Posts Tagged ‘health’

HOLISTIC ATHLETIC EXPERIENCE

Posted: January 6, 2013 in Inpirational quotes, Motivation
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I read this article and thought I should post it, I didn’t see who the author was but it is very true.  Lessons to be learned every year you coach.  Take time to see where you fit in.

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The Victories during the 2012 Summer Olympics were perfect examples of Intense, Dedicated, Disciplined Athletic Competitions.

The “Olympic Ideal” Embodies the “Holistic Athletic Experience” of Enhanced Body, Mind, Soul, Character, Productivity and Citizenship facilitated by Athletic Competition.

It’s time to Restore the “Olympic Ideal”, “the Holistic Athletic Experience” in Child and Youth Sports, Recreation and Exercise (SRE).

Performance is one of the manin objectives of the Holistic Athletic Experience.

WHAT CAN THE CHILD AND YOUTH ATHLETE DO FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE?

I. BE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALlY READY.

MNEMONIC FOR CHILD AND YOUTH SRE READINESS:

• REST: Early to Bed
• ESSENTIAL WATER: Plenty Water, Keep your Urine Light Lemonade Color
• ALERT: Pay Attention in Practice and Games
• DON’T USE: Alcohol, Tobacco, Drugs
• INJURIES: Don’t Play Thru Injuries, Report them to your Coach or Trainer
• NUTRITION / FOOD: Balanced Diet
• EXERCISE AND DRILL PROPERLY
• STRETCH / WARM-UP
• STRESS REDUCTION

Spend time winding-down after your daily workouts, practices and conditining.

Stress has an undesirable effect on emotions. High levels of stress will have a negative impact on mental preparation and mental toughness.

Unwinding will balance your physical and emotional abilities.

Ahtletes should Lie down, meditate, concentrate and/or pray for 30 minutes every day and practice improving spirituality and faith. Clearing the mind of negative forces will facilitae the Athlete’s ability to concentrate on the positive forces at play in his or her life.

Athletes should stay in touch with their body signals and, for example, eat when hungary, drink water when thirsty and rest when tired. Intense work-outs require adequate rest. The physical body needs regular relaxation.

II. SEEK OUT A TRUSTWORTHY, MENTOR COACH WHO COACHES WITH THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE 4 R’S: RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, RELATIONSHIP RECOGNITION

• Respect

Coaches have a duty for the protection, safety, health, care, welfare and Human Rights of their Athletes. They should have a devotion-to and the highest regard for the humanity of their Athletes. Coaches are to regard and recognize the human dignity of their players. Coaches must pay attention, be compassionate recognize Athletes’ human value. Coaches should be considerate of players and athletes by treating them as humans. Coaches should dutifully respect the human life of their Athletes.

“Do unto others as you would want others to do unto you.”

Primum non nocere – “First do no harm to human life.”

• Responsibility

Coaches have an obligation of oversight for the Physical, Psychological (Emotional) well being of their Athletes during the administration of their coaching duties. Coaches must develop and implement responsible coaching policies and standards of Safety 1st.

Coaches are accountable and hold an important position and Fiduciary duty of Trust by the players and athletes. Coaches have a designated authority for the proper care of their players and athletes.

The Core of Coaching is Trust.

• Relationships

Coaches should develop a positive relationship with their Athletes and develop an excellent level of mutual understanding and trust with good interpersonal communication.

Devoting time for each player and athlete, the Coach will develop a positive relationship learning about each Athlete’s Ambitions, Abilities and Skills. Coaches develop a positive relationship by taking a personal interest with plans and techniques for each Athlete’s individualized improvement of play.

• Recognition

Coaches should acknowledge and recognize Athletes when they accomplish their goals and execute their performance plans well. Special one-on-one notice and complementary attention to the Athlete will enhance the trust for the Coach and motivate the Athlete. A pat on the back or the butt goes a long way.

An Holistic Athletic Experience requires balance and implementation of all the above factors.

