Flatter Yourself

          Welcome to afitnewyou!  This week I would like to give you a similar motivational tip as I did last week, but this time I want the focus to be on you.  If you read last week's post (and if you didn't you should now) you know that I suggested that by helping and doing things for others, that you would feel better about yourself emotionally, and that would caused you to feel better physically.  Feeling better in both of these ways allows you to become more motivated to continue feeling good, and it allows for a positive cycle to take place.  And as I said last week, it is best to think about helping others first...however, this week, I want you to do something for yourself.  When you do something for yourself, you increase your sense of self-worth.  Furthermore, you can make yourself feel better and happy, and that allows for that same increase in physical feeling...another positive cycle.  One goal that most of us who are exercising regularly, making healthy food choices, or at least trying one of those two have is to feel better with how we view ourselves when looking in the mirror.  Although we all might not quite be where we want to eventually get, we can all agree that wearing one particular piece of clothing or another is more or less flattering. We probably all have a shirt, pair of pants, dress, etc. that we know flaunts our "good" parts.  And you know that when you wear that piece, your confidence goes up a little, because you do feel good about yourself.  So this week, instead of going out and doing something for someone else, (or you still can but now in addition) I want you to go out and purchase a new piece of clothing that flatters you.  It is back to school season, and there a lots of stores having sales, so it shouldn't be an expensive endeavor.  Whatever you do spend, the worth will be in your increase in self-worth when you feel yourself looking better than ever.

         I am someone who is not "cheap" but is frugal and needs to watch how I spend my money.  I have my indulgences and it doesn't take much arm twisting by my kids to get them something off of the list while at a store.  However, one thing that I carefully budget for is clothing.  If I have any fashion sense, it could possibly be considered utilitarian.  Most of the clothes I purchase are based on necessity and requirements of my job's dress codes.  I am not one of the people who have a pair of shoes for every single different occasion.  In fact, the way I work my sneakers is I have a "good" pair of sneakers that I wear to school (on Phys. Ed. days) and the gym.  Overtime, as these shoes become more and more worn, they become my "work" sneakers, which are the ones that become the pair that I can wear to my construction-type summer job.  Usually, I can get the one pair of sneakers to last the entire school year, and then they become the work sneakers, and by the end of the summer, I can purchase a new pair for the new school year.  The same is true for my gym shirts.  I will by a handful of new shirts to wear for personal training, and as they become worn, they become my workout shirts.  Eventually they wear out their use and they become either the new workout shirt, or meant for the trash.  But even for me, someone who is not all concerned with how I look from a fashion sense, when I put those new sneakers or shirts on, I do feel good about the way I look.  I am often replacing stains, and holes...some quite unflattering aspects.  And starting with new, nicely fitting clothes, I feel both better about myself from an increase in self-worth, but also because the clothes are often more flattering.

          Times were tough for my family when I was growing up, and I often had clothes ought at flea markets or attained through hand-me downs.  Now I am not talking about being vain in any sense, but I do remember feeling a good sense of pride when I was able to purchase clothing that was new and sized for me.  Not only did they make me look good, but they made me feel good.  I also don't want you to get too wrapped up in the sense that you have to go out and spend money in order to look good (think again about my frugality) because that can lead to an unhealthy mindset.  What I am simply suggesting is that if you get yourself a new shirt, sneakers, outfit or whatever for the gym, you will be inspired.  You wouldn't buy and wear something that you don't think you yourself look good in, therefore when you wear what you purchase you are already starting with a positive attitude.  But what is more important is the motivation that will come from that increase in self-worth.

          People who suffer from depression often have a poor self-image and vice verse.  A negative cycle can be created that is hard to break; someone doesn't like the way they look, they become embarrassed about how they think they appear, they rather people not see them, so they don't go to the gym, and then by not working out, they feel even worse about how they look.  Do you see how that can become a negative cycle?  The opposite of this is the positive cycle; someone likes the way they look, they are confident in how they appear, they want others to see them, they get to the gym, and they train hard.  See how that can be beneficial?  Now the real results of following a regular exercise routing and maintaining a healthy diet are earned over time.  What I am suggesting today is that if you wear something that you think you look good in, you will feel good about yourself, and you will jump start that positive cycle.  Leading a healthy lifestyle is something that has to be maintained regularly.  I am just giving you a way to get you there on the fast track.

