Cutting fruit out of your diet is not very smart. I mean, why would you? In a survey of a million obese people it was found that not one of them achieved their expanded size by eating fruit. In addition, fruit has so many other benefits that NOT eating them would be less than smart. From vitamins to antioxidants and fiber, fruit is very good for you, just try not overdoing it and not right before bedtime. Fructose is not the same sugar as simple sugar, the stuff that is used to sweeten other stuff. That is my expert opinion.
Eat fruit!
Not exactly. Three times per week, I would say, is the minimum if you are looking for results and trying to bring about changes, to look different, to loose weight, to be productive. Twice is better than none though. If you must only do that than you’d better have a long workout and do pushes and pulls on separate days. Three is better!
Pilates is a good way to put your back out, if you are not strong enough and/or not used to those kinds of movements. It hurts me every time I do it. I have too much muscle and not enough flexibility, which is not an important factor when one wants to be steady on one’s feet and strong enough to do interval training and run up and down the bridge. If you plan on watching tv in a seated position on the floor, than yes, do pilates till you’re blue in the face. If you are looking to “tone up”, first step would be to build muscle which you can tone up. Pilates does build core strength, but not much beyond that.
Definitely does not add muscle at the rate you can build by doing traditional weight training exercises. It is not weight bearing either. Slim down?? Well, at least you are not eating for that hour duration of the class so yeah, maybe… not!
Have you looked into a spin class lately? How many fit people were there on their stationary bikes? Aside from the instructor. I see a spinning instructor who works out with weights before her class and yes, she looks very fit. She also does the stair master, and plyometrics, and I bet she runs too outside the gym. The problem with spinning is that everyone is in charge of their bike’s resistance, hence the intensity level at which they work out. Lets say you are riding a bike on the road. Do you adjust the terrain to fit your desired level of effort or do you just push yourself and get through it and try your best to stay with the group??? I bet no more than 10% of spinners (and I am being generous here) actually get a decent workout from spinning. It’s not enough. Riders in the real world pedal hours almost every day to get better and challenge themselves. Two or three classes a week at your self guided intensity is not going to do it. No.
How many football players you think go out onto the field on an empty stomach? Not a one. It’s better to have fuel if you know you’re going on a road trip. So get some carbs and got o work. Not better to work on empty stomach.
No. Eating more often will result in heightened metabolism and better energy disbursement and less fat storage from the same amount of calories. Not going to expand on this, it should be common knowledge by now. Snack people, eat yourself skinny! Seriously! (By snack I mean eat healthy, protein rich, small amount and not crappy carbs!)
Fat free and sugar free is replaced with artificial stuff that can be worse than saturated fat. Be careful and do your homework! No, it’s not OK!I
A marathon is a very draining high impact short term goal after which the body can go overboard when recovering and not only it can injure one, it can keep you from further training, it can backfire and put you back in fat! It is, however a good training goal for some, but definitely not everyone and definitely not for the weak or overweight. It should not end there either. I actually wouldn’t recommend it…but more on this later.
No. sweat is not an actual measure of workout intensity. One can sweat more due to high sodium or high metabolism. Or just because you’re stock in a cardio room with 10 other people sweating next to you. Not at all a good measure or an only measure!
Weights and cardio. Do both alternating. Old school old song. No shortcuts.
Absolutely yes, both strength training and cardio are necessary for a long term health and fitness goal and to lose weight.
In closing: nutrition, weight training and cardio are ONE, loose weight, tone up, stay fit, all the same. If you want to take a Pilates class, by all means, go ahead! If you want to run a marathon, go for it! If you feel like spinning once in a while, good for you! Cannot single out any one activity as good or bad, but I must stress that in order to be effective in reaching your goal a good base program of 3 days weights and 3 days cardio is a must. It is not that difficult and is all so rewarding! Everything else is gravy, fun, why not, do it!
You must enjoy and live this, not as a short term goal, but as a way of life. It will keep you strong, young, energetic and self loving, which is more than most people can claim nowadays. But don’t take my word, look around and see… Any questions?
