Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Awesome Text

I was traveling this week and I got a great text from my wife.

She said I took the kids for Ice Cream and it looks so good, how do you do it?

My wife is trying to lose a few pounds for our trip to Maui in a few weeks.

She is so skinny to begin with it is goofy.

I explained to her I am able to abstain from all my vices by looking at most of them as a moment in time...instant gratification....when my kids are enjoying ice cream or a dessert I am enjoying them being happy .......... my focus is on their happiness not on what it would do for me.

If you look at things in that manner you can disarm the temptation.  If yo think about what it means to you the challenge will become very tough.

See happiness through others and don"t think about stuff as what you want.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Have a drink?

Many people get into the discussion in relation having a glass of wine or a beer and how it is positive in relation to heart health.

If you are able to sit down and have a glass of wine or a cold beer and relax with family or friends there is something to that.

For many people one drink leads to a few more and depending who you are wit or the mood you are in stress levels can actually rise.

Nothing wrong with a nice little cocktail here or there in the right environment but it is best if you aren't sure where that one drink will take you to just go out for a 30 minute walk....it will calm you donw and you won't be drinking the extra calories.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Your body loves a surprise

Our bodies are a lot like kids at Christmas....nothing like a surprise.

Whether it is food or fitness your body will get mad at you and it will work against you if you don't switch up your diet and more importantly your exercise routine.

For succes in weight loss and in building muscle you need to keep things fresh and keep switching things up.

Don't just alternate upper and lower body routines...alternate the exercises within the routine.

When you are eating switch your proteins at times....chicken then some black beans maybe a yogurt....keep it fresh!

Shock the system.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

All or Nothing!

I was readng a great article this afternoon on heart health.

There were 17 things that should be focused on to keep your heart healthy.

I will mention a few of them as I go through the week but one thing that stood out was in regard to exercise.

The issue that was adressed was the propensity people have to go over the top in relation to an exercise regiment.  Instead of starting with something you can live with long term people jump in and go over the top in relation to the exercise program they start with.

I have preached this for years now in relation to diet as well as fitness.  It is all about lifestyle change you can live with.  If you try and implement short term diets or fitness sessions for a short term goal expect it to be just that a short term result...if you want lasting change implement things you can live with day in and day out!

Friday, August 26, 2011

Interpersonal Development and Food

A few people asked me what I meant by that yesterday.

Here is the deal.  Food calories all that stuff in the grand scheme of things is very basic and easy to figure out.  The mental gymnastics and your development as a person is so much more complex.

It is kind of like math...which I suck at by the way.  You can learn math if you work hard and long enough you can figure it out.

The people that figure out how to use math in life can right their ticket for about whatever they want.  It is not about the knowledge or even the skill set it is always how you apply it.

Think about that with almost anything in life.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

What is your food of choice?

Do you stress on calories or try and eat clean.

Had a discussion with a youg lady today she is 24 and she is starving herself to lose weight and she does not understand why the weight won't come off.
I have tried to tell anyone that will listen over the last few years that food here and there keeps you functioning but the interpersonal development is deeper than that!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

What do you want to do with your life?

This is a bit off topic but it surprised me a little bit.

I saw an article this morning about the value of education....as my kids are starting school this week I found it eye opening.

The study was on the difference between High School drop out to Bachelor"s Degree in earning potential.

Finding's shocked me.
                                                                    Average Lifetime earnings
High School Drop Out                                     $973,000
High School Graduate, No College                   $1.3 Million
Some College, no degree                                   $1.55 Million
Associate's Degree                                            $1.73 Million
Bachelor's Degree                                             $2.27 Million

Go get that BA gang!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Don't Quit

I have been bummed the last few days.

There are a few people that decided to get their lives back a few years ago....lose some weight and get in shape.

We worked out at the gym back when I belonged and tried to encourage each other.

I had not seen these folks in almost a year.  I bounced into them over the weekend and they had put all their weight back on plus.

I could care less what people weight but if your passion is to get healthey and you work to achieve it I hate to see all that work go to waste.

The funny thing is when I bumped into these two they started apologizing up and down to me.

I tried to stop them but they just kept going.

Once they gave me every reason in the book they couldn't get the weight off I let the silence be real loud and then I told them how much I want what is best for them.  If eating and chilling out makes them whole...do it up.....if that is not the case then look in the mirror and apologize to yourself not to me.

We all need to learn that accountability....ultimate accountability....stops with us.

