I made-up my mind a long time ago to be healthy, strong, and fit. One of the biggest influences on this decision was Charles Atlas.
I grew-up a skinny kid always dreaming of being strong and having a muscular physique. One day I discovered a Charles Atlas ad in the back of my comic book. I thought WOW! "if I could only look like Charles Atlas someday". I ordered Atlas' materials and that was the start to where I am today.
I hope that I can one day influence someone to be healthy, strong, and fit. But, you have to make-up your mind to be.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
What's Your Image of Aging?
Daily I hear people attributing some ache or pain to "getting older" or I hear people saying such things as; "I'm beginning to look just like me parents". The mental image of aging they have is one of declining mental and physical health. So, these people surely come to realize declining health and fitness in their lives as they get older.
Your body is designed to be healthy and fit all of your life. Do you know your body completely rebuilds itself every 11 months? That's right each year you have a completely new body. I believe your body gets it's plans for rebuilding from the mental image you hold of what "getting old is".
By constantly holding an image of health and vitality in your mind your body will be rebuilt and maintained in a healthy and energetic pattern. I know this to be true for me. I'm in my 50s and I am as healthy, strong, and fit as I was in my 20s. I recently beat a 15 year old running sprints. I hold an image of healthy aging in my mind and that's what I get. The phrase "you are as old as you think you" are is true.
Your body is designed to be healthy and fit all of your life. Do you know your body completely rebuilds itself every 11 months? That's right each year you have a completely new body. I believe your body gets it's plans for rebuilding from the mental image you hold of what "getting old is".
By constantly holding an image of health and vitality in your mind your body will be rebuilt and maintained in a healthy and energetic pattern. I know this to be true for me. I'm in my 50s and I am as healthy, strong, and fit as I was in my 20s. I recently beat a 15 year old running sprints. I hold an image of healthy aging in my mind and that's what I get. The phrase "you are as old as you think you" are is true.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
If Is To Be It's Up To ME
I went over half of my adult life thinking that my environment and circumstances controlled my life and what I could do. It wasn't until I was in my 40s that I realized I had the power to change my life by changing the way I thought about my life. My greatest limitation in life was thinking I was a victim to my circumstances.
Once I realized that I had the power within me to change the circumstances around me I started to attact the things in my life that I wanted. I now focus on attracting health, happiness, and prosperity into my life and those are the circumstances I get. I know that "if it is to be, it's up to ME".
Once I realized that I had the power within me to change the circumstances around me I started to attact the things in my life that I wanted. I now focus on attracting health, happiness, and prosperity into my life and those are the circumstances I get. I know that "if it is to be, it's up to ME".
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Too Much Cardio Ladies
As a personal trainer I am in and out of health clubs all day. I love to observe the things that people do in their efforts to "get in shape". The major thing I see women doing is cardio, cardio, cardio and not that much strength training.
While cardio is an important part of any fitness program it should not be the primary focus especially if you are female and getting older. Strength training should be the foundation of you fitness plan as you age.
Strength training is so important because it builds and maintains muscle. Maximizing your muscle mass is important because it is the component of your body that burns the majority of the calories you consume each day. As you age your body naturally loses muscle mass and therefore, your body burns less calories each day. Guess what you body does with all those extra calories you are now not burning? It stores them as fat.
Women naturally carry less muscle mass than men which make the process of aging, losing muscle, and gaining body fat magnified. Consequently, this situation makes strength training a must for aging women who want to lose weight and tone-up their bodies.
While cardio is an important part of any fitness program it should not be the primary focus especially if you are female and getting older. Strength training should be the foundation of you fitness plan as you age.
Strength training is so important because it builds and maintains muscle. Maximizing your muscle mass is important because it is the component of your body that burns the majority of the calories you consume each day. As you age your body naturally loses muscle mass and therefore, your body burns less calories each day. Guess what you body does with all those extra calories you are now not burning? It stores them as fat.
Women naturally carry less muscle mass than men which make the process of aging, losing muscle, and gaining body fat magnified. Consequently, this situation makes strength training a must for aging women who want to lose weight and tone-up their bodies.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Your Health, Your Choice
Deciding to live a healthy and fit life is the most important decision you can make on your quest to improve your quality of life. Your health and fitness is a mental choice. The leading causes of death and disease in modern society are those associated with lifestyle choice.
Choose to smoke and use tobacco products and you also choose to increase your risk of lung cancer and heart disease. The average smoker's life is 10 years shorter than someone who does not smoke.
