The More You Put In The More You'll Get Out...Eventually You'll Master It!

Imagine having no boundaries.  No limits to reaching your goal.  If you want something bad enough, you can achieve it!  Once you make up your mind that whatever the dream is, and you truly want it the only thing that is stopping you is yourself!  Why come up with excuses?  Go out there and make it happen!  Remember the old adage, “If there’s a will, there’s a way”?  

We will have our good days and our bad days.  No two days are the same.  I am not saying you will not fall.  I am saying when you fall, pick yourself back up and fight for what you want.  If you want it bad enough, you will succeed!  It will come about!  Break down your walls; your barriers!  Don’t stop when you’re faced with an obstacle!  Overcome that challenge, and strive to keep pushing forward!  Stop waiting for a miracle to jump out in front of you, because it’s not going to come.  You’ve got to make it materialize; you have to do it yourself!  Let go of the impossible and make it possible!  Live life to the fullest!  Take risks; try new things.  Push the envelope!  

Why?  We can’t replace what has transpired in the past.  Whatever time you’ve wasted is time you will never get back.  We can only live in the moment.  Tomorrow is never promised!  You have to want it, love it, and fight for it!  If you want something bad enough, you will stop at nothing to reach it!  Go out there and make your dream a reality! 

The Government Shutdown and My Research for English Comp II

While I’m sitting here working on my research for supplements, I find that 1 October 2013 is not the day to be browsing on any government website.  Many of the links I click on come up with the apology statement, “…due to the government shutdown.”  This gets a bit frustrating when you are working on anything.  I will successfully finish my research, but it’s only a matter of time until the government has to get back up and running.  

Aside from my scholastic challenge, I have friends and family who are dealing with a much larger impact from this issue.  They are impacted by a furlough.  I was unaware of this, until I complained about my small research obstacle.  They are dealing with unpaid mandatory leave.  This is horrible.  I can’t imagine not knowing when my next day at work would be, let alone my next paycheck.  

The only positive thing I could think of, as a result of this mandatory time off, is spending it with family.  Yet, there is a problem.  We can’t go to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, because they are also impacted by this cessation.  I heard about the tourists who paid for a trip to the Grand Canyon, but were denied access, because of this.  The domino effect is awful.

Fitness and Nutrition are Intertwined

During my first meeting with clients, I educate them on the importance of nutrition and the impacts it has on their results.  You sabotage every effort in your workouts if the food you put in your body is awful.  It’s like putting unleaded fuel in a Lamborghini.  That will reap havoc on the engine!  It’s also the fastest way to run down your prized possession.  Why treat your body any different?  

Clients come to me with the notion that carbs are simply bad.  Sure, there are carbohydrate sources that are bad, but there are also carbs that are wonderful for the body.  We need fibrous carbohydrates for digestion and immunity.  Carbs are a crucial source of energy!  It’s also in the timing and sensibly choosing the right amount.  If you believe everything you hear on the latest fad diets, you’ll find yourself yo-yoing and spinning your wheels indefinitely.  You can feel the difference in your energy levels, after you’ve eaten. 

Experiment with different styles of workouts to find what you enjoy.  Mix it up; perform intense workouts every other day, while having a walk, run, yoga, or stretching exercise day in between.  This will help create balance throughout the body and mind.  Be sure to stay hydrated before, during, and after your workouts.

Workout and eat clean for you.  You have only one body to work with, so treat it well.  The day you make the decision to become a better YOU, will be the day you will find joy in these lifestyle changes.  It starts with your choices.  How badly do you want to improve your health?  Do you want to be able to walk without struggling to breathe?  Yes, there may be a future trip or event you just might want to work towards, but don’t stop there. 

Exercise Log

Moving is just as important as food is to our existence.  I require my clients to log their food and exercise activities throughout the day, so that I can see what we need to do to help them reach their goals. Finding a reason for not having time to exercise is an excuse.  If you have time to sit at a desk, you have time to practice breathing exercises, squats, and even ‘desk push-ups’.  Are there stairs in your place of business?  How far is the parking lot from your office, or workplace?  What do you do during lunch?  When “I don’t have time” comes up in a conversation, I say “Sure you do!  If you have five or ten minutes, you do have time.  It’s what you make of it.”  A great way to make time for exercise is to split it up throughout the day, instead of looking at time of nonstop exercising as a one-time thirty or sixty minute session.  What do you like to do that is active and challenging?  Can you “fit it in” to your daily lifestyle?  Sure you can!  Write down your exercises.  Even if it is walking for ten minutes, it is still an exercise.  Can you beat the level or time that you applied yourself since the last time you completed the workout?  Journal entries help you see the progress you’re making with the amount of weight you’re lifting, or the distance you’ve traveled.  Eventually, you’ll find that it’s all a matter of changing your behavior in the way you look at life and your body.  Don’t wait for Monday.  Go out there and make it happen, now!  I believe in you becoming a better YOU! 

Journaling Food...

Why write down or enter data regarding the food you eat and the activities you’re involved in throughout the day?  Food is just as important to our lives as exercising, or moving throughout the day.  The first time my clients log their food entries, they become amazed at the information before their eyes!  

We review their food intake of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.  These are known as macronutrients, and are a necessary part of what makes the body flow.  Included in our discussions is the amount of calories consumed.  The thing that shocks them the most is to realize the significant difference in calories from nutrient dense foods verses processed foods.  You would have to eat a massive amount of vegetables, meats, and grains or roots to come close to the amount of calories in say crackers, chips, bars, or even cereals.  Eating to provide the body with what it needs is necessary for the body to survive.  Timing is another important factor.  Breakfast is essential to “breaking the fast” from the night, or the time that we sleep.  Ultimately, skipping breakfast, or extending the amount of time between meals, has been linked to overeating, or eating more of what our bodies don’t need.  The longer the body goes without food the more it wants to reserve the energy, and stores it in “fat pockets”.  That eventually defeats the purpose of living a healthy lifestyle.