          As noble as it is to be concerned with and want to help others, you have to remember that you too have needs, are very special and should have a tremendous amount of self-worth.  So it is more than acceptable to splurge on yourself from time to time.  Getting yourself something nice to wear is an expense that will pay dividends if you think you look good in it.  The better you think you look, the better you will feel about yourself.  The increase in confidence will cause you to be more motivated to do what you need to do in order to stay there and/or get tot he next level.  So splurge on yourself and find something flattering.  The positive cycle that results from this will be well worth the financial cost.  Looking good, to feel good, to look good is a positive way to reach a fit new you!

Do good feel good

         Welcome to afitnewyou!  This week I would like to approach your health and fitness from a slightly different perspective.  In an earlier post, I had explained the mind body connection through how we answer the question "How do you feel?"  With that, I suggested that the way we "feel" can apply to either our physical or mental/emotional well being.  So today, I am suggesting that a great way to feel better physically, is to feel better emotionally/mentally.  Anyone who has thought about, and.or studied the mind body connection understands how connected our physical and mental states are; simply put, the better we feel, the better we feel.  And you can interpret that with either of those "feels" meaning physical or emotional.  For example, as you recover from an injury, and start to see physical progression again, you feel better emotionally.  A reverse example would be the better you feel emotionally, the more vigorous you will feel.  Usually in my posts I am explaining ways to become healthier and fitter from a physical stand point, so to continue with that quest and to combine this mind body notion, I need you to feel better mentally/emotionally first. One of the greatest ways that you can instantly feel better about yourself is by doing something for others.

          The school motto where I work is "Above All Charity."  We are constantly working to instill in our students that doing the "right" thing is the right thing to do.  There are many different reasons why you should do the right thing, but I am pretty sure no matter your personal beliefs, that we all agree that we actually feel good when we do good.  I believe we actually physically feel good as we do something good for others.  Therefore, the more we do for others, the better we ourselves feel mentally/emotionally, and then the better we feel physically as well.  In short, helping those around us makes us physically feel better. What a great way to feel physically healthy! 

          Helping others is noble, should be commended, and is probably for most people something that doesn't happen as often as we would like.  It is very similar with getting to the gym and eating healthier; we all know it is the right thing to do, but we just don't do it as often as we would like.  We also know that the more we actually do it, the better off we will be.  What keeps us from acting on our best intentions?  Just like with training, I think a very common short fall is the result of adequate planning and preparation.  Think about it, it is a lot easier to make healthy food choices, if the groceries in your house that you previously went shopping for is what is available to you.  Keeping the analogy between helping people and working on fitness suggests that the more you plan to help people, the more likely you will.  And again, the more you help others, the better you will feel.

          My suggestion to you today is to make a "charity calendar" for yourself.  What I mean by that is that you can either use an actual calendar or simply make a list, and plan to do at least one act of charity every month.  Im not saying that you have to make a monetary donation every month to a charity, I am suggesting to help others in any way you can...often giving someone your time is the greatest gift of all.  By using a calendar, you can plan ahead for the ways that you will help others.  Just like with training, the more you are able to look ahead to what you want to do, the more likely you will actually do it.  Here are some suggestions on how you can help others and use a calendar to plan ahead for it:

• January - Donate one of your used coats.  Many local organizations collect coats for the needy as the weather gets colder.
• February - If you live in a colder climate shovel your neighbor's walkway when it snows.  You even get the added benefit of burning calories as your helping someone else.
• March - Discover a charity.  If you ever used a search engine to find a non-profit, and/or a not-for-profit, you will see just how many needs are out there.  Find one, and make a donation.
• April - "April showers bring May Flowers."  Change "April" with your name and change "May" with someone else.  Surprising anyone, even a stranger with flowers is sure to create a smile.
• May - Participate in an benefit walk/run.  There are so many benefit runs throughout the year, but May is a great month to join in before the weather gets too warm or too cold.
• June - One of the busiest months for weddings.  That means your local place of worship is busy committing to people getting married.  Call the administrative office and ask if there is any way you can volunteer to help while others are attending to the increase in weddings.
• July - Volunteer and/or help with a local veteran's group.  Here in the States as we celebrate Independence Day our veteran's are much more visible...dont forget about them.  Find any way you can to show appreciation for their service.
• August - In the "dog days of summer" go and help dogs...literally.  Local animal shelters accept used towels, lines and even newspapers to act as bedding.  If you're able to, adopting, fostering or rescuing a dog in need is a great way to get a new running/walking partner.
• September - School supplies are both on sale and needed by many.  Some stores that sell school supplies often even give you the ability in the store to help those in need of educational supplies.
• October - When you think of all the ghoulish ghosts and vampires around Halloween, think about your local blood bank.  Giving blood is so important, and just like with ringing doorbells on the 31st, you are usually rewarded with a small sweet treat.
• November - Food pantries are constantly in need of sundries, but you see the need much more around the holidays.  Just like with school supplies in Sept. there are many stores that allow you to make food donations as easy as Pumpkin pie this time of year.
• December - Give a gift.  Whether you are donating a toy to a drive, or surprising someone unexpected like with the April flowers suggestion, when you are thinking about your gift lists this month, add one more on for someone in need.

