ALL SEASONS LONG

It is summertime. A time for picnics, vacations, and for some sheer panic. For some the idea of wearing less clothing means going to extreme measures to lose a few pounds. Unless those measures are kick up the work outs and/or eliminating junk food, I am not an advocate of traumatizing your body.

Unless you are doing a cleanse for religious or medical purposes, I can not understand why anyone would put themselves in potentially dangerous situation by fasting. Fasting to lose weight just isn't smart. Anorexia, bulimia and bingeing can have serious irreversible side effects. Here are a few taken from the March Issue of Health magazine :infertility, heart problems, tooth decay, bloating and overdosing on self medications.

I am surprised that people would rather hurt themselves than help themselves by (lets say) running a few miles. And why not begin anytime of the year? There is always going to be a summer. And looking good and feeling good are always in season.

JUST DO IT

EAT SLOW DROP POUNDS FASTER

Eating is a very social event. For a good deal of us, we find ourselves at a table for both business and socialize engagements. And some of those events last a couple of hours.
If you find yourself in this situation a lot , you might consider reducing the amount of food you consume by eating slowly, Or putting your utensil down until you have completely chewed and swallowed each bite. Even if you are eating finger foods.
This will assure that you are not over eating as well.

PICK EXERCISE NOT THE REMOTE

You have heard time and again that regular physical activity is important, but how many times have you picked the couch and a bag of chips instead? And what has the couch done for you?

Today you have the ability to live a better quality of life. Not just because of the new gadgets you buy but how you enjoy those things. What is the point of earning a lot of money if you do not have the health to enjoy it? What is the point of taking great vacations if you can’t even walk two miles without needing a break? Imagine the quality of your life ten or twenty years from now.

Getting older doesn’t have to mean breaking down physically. Why not aim to be in the top 3% of the population?

YOU HAVE TIME

People come to me asking me to "make them" motivated to exercise. This is a big mistake. Motivation is determined by our goal. If you want it bad enough it becomes a priority.

This is a hard one to overcome. It’s really the failure to prioritize your workout above everything else that causes people to fall back into old habits of being "lazy".

Yes, exercising four to five times a week for 30 minutes will get you big results, but you will also see some results by investing less time than that.

If you watch one television show a day--you have time to exercise.

COMPARE IS NOT FAIR

One thing overweight people do best is compare themselves. I suppose that’s true for a majority of people as well. The comparison seems to be the basis of how people may view themselves. “My body will never look like that” or “I ran a mile but Bob ran two.” Healthy comparisons can be good. It can inspire you to move toward greater goals or take action toward improvements. However, if you don’t have confidence-comparing yourself can lead to less confidence. Most of the time the greatest improvements are made when you concentrate on your own achievements. Regardless of why you may compare yourself, ultimately it takes away from the one thing that does matter—what you want. I think it best to let go of any judgements, be clear about your desires, and focus focus focus.

THE MAGIC THREE

The three key ingredients to being the healthiest and fit you can be are eating healthy, exercise and sleep.

Think of it as a tripod. If any one of these are missing it's like removing one leg from the tripod. It doesn't hold up.

Yes, improving your life in any of these areas is certainly helpful and highly recommended. And you might have already seen amazing benefits from improving one area. So think how great you would feel (mentally and physically) if you were to do all three.

PUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON A DIET

Take it off. Put it on. You know what it's like to be a human yo-yo. One attempt fails. You try another. Your best friend is the bathroom scale. At what point to you recognize that what you have been doing is not the solution to your problem?

In order to change permanently you have to put yourself on a mental diet. Starve yourself of those old beliefs and thoughts. Fad diets afford only temporary change. Stats show that only 5% of people who have lost weight on a diet will remain slim. The rest return to their previous overweight condition. Why? Because the still indulge in old unhealthy thought patterns.

The most fundamental way to make permanent long-term change involves changing beliefs. When the inner mind of an individual changes, the rest of the body follows.