Monday, September 17, 2007
Poll closed
Dear Readers,
I will answer my poll questions and elaborate on why it is what it is later today. Thanks for answering!
I will answer my poll questions and elaborate on why it is what it is later today. Thanks for answering!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Good nutrition - Fast
Fast food ala Violetta:
Sauteed Chicken, Mixed Veggies and Brown Rice
Take Perdue perfect portions boneless skinless chicken breast.
(Ok, so I cook two at a time... they are perfect portions for starvation and I need the extra protein.)
Anyway, throw the chicken in a skillet with some seasoning, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Throw a bag of Steam in a bag Asian Medley veggies in the micro for 5 minutes. Prepare other bag to be thrown in the microwave. That's your brown rice by Uncle Bennie, 90 second cook time. The end.
Variation 1:
I sometimes bake a few sweet potatoes in a batch and add it to my meals, but you have to prepare ahead with this option and just reheat. Not yams, sweet potatoes!
Variation 2:
Use canned black beans instead of steamed veggies. It takes a few minutes to heat up and they're good for you.
Variation 3:
Sear a good quality sushi grade tuna steak with or without sesame crust, or broil a piece of salmon instead of the chicky.
Variation 4:
Drive to Taco Bell get a something Grande and chase it with a fine bottle of Corona.
(Don't' laugh, I've done that too)
Or go to www.dietdetective.com and search their site to get ideas. It doesn't take much to make good choices when pressed for time.
Sauteed Chicken, Mixed Veggies and Brown Rice
Prep time: 15 minutes
Take Perdue perfect portions boneless skinless chicken breast.
(Ok, so I cook two at a time... they are perfect portions for starvation and I need the extra protein.)
Anyway, throw the chicken in a skillet with some seasoning, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Throw a bag of Steam in a bag Asian Medley veggies in the micro for 5 minutes. Prepare other bag to be thrown in the microwave. That's your brown rice by Uncle Bennie, 90 second cook time. The end.
Variation 1:
I sometimes bake a few sweet potatoes in a batch and add it to my meals, but you have to prepare ahead with this option and just reheat. Not yams, sweet potatoes!
Variation 2:
Use canned black beans instead of steamed veggies. It takes a few minutes to heat up and they're good for you.
Variation 3:
Sear a good quality sushi grade tuna steak with or without sesame crust, or broil a piece of salmon instead of the chicky.
Variation 4:
Drive to Taco Bell get a something Grande and chase it with a fine bottle of Corona.
(Don't' laugh, I've done that too)
Or go to www.dietdetective.com and search their site to get ideas. It doesn't take much to make good choices when pressed for time.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
LADIIIIIIIIEZ!!!!!!!!
SO YOU DON'T WANT TO BULK UP?
That's fantastic!!
I get more and more rebuttals when I ask women to pick up weights, such as a 10 lb DB, saying they don't want to add mass and get huge and bulging.
Turn on the TV, read a magazine and go to your local gym, because you just WON'T listen to me, no!
Big people move big weights, yes, but moving big weights will not make you a big person! Look at some of the fit women with flat abs working out around you. What do they do? Everything. They run, do the StairMaster, do lunges, squats, chest presses, lat pull downs and shoulder presses and sweat their a...s off! I move big weights too and I don't bulk anywhere... not even some places I would like to...
And than there are the tight fat population, who shows me how hard their arms are, not flabby, just happen to weigh 10 lbs more than they should. Yes, they are hard, but it is still fat!!! And lots of it!!!
you are here with me once again in the department of redundancy department:
Elementary principals of weight training:
1) You must pick up weights and challenge yourself and get stronger all of the time.
2) Fat is fat. It will not go away from one place alone, you must reduce "body fat" (see, it's not called "arm fat" or "ass fat") in order to see slimmer arms and gut and butt.
3) Muscle specific exercises such as abs and triceps will not shape and lean those areas without total body fat reduction.
4) A minimum split for an effective weight regimen is 3 times a week with a rest day in between.
Thank you, thank you very much!
That's fantastic!!
I get more and more rebuttals when I ask women to pick up weights, such as a 10 lb DB, saying they don't want to add mass and get huge and bulging.