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4 Ways to start off the New Years Right

Posted: December 30, 2012 in Best stuff, Inpirational quotes, Inspirational quotes, Motivation
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New Year’s Anti-Resolution Solution

Each year, millions of Americans create some sort of New Year’s resolution, whether it’s getting in shape, paying off debt, quitting smoking or even being a nicer person. The problem is, the average New Year’s Resolution is broken and forgotten by the time the last of the confetti is cleaned up. Though few people find success in setting and keeping resolutions, people keep doing it year after fruitless year. I would like to propose a new process to change this year:

  • >>Making anti-resolutions
  • >>Letting go of past mistakes and grievances
  • >>Practicing self-compassion
  • >>Meditating on what’s good in life

1. Make anti-resolutions.

One of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions is to lose weight. Most people start a radical diet or cut back on junk foods only to find themselves caught up in cravings for what they are depriving themselves of. What if, instead, people would make the anti-resolution to try different, healthier foods or pick up a new hobby that keeps them moving? There is an amazing variety of healthy foods to choose from. One could search recipe sites and magazines to find easy, healthy recipes. Or what about taking up a new hobby, like biking or long walks with a dog or loved one?

Instead of putting effort into breaking a bad behavior, put effort into creating a new, healthy habit. This makes it easier to build a new lifestyle without the guilt and shame of breaking resolutions.

2. Let go of the past.

One of the reasons why we can’t move on and change our life is that we refuse to let go of our past mistakes and failures. Let go of the old to move on to the new. God told the Israelites in Isaiah 43:18, “Forget the former things: do not dwell on the past.” Or consider the Turkish proverb, “No matter how far you have gone down a wrong road, turn around.” Holding on to your past mistakes only keeps you focused on the past, it’s time to move on. You can’t move forward while you are looking behind.

3. Practice self compassion.

The Yoga Sutra 1.33 teaches us about compassion, stating, “We are to have equanimity for those who make mistakes.” We should have the same compassion for ourselves—after all we are only human. We sometimes judge ourselves more harshly than others. This puts us in a vicious cycle of trying to change, failing, beating ourselves up and then going back to the old habit because it was easier.

The golden rule according to most religions of the world is “love your neighbor as yourself,” but you can’t love your neighbor as yourself if you don’t love yourself. Acknowledge that you deserve health and happiness. Recognize the suffering the habit you are trying to change is causing. Celebrate any positive action you have taken to support your change. If you are feeling bad about any setbacks, remind yourself that you are human and mistakes are an important part of the path to change. Remember the fable of the tortoise and the hare. The race doesn’t belong to the fastest runner, but goes to the one with patience and perseverance.

4. Meditate on what’s good.

Concentrate on the good and positive things about your life. Paul says in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Two years ago I hurt my lower back. I was in horrible pain. When I decided to go back to my yoga class I couldn’t bend over. About half way through the class I was about to burst into tears because I could barely move into any of the poses. I was wondering why I had come when it hit me—there are a few poses I can do. I decided to concentrate on the poses I could do and forgive myself for the ones I couldn’t. I went home ecstatic and my doctor was amazed at how quickly my back healed after returning to my yoga practice. If I had only concentrated on the things I couldn’t do, I would have given up and gone home, and my back probably would have taken a lot longer to heal.

Let’s start this New Year, the new week, this new day with a positive outlook.

Wake up each morning being thankful for who you are and what you can do, don’t concentrate on the negative. Put the past behind you each and every morning. Each day has new possibilities and new opportunities for change. Let go of the things that are holding you down. Find new things that build you up. Who needs more broken resolutions? What we need are real solutions to create change in our lives.

Sports and Child Development

Posted: November 28, 2012 in Best stuff, Inpirational quotes, Motivation
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Sports have more effects on a child’s  development than most realize. Physical exercise is required for a child’s  healthy growth, and several social, physical and emotional benefits exist as  well. Participation in sports helps children form lifelong positive attitudes  about goals, sportsmanship, teamwork and exercise. The effects reach outside the  ball game and into other parts of their lives.

