Physical exercise | Warrior Mind Coach - Helping You Achieve Peak Performance

Physical Exercise for Mental Strength and Brain Health

Jun 222012

Physical exercise is not only important for your body’s health – it also helps your brain stay sharp and develop mental strength.

Your brain is no different from rest of the muscles in your body – you either use it or you lose it. You utilize the gym to stimulate the growth of muscle cells, just as you use a brain fitness program to increase connections in your brain. But you can actually get an additional brain boost by donning your sneakers and hitting the gym.

The benefits of physical exercise, especially aerobic exercise, have positive effects on brain function on multiple fronts, ranging from the molecular to behavioral level. According to a study done by the Department of Exercise Science at the University of Georgia, even briefly exercising for 20 minutes facilitates information processing and memory functions.

Exercise affects the brain on multiple fronts. It increases heart rate, which pumps more oxygen to the brain. It also aids the bodily release of a plethora of hormones, all of which participate in aiding and providing a nourishing environment for the growth of brain cells.

Exercise stimulates the brain plasticity by stimulating growth of new connections between cells in a wide array of important cortical areas of the brain. Recent research from UCLA demonstrated that exercise increased growth factors in the brain- making it easier for the brain to grow new neuronal connections.

From a behavioral perspective, the same antidepressant-like effects associated with “runner’s high” found in humans is associated with a drop in stress hormones. A study from Stockholm showed that the antidepressant effect of running was also associated with more cell growth in the hippocampus, an area of the brain responsible for learning and memory.

The Golden Duo: Mental and Physical Exercise

The usage of exercise in conjunction with brain fitness increases your chances of increasing cognitive functions within parameters, including time of exercise and style of exercise. Interestingly, differences between exercise styles, such as opting for cycling over running, is associated with an enhanced brain function during and after working out.

Ballroom dancing, an activity with both physical and mental demands has had a higher impact on cognitive functioning over exercise or mental tasks alone, indicating that the best brain health workouts involve those that integrate different parts of the brain such as coordination, rhythm, and strategy.

Tips for Choosing The Right Physical Exercise

In general, anything that is good for your heart is great for your brain.

Aerobic exercise is great for body and brain: not only does it improve brain function, but it also acts as a “first aid kit” on damaged brain cells.

Exercising in the morning before going to work not only spikes brain activity and prepares you for mental stresses for the rest of the day, but also produces increases retention of new information, and better reaction to complex situations.

When looking to change up your work out, look for an activity that incorporates coordination along with cardiovascular exercise, such as a dance class.

If you like crunching time at the gym alone, opt for circuit work outs, which both quickly spike your heart rate, but also constantly redirect your attention.

Hitting a wall or mentally exhausted? Doing a few jumping jacks might reboot your brain.

For more info on brain fitness I recommend checking out Posit Science.

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Dad’s (and Men)…It’s Time to Lead Again!

Personal Develpoment, Physical Strength No Responses »

Dec 212010

According to the CDC childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. The prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1%.

This dramatic rise in children obesity is simply a reflection of what is happing to parents. I’m not going to be nice about this…parent’s are getting fat and fatter!

There it is…I have call it like it is….the more we cover this fact with terms like obesity, over weight, big boned, the more we diffuse the real issue.

In 2007 the CDC reported

26.4% of men and 24.8% of women were obese.
The obesity prevalence ranged from 19.1% for men and women aged 18–29 years to 31.7% and 30.2%, respectively, for men and women aged 50–59 years.

So what am I getting at and how does this apply to dads (and men)?

Dads you are the leaders of the home and your family! What you do, your family follows…you are leading your family whether you know it or not. It’s not what you say but what you do that counts!

Dad’s it time to step up develop some mental strength, lead and be the heroes of your family and set the example of a healthy and fit lifestyle.

Dads (and men in general) are losing their masculinity. We’re are urged to get in touch with our “feminine” side at the expense of the traditional attributes that make us men “male.” Not only has “manliness” become a dirty word in a society of beta males and couch potatoes, but there’s actually less and less of it in the blood of too many American men and dads, with studies showing declines in average testosterone levels over the past 20 years.