Turn on the TV, read a magazine and go to your local gym, because you just WON'T listen to me, no!
Big people move big weights, yes, but moving big weights will not make you a big person! Look at some of the fit women with flat abs working out around you. What do they do? Everything. They run, do the StairMaster, do lunges, squats, chest presses, lat pull downs and shoulder presses and sweat their a...s off! I move big weights too and I don't bulk anywhere... not even some places I would like to...
And than there are the tight fat population, who shows me how hard their arms are, not flabby, just happen to weigh 10 lbs more than they should. Yes, they are hard, but it is still fat!!! And lots of it!!!
you are here with me once again in the department of redundancy department:
Elementary principals of weight training:
1) You must pick up weights and challenge yourself and get stronger all of the time.
2) Fat is fat. It will not go away from one place alone, you must reduce "body fat" (see, it's not called "arm fat" or "ass fat") in order to see slimmer arms and gut and butt.
3) Muscle specific exercises such as abs and triceps will not shape and lean those areas without total body fat reduction.
4) A minimum split for an effective weight regimen is 3 times a week with a rest day in between.
Thank you, thank you very much!
Monday, September 10, 2007
Poll
Good morning everyone!
What a beautiful morning it was! Great time to get outside and sweat.
Some of us do it to loose weight, some to be able to eat what they want, and some to stay fit and in shape.
Whatever your motivator is, I want you to have fun, enjoy the work and be effective.
I have looked at the poll results so far and have to say that I cannot wait to get more answers, close the poll and give you the answers so you'll see how easy it is to go wrong with one or two things and (basically) screw up your efforts.
So go ahead and tell me what you think, answer all the questions, if you're right, great, if not, you'll help someone by showing the weak areas of fitness awareness and allow me to enlighten you. So go to the left and vote. Thank you!
What a beautiful morning it was! Great time to get outside and sweat.
Some of us do it to loose weight, some to be able to eat what they want, and some to stay fit and in shape.
Whatever your motivator is, I want you to have fun, enjoy the work and be effective.
I have looked at the poll results so far and have to say that I cannot wait to get more answers, close the poll and give you the answers so you'll see how easy it is to go wrong with one or two things and (basically) screw up your efforts.
So go ahead and tell me what you think, answer all the questions, if you're right, great, if not, you'll help someone by showing the weak areas of fitness awareness and allow me to enlighten you. So go to the left and vote. Thank you!
Sunday, September 9, 2007
dogie dog thoughts
Shasta is a little animal, a pet. Her quality of life is entirely dependent on me. It is what I make it to be. I don't dress her up, paint her nails and put bows in her hair. I do give her attention. A lot. And take her with me whenever I can. In the car, on the bicycle, she's even been on the motorcycle. I try to include her, make her part of my life, in addition to tending to her needs. She doesn't care whether she rides in a Mercedes or my VW. She doesn't care what her pillows and beds are made of, she knows they're hers in her home.
During my Army service I have been around dog farms while on a field exercise in the South Korean country side where the cries and yelps of hundreds of dogs echoed in the dark night, while beaten, starved, and jammed into tiny cages, fighting to live, just till they got ripe enough to be slaughtered and tenderized and served as a delicacy to the local people. Kegogi, is what they lived to be. Horrifying... I cannot judge, that is their custom, but thank God I don't live there (though they don't eat all breeds, certainly not Maltese, still...)!
When I took Shaz into my arms as her original owner handed her over to me, shaking, wild eyed and nappy haired, I wowed to give her a good life and let her be my little precious. So she is and I wouldn't change that except to take her tormented years away...
Pets are responsibility, joy, and fun and totally dependent on us.
And she will always love me...
During my Army service I have been around dog farms while on a field exercise in the South Korean country side where the cries and yelps of hundreds of dogs echoed in the dark night, while beaten, starved, and jammed into tiny cages, fighting to live, just till they got ripe enough to be slaughtered and tenderized and served as a delicacy to the local people. Kegogi, is what they lived to be. Horrifying... I cannot judge, that is their custom, but thank God I don't live there (though they don't eat all breeds, certainly not Maltese, still...)!
