article I read (womentowomen.com) which I would like to share regarding cortisol, stress and the adrenal glands:
Stress and the adrenal glands
Unlike our ancestors, we live with constant stress. Instead of occasional, acute demands followed by rest, we’re constantly over-worked, under-nourished, exposed to environmental toxins, worrying about others — with no let-up.
Every challenge to the mind and body creates a demand on the adrenal glands. And the list of challenges is endless: lack of sleep, a demanding boss, the threat of losing your job, financial pressures, personality conflicts, yo-yo dieting, relationship turmoil, death or illness of a loved one, skipping meals, reliance on stimulants like caffeine and carbs, digestive problems, over-exercise, illness or infection, unresolved emotional issues from our past or present and more. The result is adrenal glands that are constantly on high alert.
The destructive effect of high cortisol levels
What is cortisol? In its normal function, cortisol helps us meet these challenges by converting proteins into energy, releasing glycogen, and counteracting inflammation. For a short time, that’s okay. But at sustained high levels, cortisol gradually tears your body down.
Sustained high cortisol levels:
• destroy healthy muscle and bone
• slow down healing and normal cell regeneration
• co-opt biochemicals needed to make other vital hormones
• impair digestion, metabolism and mental function
• interfere with healthy endocrine function; and
• weaken your immune system.
So how can we simplify our current lifestyles in an effort to make time for diet and exercise and to reduce stress? An article I read (fitnessspotlight.com) suggests 15 ways …..
Below are just a few ways to start (this weekend!) and apply to your lifestyle. You may find that freedom that comes from becoming less attached to things (or needing more things) and finding appreciation for what you have. You really have everything you need to be happy right now, but it is all in your perspective.
• Take a Fast From Technology – TV, cell phones, computers, video game, and other forms of technology. While useful, can take away time from other positive life experiences that you may be missing out on. Go for a walk, go hiking, go have a picnic, go to the beach, or just sit around and take time out for yourself to clear your head and get perspective. It’s your time, so use it wisely.
• Learn to say “No” to people – Again it is your time, do you really need to be running around doing things all the time? Pick and choose what things you would like to participate in because they bring you a positive feeling, and let go of the rest. It’s ok to say “No” to people, you are not obligated to do anything. Take control of your life.
• Keep all your Mail in one Place and Deal with it Once- Don’t leave it scattered around the house, have one inbox for all mail and set aside time to go through it whether once a day or week. When you do go through it , take care of it right then and then file or toss it. No clutter. As those stacks of bills may be just sitting in the back of your mind all day causing you worry and concern.
• Check Email at Specific Times – Same rule as mail above, except you are not checking your email inbox all day. This could be at work or home. Just log one once in the AM and once in the PM (or whenever you want to set a schedule), read mail, respond right away and file it or delete it. Don’t leave your inbox stacked up with emails you are waiting to do something, take action right there and then shut off the computer and walk away to do other things. (This may be harder for people at work, but checking email in routine bunches will distract you less from the more important tasks of your job)
• Get a Shopping List and Go Once a Week - Do you find yourself at the supermarket 4-5x a week? Why? Could you get your shopping down to once (or even twice) a week? Create a list of everything you need for a week including food, supplies, laundry detergent, etc. Check what you need to get, mark it on your list and go to the store once. Imagine all the free time you will have if you are not running around all the time.
• Have a Garage/Yard Sale – How much stuff do you have sitting around as clutter in the house? How much stuff have you not even touched in years? Are you keeping stuff based on the “what if” excuse? (Like I have a raft because what if there is a tidal wave and I need……) Having a garage sale forces you to go through your stuff and who knows what you will find. There is such a liberating feeling in getting rid of stuff you don’t need or use! Use the rule, if you haven’t used it or worn it in 1-2 years, then you don’t really need it.
• Use the 2-Out/1-In rule for Clutter – If you have a garage sale like above, don’t go out and just spend the money on more clutter to come in! That is not the point. With the 2-Out/1-In rule for every 2 items you get rid of, you can only bring in 1 to replace it. So at least that will still keep your clutter down by 50% from before. Or better yet, 2-Out/0-In!
• Practice Dying – We are all going to die someday (hopefully not anytime soon), nothing we can do about that. But it’s amazing the though of that and how it can give us perspective. What if your doctor told you that you had 1 year to live? How would that change your perception of what you are doing with your life? Would you have regrets? Would there be things you wish you had tried? What really matters at that point to you? Practice dying is just a quick way to help you get a bigger picture on your life to make sure you are doing what you want to (now I didn’t say sell everything and spend all your money on a boat trip around the world….have to have a little perspective of long term planning as well)
• Lose Everything – This is another exercise to find out what things matter and to practice detaching from things that don’t. If your house was on fire and you had 5 minutes to grab things, what would you take? Does the rest really matter (assuming you could easily replace them with insurance)? Visualizing losing everything is a simple way to appreciate what you already have.