Choose to abuse alcohol and you also choose to increase your risk of liver disease and certain forms of cancer. Choose to drink moderately and you choose to have better health than those who drink heavily or abstain from drinking at all.
Choose to be inactive and to have a poor diet and you also choose to increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Choose to exercise and eat a healthy diet and you choose to have more energy, feel better, and sleep better.
Your health is your choice alone. Decide today to take responsibility for your life and to live a healthy lifestyle and reap the benefits of your choice.
Choose to smoke and use tobacco products and you also choose to increase your risk of lung cancer and heart disease. The average smoker's life is 10 years shorter than someone who does not smoke.
Choose to abuse alcohol and you also choose to increase your risk of liver disease and certain forms of cancer. Choose to drink moderately and you choose to have better health than those who drink heavily or abstain from drinking at all.
Choose to be inactive and to have a poor diet and you also choose to increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Choose to exercise and eat a healthy diet and you choose to have more energy, feel better, and sleep better.
Your health is your choice alone. Decide today to take responsibility for your life and to live a healthy lifestyle and reap the benefits of your choice.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Take 30 For 30 Days
Developing Healthy Habits
With all the news today about health and fitness. You know the importance of having a healthy lifestyle. The difficulty is incorporating healthy habits into your life.
What is a habit anyway? Webster defines a habit as a pattern of behavior acquired as a result of frequent repetition. Therefore, in order to acquire some new pattern of behavior you must repeat the behavior on a regular basis. Then this new behavior becomes a habit and consequently, becomes a part of your daily activities.
Following this logic, if you wish to realize the benefits of a healthy lifestyle you have to repeat some healthy pattern as a part of your daily or weekly activities. Then these healthy patterns become habits and a part of your lifestyle.
Whether your goal is to lose 10 lbs, fit into those smaller jeans, or to have more energy to do your daily activities, then you must develop habits to achieve it. Otherwise, you are just wishing your goal will magically materialize.
Take 30 For 30 Days
This idea occurred to me while I was outside walking enjoying one of the beautiful days recently. I think it is a simple way to incorporate a healthy habit into your life. Take a brisk pace 30 minute walk each day for the next 30 days.
Walking is one of the best exercises to incorporate into your daily activities. It is easy to do, can be done almost anywhere, and does not require any special equipment. Walking has numerous health benefits such as:
Weight loss and maintenance
Lowering blood pressure
Decreasing the risk of heart attack and stroke
Strengthening muscles, bones and joints
Boosting energy levels
Reducing stress
Just think, in as little as 30 minutes a day you can experience the above benefits. 30 minutes a day is only three and a half hours out of the 168 hours in each week.
I challenge you to take a brisk 30 minute walk for the next 30 days and I guarantee you will be amazed at how much better you will look and feel. Also, you will have developed a healthy habit that will become part of your lifestyle in the process.
With all the news today about health and fitness. You know the importance of having a healthy lifestyle. The difficulty is incorporating healthy habits into your life.
What is a habit anyway? Webster defines a habit as a pattern of behavior acquired as a result of frequent repetition. Therefore, in order to acquire some new pattern of behavior you must repeat the behavior on a regular basis. Then this new behavior becomes a habit and consequently, becomes a part of your daily activities.
Following this logic, if you wish to realize the benefits of a healthy lifestyle you have to repeat some healthy pattern as a part of your daily or weekly activities. Then these healthy patterns become habits and a part of your lifestyle.
Whether your goal is to lose 10 lbs, fit into those smaller jeans, or to have more energy to do your daily activities, then you must develop habits to achieve it. Otherwise, you are just wishing your goal will magically materialize.
Take 30 For 30 Days
This idea occurred to me while I was outside walking enjoying one of the beautiful days recently. I think it is a simple way to incorporate a healthy habit into your life. Take a brisk pace 30 minute walk each day for the next 30 days.
Walking is one of the best exercises to incorporate into your daily activities. It is easy to do, can be done almost anywhere, and does not require any special equipment. Walking has numerous health benefits such as:
Weight loss and maintenance
Lowering blood pressure
Decreasing the risk of heart attack and stroke
Strengthening muscles, bones and joints
Boosting energy levels
Reducing stress
Just think, in as little as 30 minutes a day you can experience the above benefits. 30 minutes a day is only three and a half hours out of the 168 hours in each week.
I challenge you to take a brisk 30 minute walk for the next 30 days and I guarantee you will be amazed at how much better you will look and feel. Also, you will have developed a healthy habit that will become part of your lifestyle in the process.
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