When I took Shaz into my arms as her original owner handed her over to me, shaking, wild eyed and nappy haired, I wowed to give her a good life and let her be my little precious. So she is and I wouldn't change that except to take her tormented years away...
Pets are responsibility, joy, and fun and totally dependent on us.
And she will always love me...
Dog Phile - home cures and uncurables
Readers, friends and the whole world should know by now how much my little precious means to me. My little Maltese, Shasta. She is 14 years old, going on 14, and she is my shadow, my arm fixture. She prefers to be carried instead of walking and sniffing, she sleeps next to me on my pillow, behind my knee, by my stomach, under or over the blanket, on my arm, and she eats with me, sometimes while sitting on my lap. When I am home, I have to be within sight, preferably right next to her, or she will whimper til I pick her up. And I do. Pick her up...always. Bad mommy - I know.
I had her since she was 7, given to me by a total stranger, a older lady. I knew nothing about her. She didn't respond, was freaky scared, didn't eat, didn't potty, I thought she was def, and or abused or neglected. The vet confirmed my suspicions when told me that she was at least neglected, maybe abused. So I was very gentle and babied her till she started walking with her tail in the air.
Now she takes me for walks, lets me sleep in once a month passed 6am, lets me nap when she feels like laying on the couch with me, lets me cook if she can hang out in one of her 8 beds around he house and watch me, even lets me go out to breakfast if we can sit outside and she can eat with us.
Than sometimes she gets very disinterested in her food (which I cook for her and mix with dry dog food), and I get anxious. I get that way a lot with Shaz. Even though I learned to read her very well , I don't speak Maltese and she cannot convey her thoughts and that concerns me with extra sensitivity to any sign at all that yields a change. Naturally, I want to know why she acts out. So I ask her. "Shassy, what's wrong? You don't like your dinner? Are you not hungry?" And if she starts jumping backwards, away from her dish, shaking her head, I know she doesn't like it. If she just walks away slowly with her head down, I know she doesn't feel good. Sometimes this persists, then I give her some children's Benadryl and it brings her appetite back. It also helps when she rubs her face like a cat, or thrashes around on her back trying to rub her eyes and face, or chews and chews her paws - allergies. The fleas are pretty much under control and they're easily detectable in her white silky hair. Although I give her some people food, I try to limit it and she only gets one or two little cookies from te Lorna Doone 100 calorie packs. Her treats include an ounce of Lactose free milk (poor dog) every other day or so, a rib bone once a month, those cookies, a few licks of yogurt, and everything in between I happen to be eating and sharing with her. She is in good spirits and even plays and runs around like a little puppy after her bath and hair drying. She loooooooves her hair dryer! I think the heat sooths her arthritic bones. She doesn't get around like an average dogie, doesn't jump or walk up steps, she has to be picked up. Sometimes I find her behind a step, stuck, just looking for someone to get her out of her predicament, and I don't even know how long she's been stuck there. She is old... But when we drive she stands up on my leg and puts her paws up on the window sill and sticks her face into the wind. A friend of mine pointed out once that she looks very much like Valcore (Never Ending Story) when she does that. She loooooooves to ride, loves going to places (except the groomer and the vet's office) and licking people. Or the couch. Lick lick lick. It's strange, but that's what she does.
She should have a great day today 'cause mommy is going to stay put and read and write (study) all day! Off to work we go! Hopefully I'll get a break when she takes me out for a short walk or asks for some food. She is my little precious after all and I gotta do what she needs me to do, who else is going to?
I had her since she was 7, given to me by a total stranger, a older lady. I knew nothing about her. She didn't respond, was freaky scared, didn't eat, didn't potty, I thought she was def, and or abused or neglected. The vet confirmed my suspicions when told me that she was at least neglected, maybe abused. So I was very gentle and babied her till she started walking with her tail in the air.
Now she takes me for walks, lets me sleep in once a month passed 6am, lets me nap when she feels like laying on the couch with me, lets me cook if she can hang out in one of her 8 beds around he house and watch me, even lets me go out to breakfast if we can sit outside and she can eat with us.