TEN THINGS YOU CAN DO TO ADD MORE SPRING TO YOUR SPRING

Adding small activities level can assist in your health. By gradually adding more physical activity into your daily routine, you can work toward a goal of at least 30 minutes a day of physical activity.

1. Instead of sitting and talking, go for a walk with family and/or friends.

2. Walk around the soccer, baseball fields instead of sitting on the sidelines as your children practice.

3. Walk or bike to do errands.

4. Practice good posture when you're forced to wait in line. Stand firmly on both feet and try to raise the top of your head to touch an imaginary hand held a quarter-inch above you. Let your spine extend, stomach lift, shoulders relax and arms fall to your sides.

5. Carry your own groceries. And park in the farthest parking stall and walk.

6. Take the stairs.

7. Walk during your work breaks

8. Walk while you're talking on the phone.

9. Take your dog for a walk. If you don't have a dog, borrow your neighbor's dog!

10.Take the stairs at the mall instead of riding the escalators or elevators.

Your body was designed to move. Begin to apply these ten things and incorporate your own ways of adding more physical movement to your life.

BEING OVERWEIGHT IS NOT THE CAUSE OF YOUR HEALTH PROBLEMS

One weekend I went to visit an old friend who is now suffering from many physical ailments. He is overweight. Over the years his doctors have advised him to drop the pounds. Apparently he had continued his bad eating habits and lack of physical exercise.

My concern led me to discuss his behavior with a friend and colleague. What we found to be interesting was that being heavy is often portrayed as the cause of being unhealthy. Yet he and I both concluded that there are many athletes who are husky who do not suffer from physical ailments. Being overweight is a symptom of being inactive. It might be more accurate to say that being inactive is what causes many physical ailments.

Regular physical activity is what we were designed to do. And consistency is key. If you are inactive and decided to play football with guys one Saturday morning, you might be asking for injuries. However, with regular consistent activity one can help prevent injuries and many illnesses.

LEAVE IT ON YOUR PLATE

Yes I know mom constantly told you to finish everything off your plate. And now it is your duty to not be wasteful with food. When I think of the word wasteful, I recognize that is exactly what it is—a waste full.

If you are concerned that you may hurt someone’s feeling s because you are declining their baking goods, know that those same people are not going to be around when you’re trying to lose ten pounds.

You can engage in many social activities, go out to restaurants, and have insistent mothers who cook---and yet still be healthy and thin. Why? Because you can say “I’m not hungry.” And “I don’t think I can finish this.” Eat when you feel hungry and stop eating when you are full. That’s it.

WAKE UP

Approximately 88% of what you do on a regular daily basis is below your conscious awareness. It is automatic. You do not think about walking or driving. It is something you do automatically and unless something occurs that interrupts this habitual response, you will continue to do it routinely. You may think you are consciously aware, but the truth is most of the time you are on “auto pilot”. Habitual overeating, emotional eating , stopping at a drive thru is 75% habit control. To change eating patterns you have to choose to wake up.
And yes, even reaching for the box of chocolate because it's "Valentine's Day" is a habit. Let's face it, you can still have a great romantic evening without the chocolate. And if you are alone, the chocolate will NOT change that. Now I'm not saying it's a "bad thing" to be alone. It's neither good or bad. It just is. And it's only where you are now. Like habits--life's situations can be changed.

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

We’ve all seen that gym person taking class after class, month after month, looking as if he/she hasn’t made any progress. You don’t want to be that guy... or girl. This is a great example of how quality wins over quantity. If you are working out for two hours with little or no intensity you may not be seeing the results you want. It might be wiser to increase your intensity.

JUST DO IT

My friend has been working to get fit and healthy. He is now at 10% body weight. His main complaint is that people keep asking him if he got sick to lose weight. He cannot understand why others can not accept the fact that he began to exercise.

I myself have experienced people asking me what I do to get lean and cut. When I tell them exercise, they continue to ask. As if they are waiting for me to tell them the name of the diet pill I take. There is no magic formula or pill. Simply hard work.