Today’s men need a major adjustment of mental strength and alpha attitude and in working out, this will help in your overall personal performance.

As Howard Beale from the movie ‘Network’ said “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!” Before I begin on my rant I want to mention that I’ve been training for over 20 years, I’m a certified personal trainer, certified Lifestyle Fitness Coach, MMA Conditioning Coach and Fitness coach. I’ve climbed rock walls, mountains, practice martial arts and even survived an avalanche.

My rant comes from my personal experience and my recent observations…are you ready? Here goes…

Dads…put the pink dumbbells and back away from the salad bar. Guys…incase you haven’t noticed, we’re different from women. I know, I can hear you from here…”No sh*& Sherlock!”

We’ll then, let me ask…why are you training like a woman? In fact, I know a LOT of women that train twice as hard as men and the previous statement is by no means a slap against women. As a matter of fact, all of the female’s I know could smoke most of the dads reading this.

My point is dads need to start exercising and training like men!

I gotta tell you…I see it everyday I go to the gym. There they are…the guys on dawn patrol of the gym….the boot-campers! Hey, I am all in favor and support ANYONE who gets up early (or latter) and goes to the gym or does any other physically activity, but there comes a point where a guy’s gotta do what a guys gotta do…and that’s to lift! I don’t mean the combo dumbbell bicep curl, triceps extension, shoulder press. I mean compound movements, teeth gritting, groan guttering, sweat producing workouts!

Think about it, men are working out with women, eating like women and expecting to look like men. Many men are so focused on “losing weight” they forget that much of the weight they are losing is muscle!

Men are cutting their calories to such a dangerous level their metabolism starts to shut down. Then they add on cardio and if that doesn’t work, they reduce their calories even more. The only thing this accomplishes is reducing their muscle and decreasing their testosterone. This fact is discussed in detail in “The Testosterone Advantage Plan” : – check it out…you’ll be stunned! Another great book that emphasizes training like a man is The Alpha Male Challenge.” Both these books should be on every dad’s shelf.

OK, so by now you’re either still with me, or you have fumed off somewhere, in which case what I’m about to say won’t effect you.

Here are the 6 Mental Strength Tips for Men to Train like Men:

Stop the Cardio: It’s been proven that you can get the same cardio benefits from lifting weights, H.I.T training or ‘turbulence training’ so get off the treadmill and H.I.T it. Oh yea…when you are lifting, please don’t read the newspaper between your sets!
Perform Compound Exercises. These involving multiple joint action like, bench-press, squats, dead-lifts and other Olympic lifts. Again, this is NOT one and done. Perform multiple sets with minimum rest between sets.
Become a Swinger…no not like that…like kettlebells or sandbags. By incorporating kettlebells and/or sandbags into your routine you’ll not only improve your strength, but your cardio endurance as well.
Eat, Eat and Eat. Guys, it’s time to put some meat on those bones, and the best way it through a proper planned diet and nutrition program. I happen to like Precision Nutrition. It’s used by many pro and college level sports teams.
Increase Your Fat Intake. This does not mean going out and eating more Big Mac’s. This means adding more Omega-3 and other “good fat”. Increasing your good fat intake has been proven to lower your LDL and raise your HDL…both of these are good things.
Stretch. This may sound “girly”, but let me tell you guys, nothing will cause an injury quicker then inflexibility…believe me, I can attest to this from personal experience. If you’re too tight to stretch look for a good strength therapist, ART practitioner or message therapist.

Well I could go on, but I won’t. I’ve ranted enough and now I feel like I need a cigarette…just kidding, I don’t smoke. Oh yea, this brings up one more BIG thing guys, to improve your physical transformation…gotta cut back on booze, or better yet, cut it out while you’re in serious training.

I won’t get on that soapbox here, but let me tell, consuming alcohol will retard your body’s ability to shed fat….check it our for yourself.

Well I hope I’ve got you pissed off…in a good way that will cause you to step up and become the leader and hero of your family…the way you are meant to be.

Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Warrior Mind Podcast – Episode 18

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Nov 152010

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Robert Dilts commented about fitness with the following:

“Personal fitness is one of the keys to a long, happy and healthy life. In addition to increased energy, vitality, strength and flexibility, the benefits of good fitness include better concentration, more stamina and greater readiness to meet life’s challenges. Research also shows that good fitness greatly reduces the risk of a variety of illnesses and physical problems such as osteoporosis, heart disease, and adult onset diabetes.

Despite the many positive consequences of fitness, people often struggle to achieve and maintain it. Sometimes this is due to lack of knowledge of effective health habits. It can also be because people need help to reshape their lifestyles and reprogram unhealthy patterns of behavior.

Physical and mental fitness both involve developing a certain degree of flexibility and stamina. These are achieved through consistent exercise and healthy life practices rather than through “quick fixes.” In general, fitness is a result of personal congruence, respecting the value of the body, and promoting the connection between mind and body.

Good fitness, then, is more than physical conditioning. Complete fitness applies to both body and mind. To be truly “fit” means to be healthy physically and mentally. Ultimately, fitness comes from living a healthy lifestyle. Nutrition and exercise are the two areas of focus necessary for good physical fitness. Both are very important. Eating a healthy diet, for instance, leads to having a healthy heart, a sturdy cardio vascular system, low body fat, strong muscles, solid bones, etc. Being fit also means having a healthy attitude and outlook on life. Attitude, physical conditioning and good nutrition all support each other to produce a healthy life style.”

In this session of the Warrior Mind Podcast we discuss how NLP, fitness and mental strength tie together.

Please let me know your thoughts or future topics in the comments below.

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Fitness, NLP and Personal Performance – Part I

Personal Success, Physical Strength No Responses »

Nov 102010

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I was recently inspired by an article by Robert Dilts, Daniel Dilts and Lily Dilts.

I’d like to paraphrase and add some of my own thoughts and experiences on how NLP can help with fitness training and how fitness training helps with personal performance.

For me personal fitness is the key to a long, happy and healthy life, personal success and peak personal performance. In addition to increased energy, vitality, strength and flexibility, the benefits of good fitness include better concentration, improved mental strength, more stamina and greater readiness to meet life’s challenges head-on! Research also shows that good fitness greatly reduces the risk of a variety of illnesses and physical problems such as osteoporosis, heart disease, and adult onset diabetes as well as most other ‘dis-ease’s.’

Despite the many positive benefits of fitness, people often struggle to achieve and maintain it. Sometimes this is due to lack of knowledge of effective health habits. It can also be because people need help to reshape their lifestyles and reprogram unhealthy patterns of behavior.

The funny thing…even for many athletes’ and physique competitors (figure, fitness, bikini and bodybuilding) they struggle with achieving and maintaining desired levels of fitness.

Physical, mental and emotional fitness all involve developing a certain degree of flexibility, stamina and strength. These are achieved through consistent and persistent exercise and healthy life practices rather than through “quick fixes.” In general, fitness is a result of personal congruence, respecting the value of the body, mind and spirit, and promoting the connection between all of them.

Good fitness is more than just physical conditioning. Complete fitness applies to body, mind, spirit and emotions. To be truly “fit” means to be healthy and strong physically, mentally, emotionally and spirituality. Ultimately, fitness comes from living a healthy and active lifestyle.

Nutrition and exercise are only two areas required for good physical fitness. Yes, both are very important. Eating a healthy diet, for instance, leads to having a healthy heart, a sturdy cardio vascular system, low body fat, strong muscles, solid bones, etc. And without the mental strength to push through the workouts, the emotional strength to stick to the nutrition program and spiritual strength to be able to relax and pray or mediate a person is only partially fit.

Being fit means having a healthy attitude, a sense of gratitude and a positive outlook on life. Attitude (mental and emotional strength), physical conditioning, good nutrition and a center of peace (spiritual strength) all support each other to produce a healthy life style that will lead a person to peak performance.