        

I am telling you with one hundred percent certainty that if you do good for others, you will get a good feeling inside.  Your body will react physically and/or mentally/emotionally to a good deed you have done, it will put a smile on your face and a spring in your step.  The good deed will therefore not only benefit the recipient, but you, yourself as well.  The side effect of feeling good yourself does not take away from your altruistic act.  The good deed done from your heart, the figurative one symbolized for love, will directly affect the literal four chambered one in your chest.  Everyone wins!  Helping others is a selfless way to achieve a fit new you!

You Have to See It

          Welcome to afitnewyou!  Today I want to help you reach your fitness goals by emphasizing the importance of fully envisioning your end results.  Everyone who starts out with the aim of improving on their health by increasing their level of fitness starts out with some ultimate goal in mind; people often want to "lose weight", "get stronger" or improve some other level of their health.  However, if the end results are not concretely seen, they are often not reached.  The importance of starting with, and maintaining a clear vision of your goals cannot be overstated.  While the phrase "keep your eye on the prize" is a great cliche for what will help you maintain your efforts, it is also imperative that you start out with a clear picture of where you want to be from the very start.  Having a true picture of your finished product is essential to forming obtainable goals.

          While studying Chinese medicine and acupuncture, I was taught that the intention of the treatment was as important, if not more important, than the actual treatment.  We would use the phrase "the Li proceeds the Qi" to signify the importance of having the idea what you want to do before actually doing it.  And this is true with fitness goals, or anything that you want to eventually reach.  For example, before you decide on the roads to take, or the flights to book, you have to know where you are going to first.  It is very pragmatic to have the end goal in mind first.  One of the first search criteria you need to put into any travel website is your destination.  From there you would make adjustments and changes according to details.  Well this is exactly what happens with designing an exercise or nutrition routine.  After you clearly identify where you are looking to take your health and fitness, a personal trainer and/or nutritionist would tell you what you needed to do to get there.

          Having that vision of your end goal is also important along the journey itself.  This is because often enough, there are things that pop up and distract us from where we are going.  They range in form from legitimate injuries, to guilt laden laziness.  Using the travel analogy works here too.  You maybe traveling along the highway and then all of a sudden you encounter a bunch of traffic which will slow you down from reaching your goal.  Or, maybe you simply take the wrong direction and get of course a bit.  Heck, you might even be at the airport and storm cancels all flights for the day.  You may have been in one or more of these situations, so I ask you, did you simply give up on getting to where you were going?  Probably not!  If you stayed on the same route begrudgingly through the traffic, you got to where you were going...just later than you expected.  With training, sometimes it can be just a frustrating as sitting in traffic for you to get to the results you want.  If you went off course, you may have pulled over and asked for directions.  Again, maybe if you are not getting to where you want to be fitness-wise, it is time to ask for some help from a trainer.  And if a beyond your control storm shuts down the entire Eastern seaboard you were forced to wait for new flights...similar to the recovery time mandated following an injury.  But the key is you got to where you were going, by knowing where you were going?

          It is important for many reasons to have a clear picture of what you are trying to achieve if you really want to get there.  But all of them point you in direction that you want to go.  If a client came to me and said they weren't sure of what they wanted to get out of going to the gym, I would be just as lost at helping them get to that place as gas station attendant would be trying to give directions to someone who had no idea where they wanted to go.  Again, think about someone asking you the question" Hi, I need help.  Can you tell me how to get there?"  What would your answer be?  You would ask, "Well, where are you trying to go?"  The clearer your vision is, the easier it is to get there.  Think about what kind of directions your GPS would give you if you only put in the number of the house/building address you were trying to find.