Than sometimes she gets very disinterested in her food (which I cook for her and mix with dry dog food), and I get anxious. I get that way a lot with Shaz. Even though I learned to read her very well , I don't speak Maltese and she cannot convey her thoughts and that concerns me with extra sensitivity to any sign at all that yields a change. Naturally, I want to know why she acts out. So I ask her. "Shassy, what's wrong? You don't like your dinner? Are you not hungry?" And if she starts jumping backwards, away from her dish, shaking her head, I know she doesn't like it. If she just walks away slowly with her head down, I know she doesn't feel good. Sometimes this persists, then I give her some children's Benadryl and it brings her appetite back. It also helps when she rubs her face like a cat, or thrashes around on her back trying to rub her eyes and face, or chews and chews her paws - allergies. The fleas are pretty much under control and they're easily detectable in her white silky hair. Although I give her some people food, I try to limit it and she only gets one or two little cookies from te Lorna Doone 100 calorie packs. Her treats include an ounce of Lactose free milk (poor dog) every other day or so, a rib bone once a month, those cookies, a few licks of yogurt, and everything in between I happen to be eating and sharing with her. She is in good spirits and even plays and runs around like a little puppy after her bath and hair drying. She loooooooves her hair dryer! I think the heat sooths her arthritic bones. She doesn't get around like an average dogie, doesn't jump or walk up steps, she has to be picked up. Sometimes I find her behind a step, stuck, just looking for someone to get her out of her predicament, and I don't even know how long she's been stuck there. She is old... But when we drive she stands up on my leg and puts her paws up on the window sill and sticks her face into the wind. A friend of mine pointed out once that she looks very much like Valcore (Never Ending Story) when she does that. She loooooooves to ride, loves going to places (except the groomer and the vet's office) and licking people. Or the couch. Lick lick lick. It's strange, but that's what she does.
She should have a great day today 'cause mommy is going to stay put and read and write (study) all day! Off to work we go! Hopefully I'll get a break when she takes me out for a short walk or asks for some food. She is my little precious after all and I gotta do what she needs me to do, who else is going to?
Saturday, September 8, 2007
My polls
Hey Guys!
Please take a few minutes of your time and answer the questions to the left (all of them please, keep scrolling down) to the best of your knowledge. Say whatever you believe to be true, I promise I won't ridicule your answers but will touch on the subjects that are most misunderstood or neglected and help you get a better understanding of overall fitness and how to attain your goals.
Please take a few minutes of your time and answer the questions to the left (all of them please, keep scrolling down) to the best of your knowledge. Say whatever you believe to be true, I promise I won't ridicule your answers but will touch on the subjects that are most misunderstood or neglected and help you get a better understanding of overall fitness and how to attain your goals.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
and drive on
Clues for the clueless:
People are looking over at you as they are passing you and taking a good long look into your car. -They are wondering what an ignorant idiot like you looks like. Could you be driving in the left lane at the speed of sleep?? - They would like to convey a message to you but you seem to be oblivious to your surroundings, the entire highway and the traffic on it!! - Chances are: you are doing something noticeably stupid and/or inconsiderate. Be aware of your environment! You can also travel at any speed in any of the other lanes, you can turn your signal off, your flashers off and stop riding your brakes, and put down that &%#$W%$ cellphone! You may be sending false alerts to the drivers behind you, and blocking the ones who are actually driving with a destination!
People are looking over at you as they are passing you and taking a good long look into your car. -They are wondering what an ignorant idiot like you looks like. Could you be driving in the left lane at the speed of sleep?? - They would like to convey a message to you but you seem to be oblivious to your surroundings, the entire highway and the traffic on it!! - Chances are: you are doing something noticeably stupid and/or inconsiderate. Be aware of your environment! You can also travel at any speed in any of the other lanes, you can turn your signal off, your flashers off and stop riding your brakes, and put down that &%#$W%$ cellphone! You may be sending false alerts to the drivers behind you, and blocking the ones who are actually driving with a destination!
Monday, September 3, 2007
more on driving -or- moron driving
I am starting a translation of the driving rules for people who had successfully passed, but forgot all about, the driving test!