• Decorate with Less – Do you have shelves of pictures and books and never even look at them? How about just keeping 1 or 2 pictures out and a couple books. Having less will actually help to put more value in them. Appreciate the few pictures you have out, and then enjoy changing them out every few weeks. Have more….with less.
• Keep your Finances Simple – Keep only one credit card for emergencies and pay it off monthly. Pay in cash with everything. If you have debt make a plan to cut your expenses now and pay it off as quickly as possible. Buy used items as they can be 50-70% less than what a new thing may cost you. Haggle prices as people will always give you discounts, if you ask for it. Have auto deposit for your paycheck with an auto withdrawl of say 10% into a savings account (that you will not touch). Do auto debit from checking account for monthly expenses. These are just a few strategies to try out.
• Get Rid of Junk Mail and Telemarketers – Write in to the Direct Marketers Association and tell them you want off the list. Here’s the link for the addresses. You must write in once for mail and another for phone and give your name, address and phone number. You should see a dramatic reduction in like 4-6 weeks.
• Give Back to Those Less Fortunate – You can donate your time or items to charitable organizations for those who may not be as fortunate as you. Nothing will give you a greater appreciation of what you already have than helping those with less.
• Don’t try and Keep up with the Joneses – Chances are the Joneses may have a nice car, house and lifestyle from the outside…but most are 1 paycheck away from bankruptcy, living on credit and so stressed out that their health is at risk. In fact it may be the Joneses who want to live like you in a simple and happy way!
• Stay Healthy – Nothing is as simple as never having to be in the hospital, on medications or deal with other medical issues. Being healthy is also going to save you a ton of money in the long run!
Regarding the last suggestion, specifically as it pertains to never having to be on medications, I’m currently reading a book on women’s health. The author brought up a very interesting point on this issue. She (Christine Northrup, MD) wrote:
“Lacking a way to name and change their situations, many women (and men) instead turn to addictions such as overwork, overcare, smoking, and overeating that result in an endless cycle of abuse that we ourselves help perpetuate. Being abused or abusing ourselves, we become ill. Then we turn to a medical system that is set up to deliver mostly quick-fix pharmaceutical solutions to problems that can’t be healed until we change our core beliefs and thoughts!”
Take the lifestyle challenge and start simplifying and experience freedom (from medication or whatever)!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Upcoming Event - The Maltz Challenge
Remember this quote I posted back in January ….
Believe in yourself. You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face …. You must do that which you think you cannot do.
Well here’s my chance (and hopefully your chance) to look fear in the face --- specifically, the Maltz Challenge:
• 400 meter run
• 50 pull ups (alternate form for women)
• 100 meter Fireman's Carry or 200 meter Farmer's Walk with 50 lb dumbbells (25 for women)
• 50 dips
• 100 push ups (50 for women)
• 50 knees - to - elbows
• 100 sit ups
• 400 meter run
Click on this link to read about Master Sergeant Michael Maltz and to obtain more specific details on this upcoming event:
http://trinitytraining.blogspot.com/search/label/Maltz
Hope to see you there --- and remember …… Keep the faith!
Believe in yourself. You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face …. You must do that which you think you cannot do.
Well here’s my chance (and hopefully your chance) to look fear in the face --- specifically, the Maltz Challenge:
• 400 meter run
• 50 pull ups (alternate form for women)
• 100 meter Fireman's Carry or 200 meter Farmer's Walk with 50 lb dumbbells (25 for women)
• 50 dips
• 100 push ups (50 for women)
• 50 knees - to - elbows
• 100 sit ups
• 400 meter run
Click on this link to read about Master Sergeant Michael Maltz and to obtain more specific details on this upcoming event:
http://trinitytraining.blogspot.com/search/label/Maltz
Hope to see you there --- and remember …… Keep the faith!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Choose to Lose Fitness Challenge
It’s officially over! I have heard several positive success stories, and it seems that everyone enjoyed the weekly physical challenges.
Speaking of challenges …. Whether you want to continue down the path of weight loss or whether you are now at a point where you want to maintain your recent weight loss, you need to keep challenging yourself in the area of quality food intake and quality exercise. The Choose to Lose Fitness Challenge was just the first step to incorporating lifestyle changes. It was a ladder to be used to get you out of the “pit of despair” of holiday food binging to level ground. Now you are faced with the choice of sliding back into the pit or continuing down a level path. The choice is a DAILY choice; it’s YOUR choice to make. The choice will never go away, but it does get easier.