         Finally, it is important to keep and eye on your goals because it allows your mind to consider the goals realistic, and therefore attainable.  If you keep picturing yourself as that final product, you will be more encouraged to get there.  The weeks leading up to a vacation are often filled with giddy anticipation because you know you will soon be there.  And it might even help you stay in check too; just before a vacation you might watch what you eat and spend a little more closely leading up to your departure date.  But the main way it helps is to allow you to remain focused on your goals.  If you can see them, you know how to get there, and you know you can get there.

        Everyone who is trying to live a healthier life is trying to live better than they currently are.  They want to be healthier than they are now...it is a goal further down the road.  But knowing where that road ends will help you know how to get there, and stay the course...even if there are some road blocks along the way.  Keeping your eye on the prize, your prize, your fitness goals, a healthier you is a well traveled way to a fit new you!

Be Better

          Welcome to afitnewyou!  This week I want to help you establish a healthy lifestyle by setting realistic and attainable goals.  Setting a goal is paramount to achieving any sort of task.  And setting the right type of goal is often just as important as the end result.  Look at it like this, if you set a goal that easily attained, you most likely will not benefit much from it and/or develop a true sense of satisfaction.  Similarly, setting a goal that is way too ambitious is nothing more than the perfect way to set yourself up for a very discouraging failure.  We all have a goal that centers around us reaching a healthier state and/or level of fitness; maybe you are trying to improve your body composition, reach a new personal best in the weight room, or improve your cardio endurance.  And these goals are fantastic...if they are focused on your own self improvement.  The key here is the term improvement, it doesn't mean becoming the best.  If you want to reach your optimal state of health, you need to start by simply becoming better.

          Motivational speaker Les Brown has a saying "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you'll land among the stars."  While this is truly motivational and optimistic, the problem I have with it is that it already acknowledges the chance of failure.  Motivated optimism is great, after all I am here trying to motivate you, but you also have to be realistic.  Trying to be the best at anything is certainly a noble aspiration.  I agree that you will never go past second place without striving to be number one.  But when it comes to your own level of health and fitness, often the best goal is simply to be better...not the best. 

          One big stumbling block I find people face when striving to reach their fitness goals is discouragement.  And this discouragement is often self-imposed.  One form that it takes is discouragement from not bring the best.  People often never start a routine or stop a routine because they aren't one of the fittest people in the gym.  It is a fact that we all have to get used to at some point in our lives...there is always going to be someone faster, taller, richer, stronger, whatever.  We are all made unique and all have our own strengths and weaknesses.  But just because we have a weakness or struggle in one area doesn't mean that we cannot improve on it.  So what if you will not be the strongest person in the gym? You can still be stronger than you are now?  Who cares if you aren't the leanest person there either?  You can improve on your own body composition.  Yes, you can strive to become the strongest and/or leanest person there, but just don't let that discourage you from becoming the better version of yourself.

         Another common cause for the discouragement that often leads to failing to reach fitness goals is when the goals set are too lofty and hard to attain.  Setting yourself up for defeat is self-sabotage.  Again, goals set can be centered around an outside target or even a former level that you yourself had at one point.  But, the goals still need to be realistic.  You can strive to perform the same way you did when you were ten or twenty years younger, and you can compete with those who are ten or twenty years younger than you...it can be a healthy for of motivation.  It is when it becomes discouraging to the point that you give up due to failure that it is a problem.  There are many people that I train who have started exercising later in life and are now at the fittest shape they have ever been.  But conventional wisdom will tell you that the body does break down over time and you will, as they say, "start to lose a step."  I am not saying this to discourage you from the start, I am saying this so you know it is OK to have goals that revolve around you and your current lifestyle.  And I am certainly not saying that no matter where you are that you cannot improve...just the opposite, anyone and everyone can become better!

          Think about all that you would need to do to become the fittest person in the gym...the diet to follow, the number of days and hours you would need to put into the gym, the genetics that you may not have, etc.  I'm not saying it is impossible, but it is not as possible as simply reaching a better level of fitness.  Just think how even one small daily change can affect your current level of fitness...how would going for a walk after each meal change your current level of health?  How would adding one day of exercise per week than you are already doing (even if your number right now is zero) improve your health?  Now also think how much better you would feel both physically and mentally/emotionally with that small change?  Reaching the pinnacle is a feat that not everyone can do for one reason or another.  But being better is something that we can all do right this very second.  And when you reach the next better version of yourself, you will be motivated, not discouraged by not being the best, to be better and better and better.  Aim to be the best, but setting goals for each of the steps along the way is the better way to reach a fit new you!