Helping people to achieve and maintain a better state of fitness is the role of a fitness coach. Fitness coaching is the act of teaching, supporting, helping and motivating clients to achieve a healthy lifestyle. This involves supporting clients on a number of different levels. In addition to the environmental and behavioral aspects of fitness, people must address issues relating to the development of new capabilities, beliefs, values and even their sense of identity. Thus, fitness coaching is much more than just counting repetitions on the weight machine. In addition to teaching proper lifting techniques, correct form and proper nutrition, fitness coaches counsel and listen to problems, acting as caretakers, guides, coaches, teachers, mentors, sponsors and, at times, awakeners for their clients.

The “Inner Game” of Fitness

The mental aspects of fitness are related to what can be referred to as the inner game of fitness. The concept of the “inner game” was developed by Timothy Gallwey (1974, 2000) as a way of helping people to achieve excellence in various sports (e.g., tennis, golf, skiing, etc.), music and also in the workplace such as sales. Success in any area of performance involves using your mind as well as your body and emotions. Preparing yourself mentally and emotionally to perform well is the essence of your “inner game.”

People tend to think of fitness training as being mostly focused on the “outer game” of fitness, but in order for people to successfully reach fitness goals; they must also develop their “inner game.” Many fitness trainers will tell you that the hardest muscle to train is the muscle “between the ears.” You can have a room full of the latest and best equipment, but if it is not used, it is no help. Some key components of a successful inner game of fitness include:

Setting clear and achievable goals
Developing the motivation and self-discipline to follow through on those goals
Having tools with which to break old habits and set new healthy ones
Updating your self-image and mental maps of yourself
Appreciating and acknowledging your progress and building self-esteem

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) provides a model of change and a variety of tools that can help individuals in this “inner game” of fitness. In addition to their applications to problem solving, NLP processes and principles can greatly enhance a person’s fitness in a number of ways.

Creating the Future

Goal setting is the first and primary technique used by fitness coaches to help individuals define what they really want. A key to goal setting is defining the right kind of goals. Fitness, for instance, is not about having the “perfect body”…really, it’s not…but rather about having your own ‘perfect’ body become fit and healthy. It is important for fitness coaches and trainers to help their clients rephrase goals such as “being thin” to “being healthy” (i.e., having strong bones, a good heart, able to touch your toes, etc.).

I often hear guys taking about their goal of a six-pack (abs). Have you ever seen a starving person, they have a visible six-pack! So, reframing and redefining goals is a critical first step that a fitness coach should take with a person.

While people frequently seek fitness coaches and trainers when they are out of shape or overweight, it is not always the case. Many now are looking to improve their personal performance in what ever area of fitness/sport they are involved in.

People who are truly fit make fitness part of their identity. Good exercise and eating habits should be as natural as washing your face, brushing your teeth, bathing, etc.

Achieving good fitness involves making yourself a priority. We do so many things for others in our lives (children, partner, boss, clients, colleagues, etc.); it is also important to consider, “Who is taking care of me?”

Fitness is about doing what you can for yourself. When deciding what to eat, for instance, think of yourself as an expensive car. If you had a Ferrari or a Jaguar, what type of fuel would you put in it? Treat your body the same way. Think of your body as a temple. Care for it the best you can.

In the next installment I’ll continue on what a NLP and fitness coach can do for you in the areas of fitness and personal performance.

My e-book, “Develop the Mental Strength of a Warrior” can assist you tremendously in moving into an area of mental fitness that will support you in physical fitness. If you’d like to experience Fitness Coaching request your Introductory Consultation.

OK…how are you doing with your action? Let me know in the comments below.

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Mental Strength Tip #9 – Mental Strength is Based Relativity

Mental Strength Coaching No Responses »

Oct 112010

Achieving peak personal performance and personal success begins with a mental strength mindset and empowering beliefs long before a person ever experiences success.

This is one in a series of mental strength tips to help start your week of strong.

Objective of this Mental Strength Tip:

To remind you that everything is relative, and the obstacles and challenges you are facing often are insignificant when compared to others around the world. No, this is not “…eat your food, because there are staving children in Africa” relativity (all though there are millions of starving children around the world). This tip takes a deeper look at your perception of your challenges.