Physical Development

  • In addition to eating nutritional foods and getting adequate sleep, children  need plenty of exercise  to keep their bodies healthy and help develop strong bones and muscles. Physical  exercise also strengthens children’s developing hearts and lungs. Playing sports  improves their motor skills, such as kicking, throwing and running. A child’s  motor skills development and hand-eye coordination can be stunted if she does  not exercise during the critical growth stages. Participating in sports  regularly decreases a child’s risk of becoming obese and developing  obesity-related health problems. It promotes better sleep, which helps children  grow mentally and physically. Finally, physical exercise helps develop a child’s  immune system.

Social and Emotional Development

  • Participating in sports forces children  to play with other kids, which helps them develop good social skills such as  communicating, sharing and empathizing. Children can often find good friends and  develop strong relationships with others on sports teams. Playing family sports  provides a time for family members to bond and an opportunity for adults to  model healthy exercise habits for children. A child who plays sports learns  about teamwork and being a part of something bigger than himself; he learns that  he plays a role in the bigger picture in order for the team to  succeed.

 

Emotional Development

  • Sports help children learn to deal with defeat. Learning this early on  prepares a child for bigger defeats later on in life. On the other hand, a child  also has the opportunity to experience success based on her efforts.  Participation in sports builds up a child’s self-confidence, which is an  important part of emotional development. Exercise in general helps young  children develop a healthy self-image, as they take pride in their physical  accomplishments. Sports also teaches children to set goals for themselves and to  work toward achieving them.

Practical Considerations

  • The sports program a child partakes depends on the child’s age, physical  development and attention span, as a program to complicated and challenging  leads to embarrassment,  frustration and discouragement that has negative impacts on a child’s  development. The American Academy of Pediatricians recommends a sports session  of a maximum of  20 minutes of structured sports activity, followed by 30  minutes of free play.

     

    For More Information go to: http://www.burlingamer.com/page/show/633087-lil-kickers-growing-at-the-burlingamer-

 

The Lies of Youth Strength Training

Posted: September 12, 2012 in Best stuff, Inpirational quotes, Motivation
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Despite these benefits, strength training
has gotten a bad name amongst parents
because of the myths and lies that have
been circulated for years.

So here is the #1 lie that you’ve been
told about
strength training for youth:

Lie #1: Strength training will
stunt my
kid’s growth.

This lie goes back
to a 1964 study in rural
Japan (Kato & Ishiko, 1964) that
found that kids who performed heavy labor for several
hours per day were abnormally short.  Despite
the fact that these kids also suffered from a

poor diet and lived in very poor conditions,
it was later on incorrectly
speculated that
strength training must also have the same
affect as
heavy labor in malnourished
environments.

In more recent and
scientifically verified
studies (Morris et al., 1997), strength

training has been proven to do just the opposite
of this lie and actually
increase bone density
amongst youth.

Here’s the
problem:
When strength training is mentioned, most
parents still envision an image of their kid
crumbling under a weight that is way too
heavy for them.

But this is not strength
training.

Strength training is about developing
proper movement patterns to maximize
the efficiency of human motion.  In
proper strength training, an external load
(a.k.a. weight) is not introduced
until the movement pattern is perfected.

There is a distinct
difference between
“strength training” and “weight lifting.”

“Weight lifting” is about lifting as much
weight as possible, while “strength
training” is about developing functional individuals
who are physically
strong and stable in the
movement demands of their life or
sport.

So if you want to give your young athlete a
developmental advantage over his/her
peers (without holding him/her back a
year in school), strength training is the way to go.

And now so we can keep cleaning up
the misinformation being spread about youth
strength training, here are 2
more myths
about youth strength training that you

should know:

Myth #2: Strength training will
cause my
athlete to get stiff, lose flexibility, and
pull
muscles.

Again this is a battle of perception
versus
reality…

I think a lot of parents envision a
bodybuilder
who has so much muscle that he can’t scratch
his head, when
they hear “strength training.”