Amongst all the articles I’ve read, there was one that basically someone just gave there predictions for 2010 (stumptuous.com). The predictions varied, and the writer gave his/her predictions on subjects such as healthcare, medical research, stress, farming industry …. Just a lot of stuff. Anyways, the first prediction related to why New Years’ Resolutions will fail this year …..
You will fail at your New Year’s Resolutions this year — and every year — unless you figure out the real problem and focus on the process, not the product.
Why are you out of shape? Why are you poorly nourished?
It’s not “willpower” — it’s the current structures and systems of your life.
Your relationship with your body mirrors your relationship with the other domains of your existence. Your body reflects your current values and priorities as well as your environment — social and physical.
• Fix your surroundings and relationships.
• Bump fitness and nutrition up the list of values and priorities.
• Find the limiting factors that are holding you back, and remove them.
• Examine the structure of your physical environment and daily routines to find the elements that sabotage you (or help you).
• Get away from soul-sucking people, things, and situations. Go towards people, things, and situations that bring you joy and give you energy.
• Question your underlying assumptions about how this whole project works and why it matters.
Not saying you have to solve it all, but if you don’t address the root cause of whatever’s bothering you, you’re doomed to fail.
Another fitness writer talked about a woman he knew who planned lavish, indulgent, junk-food meals while she was “on a diet”. In other words, this is a temporary fix, and then things will be magically different and I can engage in poor choices with impunity. Nuh-uh. It doesn’t work like that.
Be brave.
Get some big garbage bags — real or metaphysical — and start throwing shit out, whether that’s energy vampire people who don’t support you, crap “food” that poisons you, or assumptions and mindsets that are fundamentally self destructive.
Question everything until you peel away all those onion layers to find out why you are in the situation you are in.
As you can see, the writer doesn’t hold anything back and this weight loss and weight maintenance stuff is not all about food and exercise. There are other components to address. What a perfect time for some Spring cleaning (of our minds)!
Keep the faith!
Speaking of challenges …. Whether you want to continue down the path of weight loss or whether you are now at a point where you want to maintain your recent weight loss, you need to keep challenging yourself in the area of quality food intake and quality exercise. The Choose to Lose Fitness Challenge was just the first step to incorporating lifestyle changes. It was a ladder to be used to get you out of the “pit of despair” of holiday food binging to level ground. Now you are faced with the choice of sliding back into the pit or continuing down a level path. The choice is a DAILY choice; it’s YOUR choice to make. The choice will never go away, but it does get easier.
Amongst all the articles I’ve read, there was one that basically someone just gave there predictions for 2010 (stumptuous.com). The predictions varied, and the writer gave his/her predictions on subjects such as healthcare, medical research, stress, farming industry …. Just a lot of stuff. Anyways, the first prediction related to why New Years’ Resolutions will fail this year …..
You will fail at your New Year’s Resolutions this year — and every year — unless you figure out the real problem and focus on the process, not the product.
Why are you out of shape? Why are you poorly nourished?
It’s not “willpower” — it’s the current structures and systems of your life.
Your relationship with your body mirrors your relationship with the other domains of your existence. Your body reflects your current values and priorities as well as your environment — social and physical.
• Fix your surroundings and relationships.
• Bump fitness and nutrition up the list of values and priorities.
• Find the limiting factors that are holding you back, and remove them.
• Examine the structure of your physical environment and daily routines to find the elements that sabotage you (or help you).
• Get away from soul-sucking people, things, and situations. Go towards people, things, and situations that bring you joy and give you energy.
• Question your underlying assumptions about how this whole project works and why it matters.
Not saying you have to solve it all, but if you don’t address the root cause of whatever’s bothering you, you’re doomed to fail.
Another fitness writer talked about a woman he knew who planned lavish, indulgent, junk-food meals while she was “on a diet”. In other words, this is a temporary fix, and then things will be magically different and I can engage in poor choices with impunity. Nuh-uh. It doesn’t work like that.
Be brave.
Get some big garbage bags — real or metaphysical — and start throwing shit out, whether that’s energy vampire people who don’t support you, crap “food” that poisons you, or assumptions and mindsets that are fundamentally self destructive.
Question everything until you peel away all those onion layers to find out why you are in the situation you are in.