STOP SIGN - Not STOP AND STAY sign. Stop, look, and proceed. Move! Not stop and stay, I swear!
MERGE (LANE ENDS) - yeah, YOURS! Not mine! YOU merge! That means: make preparations to come into my route of travel. Yield to your superior, which happens to be everyone in the other lane! YOU ARE INFERIOR, pay heed!
more to come after my second drink...lol
PS: Watch for motorcycles, who am I kidding... have you ever seen one before it passed you? Do not pull out in front of one! It will be on you in 0.2 seconds, no matter how far that headlight seems!
STOP SIGN - Not STOP AND STAY sign. Stop, look, and proceed. Move! Not stop and stay, I swear!
MERGE (LANE ENDS) - yeah, YOURS! Not mine! YOU merge! That means: make preparations to come into my route of travel. Yield to your superior, which happens to be everyone in the other lane! YOU ARE INFERIOR, pay heed!
more to come after my second drink...lol
PS: Watch for motorcycles, who am I kidding... have you ever seen one before it passed you? Do not pull out in front of one! It will be on you in 0.2 seconds, no matter how far that headlight seems!
make it fit
Your schedule, that is. Your life. Your work, your family, and fun and fitness. Balance to be balanced. How the hell...?
Having a non-traditional work-schedule and multiple activities makes balancing pret-ty hard sometimes. Sometimes we get up earlier to be able to work out. Sometimes we leave home earlier to go to work. Sometimes we have extra projects and "things" that have to be fit into our already loony schedule. Yeah, it's called life. How are you supposed to manage and maintain that balance and what suffers when you don't?
I tell you something, when workouts and training get cut to make room for something else, no matter how important, it may (if it's done frequently enough and with increasing ease) create a chain reaction that I have been hearing about from clients. It can be hugely damaging and difficult to reverse. I"ll explain.
When that 5 o-clock workout gets tiresome because you stayed up passed midnight working on something, or just didn't get a good night sleep and you decide to sleep this one out, you start a trend. It's kind of cutting your intervals short on training day because you just give in and don't feel like pushing yourself. Because that's is all it is. It is self discipline and commitment and when it's broken once it will be broken again. The second time easier. But that's not it, my little troopers, it will also bring about physical and psychological changes and not for the better! Exercise helps manage stress and maintain and/or boost metabolism, helps with sleep and digestion, overall energy levels and blah-blah-blah we-all-know-the-rest. That's all great, but would you notice when all starts declining? And it will, it does. Then you'll stay in bed BECAUSE you have no energy to get up. Then you'll sleep in BECAUSE your sleep pattern is not so balanced and restful anymore. You'll NOT eat less but you now burn less so weight gain, sluggishness, even mild depression can set in and creep up. And I am saying this because I have done extensive research and I am a qualified biochemist/psychologist/PHD/MD/OCD. Not...
I've BEEN THERE! And I can also confess, that I will be the first one to not want to get up and do what I must! Because we must! Must commit to training and health, not just for a specific time, not just till my shoulder feels better, my abs pop out, my butt firms up, my lower back stops hurting, my upper arms tighten up, the diet program runs out, I can fit into that dress, the beach season is over... NO! And here is why I'm going to tell you how much I love working with the older, mature population, not just because they exercise for the right reasons and for life, but because they are so dedicated and appreciative and not looking for instant gratification, visible improvements and changes but come to train and tell me how GREAT they're feeling, how much easier daily tasks are getting, how proud their spouses are of them and how great it feels hanging out with the grand kids without tiring out.
The purpose of this post really was to reiterate to all of you how important it is to find, and I mean FIND and actively search for something that you like to do for life, something that will keep you fit and challenges you, and make a commitment to sustain your training for LIFE! It is such a powerful influence and I can honestly say this without any special qualifications, just from the heart, and from experience. I can say this because I believe it with a passion and would do anything to change anyone's views if they doubt my words. Great rewards do not come with half a... efforts. Great rewards come from great efforts. So trust me when I say this, it is sometimes a huge effort for me too to maintain and stick to my commitment, even if it happens to be my job. I have to stay dedicated from the heart, otherwise I will not be able to motivate anyone, including myself. So if you, or anyone you know feels a need for motivation please direct them my way. If you need a change of routine ask for my input, I'll gladly give it. I've tried a lot myself. I am not Sonja the-greatest-runner-in-this-zipcode-and-beyond and my life is NOT running, however, I am a libra who seeks balance. The greatest tool EVER to balance everything around you, including your self, is regular, challenging exercise and fun activities for fitness.