But “bodybuilding” is not
“strength training”

As we explained, strength
training is about movement and being strong through
a full range of  motion across multiple joints.

At its core, strength training is about
mobility, which is flexibility and coordination across
multiple joints and in multiple planes.

The #1 goal of any strength training program

is to prevent injuries, so a good strength training
program will correct
muscle imbalances that
may be cause injury and actually increase mobility.

Myth #3: My athlete needs more “sport
specific”
training not strength training.

Youth sports injuries are at an
all-time high.
Of the 2 million youth sport injuries being
suffered each
year, 50% can be attributed to
overuse.

Not only are athletes
specializing in a single
sport at younger and younger ages, but on
top of that their parents are requesting
“sport specific” training, adding fuel to
the overuse fire.

But taxing the muscles that are already
being overused through “sport specific“
training is exactly the opposite of
what young athletes need.

In fact, strength training often needs to
focus on the opposing muscles to the “sport
specific” movements to fix imbalances
and prevent injuries.

The purpose of strength training is to
develop
athletes with proper basic movement
patterns that can translate
across multiple sports, not to overtrain a single
muscle group that is
probably already
burnt out.

I have always felt an Athletes Core is the most important part of getting stronger.  It is the foundation of your body, having full control, and balance.  The other key to starting out young as an athlete trying to get stronger, is your form.  Having correct form in just the basic push up is key.  Before you think about jumping into training learn the form and what you are really working.

Corey T

How to Start Your Morning: 5 Tips to Create More Energy and Confidence

Posted: September 8, 2012 in Best stuff, Inpirational quotes, Motivation
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Does your morning routine feel more like a “mourning” routine? The first 30 minutes of your day has a powerful grip over the rest of your day — your morning behaviors and attitudes can influence how you feel and what you do for the rest of the day. Instead of smashing the alarm clock, kicking the cat, and cursing your life every morning, you can do five simple things that will start your day off on a better note and help you live your best life.

  1. Kill the kryptonite. You are no longer allowed to hit the snooze button. This is coming from a guy who had a bad habit of abusing the snooze button. I’d set my alarm an hour early (yes, an hour early!) just so I could hit the snooze button six times. I found that this little and seemingly innocuous button made me weaker and weaker every day. Every time I hit it, I was unconsciously reinforcing the belief that I was weak and that I couldn’t get out of bed when I was supposed to. Break this habit and replace it with a much better one. Set your alarm for when you want to get up, and when it goes off, make yourself stronger by doing the shocking thing — by getting up. Do this every day and you will grow in confidence.
  2. First five seconds. When it’s dark and cold out, you need a burst of inspiration to get your juices flowing. The first thing you should do is feed your mind. Look at your DreamBoard, read an inspirational quote or Bible passage, go over your goals, etc. Do this first — before you reach for your Blackberry, remote, or toothbrush.
  3. Get the blood flowing. While your mind has been active all night, your body has not. The best way to get the mind engaged and primed is to get the body moving. Immediately after you feed your mind, do a few minutes of light stretching or yoga to get the blood flowing to your muscles and to get your joints loosened. You don’t need to be Richard Simmons on crack — slow and steady is good.
  4. PowerJournal. For 15 or 20 minutes every day, I want you to write, brainstorm, and just think. One of the best ways to increase your happiness and sense of well-being is to express gratitude. A powerful and easy way to do this is by writing about those things for which you are grateful. You could also spend a few minutes daydreaming about your future. Instead of immediately getting sucked into the day’s pressures, responsibilities, and problems, a few minutes of quiet time focused on your perfect future can provide you with a sense of calm and peace that can last the whole day.
  5. Breakfast. I know. You’ve heard it before. But I’ll risk repeating it because studies show about 40% of us still skip breakfast. The benefits of eating a nutritious breakfast are well known. Avoid bacon, sausage, pastries, and processed cereals and go for something simple like a bowl of whole grain cereal with non-fat milk and add a banana and raisins.If you don’t have time for breakfast or want a little something extra, you can chug down a power shake. My shake takes about three minutes to make and about two minutes to drink. The cool thing is that you can load it up with just about everything and anything.