As you can see, the writer doesn’t hold anything back and this weight loss and weight maintenance stuff is not all about food and exercise. There are other components to address. What a perfect time for some Spring cleaning (of our minds)!
Keep the faith!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Choose to Lose Fitness Challenge
How are all you Choose to Losers doing?
a) Great. I’m down 5 or 10 pounds … can’t wait for the next weigh in.
b) O.K. I’m down 5 or 10 pounds …. But slowly losing willpower.
c) The effort is there, but no results ….. this sucks!
d) What the heck was I thinkin’ when I joined?
e) Other??
Although the scale is the measure of your success during this fitness challenge, I would like to encourage you not to let it dictate whether or not you continue on your journey for lifetime weight/health success. Personally, I weigh myself once a month. I base my success on how healthy I ate, how dedicated I was to my exercise plan, and how my clothes fit. My belt was and is my measure of success …. Waist vs. Weight.
Two things I would like you to think about as you continue with you fitness challenge …. The first being words from our friend Lou from one of his Extremist posts for Trinity Training:
Failing is painful.
Or is it? I find more pain in not having goals. I find more pain at not competing. I find more pain in not having a chance to succeed. Failing to me means I gave it all I had in a risky effort, but came up short. Failing means I have to try harder next time. Commit to a new course. Visualize myself being the champion. The Extremist. ...... I want people to claim a stake in their own success. Not sitting back expecting some fair distribution of prizes or rewards. I want people to take a bite out of failure and chew on it until a new plan, a fresh path, a renewed vision of success is crystal clear.
The second item is an article which you may find helpful. I think it’s one of the best articles to read if you don’t have time to read an entire diet book. It gives you 10 reasons you’re not losing weight, 13 ways to lose fat and 5 of the best foods to eat to lose fat. http://donmatesz.blogspot.com/search/label/How%20to%20lose%20fat
Keep the faith!
a) Great. I’m down 5 or 10 pounds … can’t wait for the next weigh in.
b) O.K. I’m down 5 or 10 pounds …. But slowly losing willpower.
c) The effort is there, but no results ….. this sucks!
d) What the heck was I thinkin’ when I joined?
e) Other??
Although the scale is the measure of your success during this fitness challenge, I would like to encourage you not to let it dictate whether or not you continue on your journey for lifetime weight/health success. Personally, I weigh myself once a month. I base my success on how healthy I ate, how dedicated I was to my exercise plan, and how my clothes fit. My belt was and is my measure of success …. Waist vs. Weight.
Two things I would like you to think about as you continue with you fitness challenge …. The first being words from our friend Lou from one of his Extremist posts for Trinity Training:
Failing is painful.
Or is it? I find more pain in not having goals. I find more pain at not competing. I find more pain in not having a chance to succeed. Failing to me means I gave it all I had in a risky effort, but came up short. Failing means I have to try harder next time. Commit to a new course. Visualize myself being the champion. The Extremist. ...... I want people to claim a stake in their own success. Not sitting back expecting some fair distribution of prizes or rewards. I want people to take a bite out of failure and chew on it until a new plan, a fresh path, a renewed vision of success is crystal clear.
The second item is an article which you may find helpful. I think it’s one of the best articles to read if you don’t have time to read an entire diet book. It gives you 10 reasons you’re not losing weight, 13 ways to lose fat and 5 of the best foods to eat to lose fat. http://donmatesz.blogspot.com/search/label/How%20to%20lose%20fat
Keep the faith!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Resolution vs. Lifestyle Change
OK....it is the start of a new year and I'm sure lots of us have made the the New Year Resolution to really and truly get fit. Im not the only one to say this was a repeat from last year. Being a Cubs Fan Im used to being positive at the start of the year only to fall off and end up missing my goals in the end....WAITING FOR NEXT YEAR! Well instead of making getting healthy/fit a resolution, I decided to make lifestyle changes to avoid the "mistakes" of my past. I am not following an all or nothing attitude. When you read about fitness success stories... there are those select few that can follow this all or nothing living, BUT there are many more that realize there will be bumps in the road. When I realize I can't follow through on my scheduled workout of the day, instead of scapping it all together I will do a condensed one. When Im faced with an unhealthy option for a meal... instead of looking at the day as a loss and eating unhealthy the rest of the day, I will work on eating cleaner for the remainder of the day to make up it.
Let's look out for each other in our quest for a healthier lifestyle and push each other to be the best we can be!
Remember......a pat on the back is better than a kick in the butt!
Let's look out for each other in our quest for a healthier lifestyle and push each other to be the best we can be!
Remember......a pat on the back is better than a kick in the butt!
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