Make a decision today and make it part of your life. Just like work, and sleep. Experts say that if you do anything for three months it becomes a routine. Three months. Challenge yourself and reap the rewards for life! LET'S GO!
Having a non-traditional work-schedule and multiple activities makes balancing pret-ty hard sometimes. Sometimes we get up earlier to be able to work out. Sometimes we leave home earlier to go to work. Sometimes we have extra projects and "things" that have to be fit into our already loony schedule. Yeah, it's called life. How are you supposed to manage and maintain that balance and what suffers when you don't?
I tell you something, when workouts and training get cut to make room for something else, no matter how important, it may (if it's done frequently enough and with increasing ease) create a chain reaction that I have been hearing about from clients. It can be hugely damaging and difficult to reverse. I"ll explain.
When that 5 o-clock workout gets tiresome because you stayed up passed midnight working on something, or just didn't get a good night sleep and you decide to sleep this one out, you start a trend. It's kind of cutting your intervals short on training day because you just give in and don't feel like pushing yourself. Because that's is all it is. It is self discipline and commitment and when it's broken once it will be broken again. The second time easier. But that's not it, my little troopers, it will also bring about physical and psychological changes and not for the better! Exercise helps manage stress and maintain and/or boost metabolism, helps with sleep and digestion, overall energy levels and blah-blah-blah we-all-know-the-rest. That's all great, but would you notice when all starts declining? And it will, it does. Then you'll stay in bed BECAUSE you have no energy to get up. Then you'll sleep in BECAUSE your sleep pattern is not so balanced and restful anymore. You'll NOT eat less but you now burn less so weight gain, sluggishness, even mild depression can set in and creep up. And I am saying this because I have done extensive research and I am a qualified biochemist/psychologist/PHD/MD/OCD. Not...
I've BEEN THERE! And I can also confess, that I will be the first one to not want to get up and do what I must! Because we must! Must commit to training and health, not just for a specific time, not just till my shoulder feels better, my abs pop out, my butt firms up, my lower back stops hurting, my upper arms tighten up, the diet program runs out, I can fit into that dress, the beach season is over... NO! And here is why I'm going to tell you how much I love working with the older, mature population, not just because they exercise for the right reasons and for life, but because they are so dedicated and appreciative and not looking for instant gratification, visible improvements and changes but come to train and tell me how GREAT they're feeling, how much easier daily tasks are getting, how proud their spouses are of them and how great it feels hanging out with the grand kids without tiring out.
The purpose of this post really was to reiterate to all of you how important it is to find, and I mean FIND and actively search for something that you like to do for life, something that will keep you fit and challenges you, and make a commitment to sustain your training for LIFE! It is such a powerful influence and I can honestly say this without any special qualifications, just from the heart, and from experience. I can say this because I believe it with a passion and would do anything to change anyone's views if they doubt my words. Great rewards do not come with half a... efforts. Great rewards come from great efforts. So trust me when I say this, it is sometimes a huge effort for me too to maintain and stick to my commitment, even if it happens to be my job. I have to stay dedicated from the heart, otherwise I will not be able to motivate anyone, including myself. So if you, or anyone you know feels a need for motivation please direct them my way. If you need a change of routine ask for my input, I'll gladly give it. I've tried a lot myself. I am not Sonja the-greatest-runner-in-this-zipcode-and-beyond and my life is NOT running, however, I am a libra who seeks balance. The greatest tool EVER to balance everything around you, including your self, is regular, challenging exercise and fun activities for fitness.
Make a decision today and make it part of your life. Just like work, and sleep. Experts say that if you do anything for three months it becomes a routine. Three months. Challenge yourself and reap the rewards for life! LET'S GO!
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