If you did all of these things, it would add maybe 20 or 30 minutes to your morning schedule. I know a half hour in the morning is huge, but look at this time as an investment in your day and in you. Doing these things will make you healthier, give you a more positive attitude, provide a much greater feeling of control, and grant you a sense of peace and calmness. Or at the least, you’ll have a better relationship with your cat.

The Greatest Inspirational Track Quotes

Posted: September 7, 2012 in Inpirational quotes, Motivation, State meet
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Enjoy this page of motivational and inspirational track quotes. It has inspirational quotes for track and field athletes by some of the greatest players and coaches of the sport.

Mental will is a muscle that needs exercise,
just like muscles of the body.
-Lynn Jennings

All top international athletes wake up in the morning feeling tired
and go to bed feeling very tired.
-Brendan Foster

I’m going to go and leave my blood all over the track.
-Nick Rogers

The body does not want you to do this.
As you run, it tells you to stop but the mind must be strong.
You always go too far for your body.
You must handle the pain with strategy…
It is not age; it is not diet.
It is the will to succeed.
-Jacqueline Gareau

There is no such thing as bad weather, just soft people.
-Bill Bowerman

Good things come slow,
especially in distance running.
-Bill Dellinger

Running is a big question mark that’s there each and every day.
It asks you, ‘Are you going to be a wimp
or are you going to be strong today?’
-Peter Maher

The pride you gain is worth the pain.
-Dennis Ogilvie

The problem with big kickers is
they often lose to other big kickers.
-Harry Groves

Running is the greatest metaphor for life,
because you get out of it what you put into it.
-Oprah Winfrey

I like running, because it’s a challenge.
If you run hard, there’s the pain,
and you’ve got to work your way though the pain.
You know, lately it seems all you hear is ‘Don’t overdo it’
and “Don’t push yourself.’ Well, I think that’s a lot of bull.
If you push the human body, it will respond.”
-Bob Clarke

The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare.
-Juma Ikangaa

The mile has a classic symmetry….
It’s a play in four acts.
-John Landy

I don’t train. I just run my 3-15 miles a day.
-Jack Foster

Performing under Pressure

Posted: August 19, 2012 in Inpirational quotes, Motivation, Uncategorized
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Thriving under pressure

The way your athletes deal with pressure is the key to using pressure situations positively. Learning to respond well in a pressure situation will be an invaluable tool for your athletes.

Pressure is an illusion!

The most important concept in dealing with pressure is to start with the realization that there is no such thing as competition pressure, except what you make of it in your mind.  Pressure isn’t something that happens to us – it is something that is manufactured by our own thinking.  Aside from the physical pressure exerted on one opponent by another on the field, pressure in the competitive context isn’t real – it doesn’t exist.  It doesn’t have a form, a color, a smell.  Pressure is simply how we perceive the situation we are in.  Athletes need to learn this, because once they understand that pressure is something they create, then they also understand that pressure is therefore something they can control.  By controlling their responses to pressure situations, athletes learn to take them in their stride.