Once we realize that any negative behaviour we succumb to hurts us more than anyone else...then and only then we will realize how important our decisions are daily.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Back to School

This is the week many kids have been dreading as they headed through August.

There is some goot in back to school week.

Routine!

We all get back into a routine.....when the kids all go back things seem to fall back in line.  We all know when the traffic will back up due to school buses....we learn when to head to certain food courts for a quick bite at times that dodge the Senior's or the football team prior to practice.

Automation is good for all of us...weekends become weekends again and weekdays have a structure.

Yes I was a kid once so I get the summer break thing but now that I am on the other side.......getting back into a routine is awesome!

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Push Ups

All of us can do them.....some of us can do a lot of them a few of us can squeeze out three but it is a tremendous way for a quick work out and you can do them almost anywhere.

next time you feel like you don't have time to do anything hit a few push ups and see how quickly you can increase the max you can do.

Many people use the amount of push ups you can do as a good indicator of your fitness level.  As your age increases the ability to do push ups will usually come down but in your 90's if you are fit you should still be able to do 3-5.

See what you can do right now.....hopefully you can get to twenty....if not make that your new goal.

I started with twenty and now I try and do three sets of 100 every other day.

Took a few years but I got there.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Denial

My wife and I are learning a critical lesson.

I have always discussed with people my 80-20 rule and never dieting all the way through losing my 154 lbs.

That said much of my journey had to do with treating myself and enjoying the things in life I enjoy.  I am a firm believer that you can't go cold turkey on things and the more you deprive yourself of something the better the chances become for a binge or an out and out fall off the wagon experience.

We are pretty strict about the food our kids eat so when we go on vacation and loosen up the rules we all go crazy with sweets and other goodies.

We watch others who aren't as strict day to day and they grab one cookie and look at me sideways when I eat nine.

All this said it is a simple concept...if you go to crazy in deprivation to achieve a goal odds are you won't maintain that behaviour long term and your goal achievement will have been meaningless.

All this said look for balance and stay away from denial....go for moderation.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Inspiration

So many times people find inspiration in the most unusual place.

You aren't seeking things out you are just doing your own thing and inspiration strikes....could be something a neighbor is doing or has done...maybe something you see on the news or hear on the radio.

It does not take a whole lot to become inspired.

We have all felt it we see things hear things or are a part of things that really inspire us.

So good now you are inspired.....what do you do with the inspiration...do you cherish the feeling for 10 minutes....10 hours ......... 10 days?  Do you take ACTION?

Next time you feel inspired by anything......take that opportunity to think about how you might take action and use that inspiration to change your life.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Slow with the posts

I have taken a step back with the posts.

I would love to keep posting thoughts advice and tips every day but I have begun to receive little to know feedback.

Let me know if this stuff is of any help.

Many times it is just a few thoughts I have at the time.

I could go to a few times a week with more substance or somethign to that effect?

Let me know if you have thoughts....if not I will keep the ramblings of a mad man rolling.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Will Power

It is many of our arch enemy....we battle it each and every day.

Once you learn the art of will power control you become unbeatable.

Last weekend we had one of my son's friend go on a trip with us.  My family eats very healthy and we monitor about everything but when we hit the road it is all up for grabs.  The boy that was traveling with us obviously has been watching his intake.

As a person that has done that I understood how tough this was going to be.  With cookies, chips and everything else flying downt the hatch I thought this thirteen year old would succumb to the pressure in about two minutes.

I was so proud to watch this boy master self control throughout the weekend.

It taught me more than I could ever have read in a book it was inspiring and just the kick I needed to realize will power is there for all of us...do you harness the will power or give in and make excuses.....be like the thirteen year old...rise to the challenge!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Gremlins

My apologies gang.....we have had gremlins in the system since Monday.

I think we have it fixed but you have my apologies for any inconvenience.

One thought I had to pass on today was going back a few months and just testing all of you on your focus.

Without focus you will just float down the lazy river and you will end up wherever the current takes you.

With focus you gain direction and the ability to know that you have achieved the goal you had in mind because it was defined.

I have been amazed by people that want to achieve good grades, a promotion, maybe lose weight or build there fitness level.  I ask the simple question about how will you know when you have achieved your goal and people look at me sideways.

I further the dialogue by asking define good grades or how much weight do you want to lose?

What is your plan?

People have this thought that if they think it then it just happens....news flash my froends not so ..... you need a solid focus and you need a better plan ..... if you have a solid plan and you focus on that the goal is a slam dunk!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Food will get you!

If you are anything like me.....food creates turmoil when I am the only person that is going to take on the risk.