SCHOOL IS ALWAYS IN SESSION

With the kids back in school, you’ve decided to get into a weight-loss program. You begin exercising and eating healthy. Within a month, you’re noticing some changes. But on day you look in the mirror, and still aren’t completely happy with what you see. Instead of continuing, you get impatient and say "What's the use?" It takes too long.

The problem may be not in your body but in your mind. You may have changed your eating habits but not your thought habits. Still thinking of healthy eating as a form of punishment.

It is easy to get caught up in focusing on what is "wrong" with our bodies. However you may get better results if you focus on how thin you want to be, and the clothes you want to wear. This is different than constantly reminding yourself how much you need to lose.

Attitude and focus are everything when it comes to working toward a goal. Isn't that how you would want your child to approach their learning in school?

SAY IT TO YOURSELF AND THE UNIVERSE WILL HEAR YOU

The best motivational coach for you is you. When you find yourself headed down a discouraging path---stop and change directions. Think of a word or phrase that will assist you as you continue to monitor your focus while running, working, etc.

Like high-octane fuel for your gas tank, mantras can give you that extra boost. What you choose to focus on will work as powerfully for you as against you. Take what is meaningful to you about moving and meditate on it, sing it, say it or pray it out loud. Let the entire universe know that you’re determined. And nothing and no one will ever stop you.

YOU ARE AS GOOD AS THE PERSON YOU ARE WITH

At one of my gyms there is a poster that reads: YOU ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE PERON YOU TRAIN WITH. I think there is a bit of truth in that message.

If you believe yourself to be one of the "Undisciplined ones", then it can help you to initiate friendships with people who show good discipline, or hire a trainer. More importantly if you look for someone to simply work out with---make sure you buddy up with a person who is motivated.

Teaming up with a chronic whiner or a negative realist,only means you will spend more energy assisting them. Choose to be with someone who has an attitude that you admire. Choose to be with someone who has the character of discipline equal or more than you.

BURN YOUR FAT NOT YOUR HEART

After dining with a friend I noticed that after every meal she took a pill. "There for my heartburn" she informed me. "Do you always get heartburn?" I asked. "Only when I eat certain foods. Now I just take it after every meal. Just a habit" She replied

Now this seems odd to me. First, I can't imagine anyone would make it a habit to take unnecessary medication. And second, I am curious as to why anyone would continue to eat a food that made them ill. Really? Would you prefer to medicate yourself rather than discontinue to eat something?

I suppose it is an individual's choice. I once had a similar conversation with my mother. I told her I could not recall a time I had heartburn. Without hesitation she thought out loud "Maybe I should just stop eating those foods." She now walks daily and does a spin class once a week. I suppose she has traded in burning her internal organs for burning fat. I consider my mom to be a very wise woman.

THE BIG BBQ

With the holiday weekend on the horizon, food becomes an even more significant
issue for those whose objectives are weight loss. It is almost certain that you will
not "stick to your diet." It is usually expected since you have not reprogrammed
or reconditioned your usual behavior. The key is to not allow this step back to
prevent you from continuing with your program.

Now I'm not saying that an upcoming event (a 4th of July BBQ?) is an excuse
to predict failure. You should take 100% responsibility for your choices. Create an
easy to follow plan to overcome each situation. Do not look at a summer get together
as a roadblock or a stumbling point. Instead as an opportunity to shift your mindset
and relearn new habits. After all, habit patterns are things you learned. And if you
learned them you can unlearn them.

YOUR HISTORICAL BATTLE

For those of you who feel and or have ever described yourself as a soldier battling a weight problem—let me remind you that how you view something does and will affect the outcome. In other words if you are anticipating and experiencing things as a difficult war zone, it will not be something you want to face on a regular basis. It might actually prompt you to quit.

Suppose that you were to examine at the same situation and view it differently. Let’s say, you were to describe it a “challenge” or “character builder”. Something that is not so ominous and denotes a sense of personal achievement upon completion. You would be more likely to be drawn to it. Think about how you feel about your body, your health program, and your exercise routine. Now take a moment, be creative and begin to perceive it differently. And just notice how begins to change things.