Controlling responses to pressure: tips for athletes

  • Pressure only exists if you are concerned about the outcome. Playing a scratch match and playing in the national finals are exactly the same thing! It’s still the same ball, the same strategies, the same rules – nothing has changed in terms of how you play the game.  So approach pressure situations as though they are practice matches.  Train your mind to stay in the present and let the outcome take care of itself.
  • Learn to practice at the same level you compete at.  Your best possibly match play can only ever be as good as your best possible training performance.  People labor under the illusion that all those little successful moments in training will somehow combine together on match day to bring about higher levels of performance.  This just isn’t true, so learn to train as you mean to play.
  • You must practice pressure situations in training, so they become normal and easy to handle.
  • Ensure you have good preparation leading up to competition.
  • Pressure situations require enhanced communication – practice this in training.
  • Never, ever give in – maintain commitment and desire in the face of adversity.
  • Learn to focus on the right thing at the right time, regardless of what is going on around you.
  • Often athletes (and coaches) rush things when they are under pressure.  This detracts from performance, communication, vision, and enjoyment.  Slow down.  Even though you may feel under time constraints, it’s better to slow down and get it right than to rush it and make an error.
  • Some people will benefit from engaging in some relaxation exercises prior to competing, to help them to feel calm and focused.
  • Practice mindfulness (no negative thoughts… I mean, think positively!).
  • Share how you feel with others – talking about how you feel can help you to deal with it.  However be mindful of who you choose to talk to, you don’t want to put ideas of pressure into your teammates’ heads!
  • Strive for excellence, not perfection.  It is okay to make mistakes under pressure, just as it is alright to make mistakes in training – so long as you recover well and learn from them.
  • Focus on technique or strategy.  Pay attention to the things you have practiced – they are familiar so they won’t feel pressured.
  • Have good error recovery strategies – people tend to make more errors when they perceive they are under pressure, so you need to have a good strategy to deal with them without them affecting your confidence.
  • Remember, it’s not about your feelings, it’s about your actions.  Take the focus off how you feel, by putting your focus onto what you will do. Your actions affect your emotions so go through the right actions (pretend if you must) and you will feel better.
  • Identify the actions/skills that suffer most when you are in a pressure situation.  Put extra time into practicing those skills so that you feel confident in them in any circumstance. The appropriate action must be practiced to the level of a conditioned response (it must be automatic).
  • Increased fitness helps you deal with pressure.  Also make sure you train sometimes when you’re fatigued.
  • Maintain your belief in yourself, no matter what the situation.

How to make life more awesome

Posted: July 27, 2012 in Best stuff, Inpirational quotes, Motivation, Uncategorized
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Each day make your life a little (or a lot) more awesome. Add in small  positive rewards and connections everywhere you can. And eliminate the toxic,  negative, and harmful influences and circumstances from your life. Baby steps to  a better life, every day.

Make a Gratitude List each day:

Start simple and in the morning write down what you are grateful for, Example – 1) I’m here awake and healthy, 2) I can smile at the little things in life, 3) I can make this a great day.

At night write two or three more that stood out during the day, This will even put some of your stress behind you.  Example 1) I got all my work done today, 2) I got a workout in, 3) I have great friends that make me laugh

THESE ARE EASY WAYS TO FEEL BETTER EACH DAY

Today’s Kickbutt Mindset Tip: Reactive people try to “find time” for  important things. Proactive people MAKE time for important things. Big  difference. And that’s why Reactive people struggle while Proactive people  succeed. Choose how to use your time wisely on the right things. Be PRO-active,  not RE-active.

What we think, we become.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts, we make the world.
- The Buddha

Greatest Olympic Moments

Posted: July 24, 2012 in Best stuff, Inspirational quotes, Motivation, Uncategorized
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After watching a special on TV this weekend on the top moments in Olympic history it was no surprise #1 went to Kerri Strug, the gymnast.  One part of me has soft spot for her, because I knew here as a childhood friend.  The other was what an amazing performance, and courage she had to win with all the pressure on her.  Sure that’s every Olympic story, but she did it hurt and no one thought she could pull it off!  I’m so glad to see this as one of the top moments in Olympic History, it gave me chills to watch, and tears after.  Let’s GO USA!!

Kerri Strug Shrugs Off Injury

Strug defined resilience at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. In  her first vault during the finals at the gymnastics team event, Strug  under-rotated a jump and landed awkwardly, injuring her ankle. “I heard a crack  in my ankle, but you hear a lot of cracks in gymnastics,” Strug said. “Then I  tried to stand up, and I realized something was really wrong. I couldn’t feel my  leg.” Despite the pain, Strug pushed on and completed a memorable second vault,  which propelled the U.S. women to their first team gold.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/2012/photos/100greatestmoments/#ixzz21f1FU1aZ

Fitness Truths To Get You In Great Shape

Posted: July 23, 2012 in Best stuff, Motivation, Uncategorized
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What follows are some of the more important truths I’ve learned, in the trenches, that I’d like to share with you. Take from them what you will — everyone will find different things that work for them, but I think just about all of them are important to share.