I will work with the new league person to understand why they chose there.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Self Control

Ahhhhhhhh.....America!

What a day on the stock market........boy did I hear an interesting correlation on the news today!

They were comparing the West's lack of self control in relation to weight gain and the rising debt.


Quite honestly there is a very obvious parrallel.

We want what we want when we want it and that has lead to unbleievable debt levels along with incredible waistlines....think about it.

If you are unwilling to wait or sacrifice financially to save or get things that are important to you long term are you really going to say no to the late night munchies the doughnuts or the fired foods...probably not.

We must break this cycle and teach our frinds, family and communit that the things in life that are worth living for take sacrifice and effort.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Equality

In relation to food consumption exercise and many other facets of our health and wellness I wish it was an equal playing field.

Quite honestly it is not....many of us are pre disposed to weight issues cholesterol issues etc.

Some of us can lose weight and just keep on losing wieght...others can lose weight by eating things that many of us dream to eat....a bunch of us look at a doughnut or chicken wing and get spikes in our cholesterol.

Some of us eat carbs and balloon up others eat at night and the weight pours on...many times there seems to be no rhyme or reason.

I am here to tell you there is a rhyme and a reason but it is very individual.

We can't look at others and figure this out we need to worry about ourselves analyze and understand ourselves...when we work at this we will understand how to stay happy and healthy.

The longer we look at others or read others books or watch shows about others the more frustrated we will get.  Look at it for you and understand you and progress will happen!

Friday, August 5, 2011

What vs. When

I have so many people that think I am crazy for the eating patterns I am in.

My typical day is to start eating between 7:30 and 8....I then eat every few hours with my last snack around 10:45 at night 3/4 cup dry of quick oats with cinnimon and splenda and then I usually go to bed around 11:30.

I eat fruit oatmeal whole wheat high fiber bread chicken veggies turkey....all these things I eat frequesntly throughout the day.

All the people that say don't eat within four hours of bed and all the other stuff need to realize it is all relative it really has nothing to do with when you eat it is all about what you eat.

If you are big about weighing in for weight loss early in the morning you may not want to eat late as your body has not processed the food but outside of that it is all about what you are putting into your body not when you are doing it!

Enjoy your Saturday!

EAT FREQUENTLY

To lose weight this is imperative...you have to learn to trust it.

I know it flies in the face of what we think "dieting" is and that is why "dieting" is a joke!

My wife is trying to lose 10 lbs and she is already very thin.....the light bulb went off for her when she ate almost nothing the other day and she wasn't hungry...her weight remained the same.

I explained that as she had cut back calories her metabolism slowed...you may feel like you are cutting back but you won't lose weight as your system has shut down!

She started eating some nuts and other healthy calories every few hours and wala....weight started coming off again.....even a ahndful of nuts or some grapes or something every two hours will do wonders!

Trust me on this one.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Walking

Don't underestimate it my friends!

More and more studies are showing walking is a very viable form of exercise.

It can not only help you lose some weight or stay fit it will help your mind!

A recent study was taken and the findings overwhelmingly were on the side of the walkers!

Many of us think of walking as a waste of time but there are now very good examples of walking helping our waistline and it will help our mind as well.

Figure out what and when you need to get out there and get a good walk in each day.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Little Things

All the exercise and fitness gurus say you need to work out at least 150 minutes for appreciable gains.

There is a new study out that gives hope to all the busy people!

The new study goes to show if you are relatively sedentary you can see gains in your longevity by working out 10 to 15 minutes a day.

Certainly for a 14% chance at better long term health we can all put 10 -15 minutes aside.

This study goes on to say if you can carve out time to walk 40 minutes a day you can get a 28% better shot of staying healthy.

These are pretty incredible numbers for minimal time...give it a try my friends!

Compromise

We need to find it almost everywhere....outside of ethics and morales we must compromise and find a healthy give and take in almost every are of our lives.

I have mentioned a few stories of people that are so busy there just is no time for healthy eating or exercise.  I have told stories of people who just don"t care about those issues.

Many of the issues you will run into in your quest to eat healthier over the course of time will have roots in interpersonal relationships or moods that you must fight to understand.

News flash......most of us like to do things are way.  When we don't get our way we can internalize or act out in a way that creates stress in our lives.

The challenge is to be cognizant of this and to understand what these challenges do in our lives.

When we come to grip with these challenges in our lives and we understand the importance of balance emotionally and physically that is when we truly figure out how to help ourselves.