    1. Small steps. That you get more fitt in stages, as you exercise more, is pretty obvious I think. You might start out just walking, but as you get fitt, you might add some slow jogging to your routine. And then eventually you’re running three miles, several stages later. However, this really applies to everything, including diet, and many people don’t realize that. You shouldn’t try to change your entire diet overnight — do it in stages. Small steps, one thing at a time, and you’ll get there. Just start eating more fruits at first, for example. Then cut out sodas. Then eat more veggies for dinner. Then change your white bread for whole wheat bread. Then cut out candy at work. And so on. The thing is, you get used to each thing after awhile, and so the changes don’t seem drastic. A year later, and you’re eating extremely healthily, and you can’t imagine going back to your old diet. Small steps — this is extremely key, to both diet and exercise.
    2. Find short-term rewards. Most people quit their diet or exercise program because they’re looking for immediate results. And they’re discouraged when they don’t get them. But you won’t get immediate results. One fitness trainer said something like, “After a month, you’ll start feeling some results. After two months, you’ll start noticing results. After three months, others will start noticing.” And that’s pretty true — it takes months before you start to see the results you want … but in the meantime, you have to look for other things to keep you going. Those shorter-term rewards could be simple things like the great feeling you get after a workout — that helps me stay motivated. Or you could give yourself a treat (something healthy, preferably) or buy a book or something like that.
    3. Track your progress. The scale is probably the most popular way to see your progress, but other ways include measuring your waist, or taking photos of yourself each month. You could also track your performance — for example, do a 5K every month to see if you’re getting faster, or log your miles to see them increase. However you do it, you should have some kind of objective way to see your progress over the weeks and months. Otherwise, you might not really notice the difference — but the numbers or pictures will. I Do a push up test, and each week I’ve improved.  From 25 non stop to 50.
    4. Enjoy yourself. Very very important. If you see your exercise as extremely difficult, or painful, you won’t be able to sustain it for long. You’ll quit. If you see your diet as very restrictive, or torture, you’ll go back to junk food in a short while. You must find exercise that you enjoy, and find healthy foods that taste good to you. Maybe not chocolate cake good, but good nonetheless. Experiment with new recipes until you find ones you absolutely love.  Above all, enjoy the whole process. It’s what’s kept me doing it — I love my new life.
    5. Never ever give up. Maybe the most important truth on this list. If you give up, you won’t get to your goal. Very obvious, I know, but the problem is that people don’t put this into action. Messing up by falling back into junk food or stopping exercise — that happens. Life gets in the way. No one is perfect. Just forget about that stuff, and move on. Learn from your failures, adjust your plan to prevent the same thing from happening again, and start again. If you stop, that’s OK — just start again. Always start again. If you do that, there’s no way you won’t eventually get to your goal.
    6. Get a workout partner. I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s been the key to my most recent exercise success.  Get a workout partner, or buddy.  (BOOTCAMPS) Best move I’ve ever made.
    7. Brush your teeth after dinner. This is such a simple thing, but it really helps. It makes you have that fresh, clean feeling in your mouth, and makes you not want to eat an after-dinner snack. For me, after-dinner snacks or desserts are what ruin my diet a lot of the time.
    8. Vary your workouts. This helps keep things fresh and fun. For runners, for example, don’t just do 3 miles every day at the same pace. Vary the distance, the route, the speed. Do intervals. And do stuff other than running — go hiking, go biking, play basketball, do strength training, swim, paddle. Mixing it up will get you in even better shape, challenging your body in new ways, and making it an enjoyable process.
    9. Focus. There are always a lot of things we want to accomplish, goals we want to focus on … but by spreading ourselves thin, we lose focus and energy. Focus on one thing at a time in order to really get it ingrained as a habit. For example, for one month, focus on adding healthier foods to your diet (and dropping some of the less healthy ones). After that month, it’ll be ingrained. The next month, add walking or jogging or something like that, and only focus on that. One goal at a time, one month at a time, and you’ll get healthy.

  1. Rest is important. People who really get into exercise often forget this. Without rest, exercise just keeps breaking down our muscles, and they don’t have time to recover and grow. The exercise puts stress on our bodies, and the rest allows them to adapt and improve. Without the rest, they can’t really improve. You should always follow a day of hard workouts with a day of rest. If you’ve been exercising a long time (and then you probably don’t need this article), you can do hard-easy days, or rotate different types of exercises so that parts of your body are getting rest on different days, but even then always have at least one day of complete rest, or you’ll get burned out.
  2. Shoot for a year or two, not a few weeks. There are no instant fitness fixes, no matter what that website or magazine promises. Don’t believe them. Getting fit and healthy takes time, and should be gradual. If you’ve got a long way to go, aim to be healthy after a year. Those with a very long way might shoot for two years. Those closer to the goal could try for 6 months. Main thing: gradual improvement.
  3. Focus on your diet first. I’m a huge proponent of exercise for health and other benefits, but if you’re looking to lose weight and/or fat, the biggest factor is diet. You can cut out more calories from what you eat than you can burn with exercise. Of course, both should be vital components of your fitness regiment, but start on diet first, then add exercise. Don’t think that because you are exercising you can eat whatever you want (unless you’re a marathoner or triathlete or something like that) — you won’t reach your fitness goals that way, most likely.
  4. Don’t compare yourself to magazine models. Seriously. I’m sure we’ve all done this, wishing we looked like that slim or cut or buff model on the cover of a magazine. It’s natural. However, it’s not healthy. First of all, genetics plays a key factor in how these models look — most of us don’t have body types like that. Second, these models don’t usually look like that — they go on special diets a couple weeks before a photo shoot, so they look perfect for that day. Third, most of these magazines do some pretty heavy photoshopping. And fourth, what’s important is getting a healthy body image, not trying to look like a perfect model. Focus on health, not appearance.
  5. Find the exercise that works for you. I hate running, but not everybody is born to be a runner. Many people enjoy swimming or water aerobics. Many like lifting weights. Many like cycling, or tae bo, or Pilates. Others like sports like basketball or soccer or rugby. It doesn’t really matter what you choose, as long as you’re moving and you enjoy what you’re doing. Also find the solution that works best: working at the gym, going on the road (running and cycling, for example), working out at home, etc. Choose the one that you’re most likely to stick to.
  6. Learn to be present. Going back to one of the key principles above, “enjoy yourself”, one of the best ways to do that is to learn to really be present when you exercise and eat. For example, when you run, try to keep your mind in the moment, and feel your body and your breathing, and experience your surroundings as your run past them. As you eat, really taste the food and feel the textures, instead of gobbling it down mindlessly. It makes the entire experience much more enjoyable.
  7. Don’t let your body adapt too much. Sometimes we hit plateaus, where we’re still doing the same exercise but not really improving. The reason is that you have to keep changing things, either taking your exercise to a slightly higher level (gradually), or giving it new angles or routines. Otherwise, your body adapts to doing the same exercise over and over, and it stops improving. Once you start hitting a plateau, take it to a new level by increasing intensity or length of time in some way.
  8. Get inspired. Another key concept for me. I like to read blogs or websites that show me how others have been successful. One Zen Habits reader, for example, recently gave me some inspiration with his blog, Fat Man Unleashed. He’s doing a great job, making amazing progress, and it’s inspirational. Fitness magazines, for me, began to seem useless, because they just rehash the same articles over and over. But then I realized that I like to read these magazines for the inspiration, not the information. Find something to inspire you and it’ll keep you going.

“I am pushing sixty.  That is enough exercise for me.” - Mark Twain

 

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