Let’s Get Started:

When you face a set-back and challenges in life, it’s a waste of mental strength energy to have a pity party. First, you’ll be the only one who shows up. Second, this does not move you closer to your goal. Third, think about this challenge…over half of the world’s population will spend this day simply looking for something to eat. Now…how big is your problem?

Questions to Uncover Beliefs about Mental Strength Thinking:

When you say you’re facing a big challenge, what are you comparing it to?
When you say times are tough, what exactly do you mean by that?
Are times tough for everyone, or just tough for you?
Whose problems or challenges would like to trade yours for?

Unsupportive Beliefs about Relativity

Relativity only relates to the physical
Relativity is not a peak performance or personal success tool
Other people’s hardships have nothing to do my personal performance or personal success

Mental Strength Beliefs about Relativity

Reminding myself that others face much tougher challenges helps keep my problems in perspective
Relativity helps me to feel grateful for what I have
Relativity grounds my thinking and makes me increase my personal performance

Outrageous Questions:

Why would you waste your mental strength energy indulging in a (self) pity party?
In a world where many people spend their entire lives struggling to survive, what give you the right to complain?
Do you have the mental strength required to move beyond this problems and look at a bigger picture?

Reflective Questions:

Is the way you’re thinking right now moving you closer to or farther from your personal success vision?
Is this thought process empowering or disempowering you?
How can I help you move your mental strength energy away from these obstacles you’re facing and on back to your dream about your personal success and peak personal performance?

Mental Strength Coaching:

I know that at some level you already know that self-pity doesn’t serve you. Sure at times it may feel good to sympathy from others. But wallowing in a pity party does no good for you or those around you.

This tip is to help you wake up from the trance to keep things in perspective. This is a great ‘tool’ you can and should use when situations get tough and will help reduce stress and increase your personal performance.

Final Thought

Embracing the idea that everything is relative really puts things in perspective and will shift your thoughts from self-pity to gratitude. The emotion of gratitude has the magical quality of increasing mental strength energy as its expanding mental strength energy. It’s a non-linear concept rooted in quantum physics. What physical exercise is to the body, gratitude is to the mind.

If you’d like to get started on developing radical mental strength for personal development, personal empowerment or personal success request your Introductory Consultation.

Also, “Develop the Mental Strength of a Warrior” is a fantastic e-book that helps you develop awareness, consciousness and mental strength with a step-by-step plan.

OK…now it’s your turn! Let me know about your thoughts on this subject in the comments below.

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The Physical Side of Mental Strength

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Jun 192010

As you may…or may not know, in addition to being certified in several coaching disciplines, I am also a certified personal fitness trainer and a strength coach.

I have found on of the best ways to tap in the mental strength is by increasing physical strength.

Also, most of you already know, training with kettlebells is a fantastic and efficient way to shed unwanted fat. Within weeks of starting to use kettlebells, you should feel a difference in your strength and cardiovascular abilities. You may even notice your clothes getting looser right away. Then months will go by and your changes may start slowing down, but this generally happens with most exercise programs. You might start wondering what has happened since you are still working just as hard. Have you hit a plateau? If so, you just might be missing some important elements when it comes to reaching your fat loss goals.

Let’s start with proper nutrition. Here are some quick and easy fat loss tips to get you on your way to a healthier, leaner body:

Drink 16oz of quality water first thing in the morning and then wait at least 15 minutes before eating your first meal. This will get your system recharged and moving again.

Focus on eating high quality foods throughout the day in snack size portions, rather than 2-3 large meals. You will speed up your metabolism by spreading your snacks/meals throughout the day. Eating a large meal during the day can easily zap your energy and cause you to lose focus.

Always keep a piece of fruit, such as an organic apple or pear, and raw almonds or walnuts with you. It’s very easy to be running errands and all of a sudden realize your blood sugar is low. Keeping this type of healthy snack with you will save you from indulging in all the unhealthy temptations that surround us everyday.

If you are not eating what your body truly needs, then you could really be slowing down your fat loss. Healthy nutrition counts for at least 75 percent when it comes to sculpting and toning your body. I am not a believer in calorie counting. All calories are different and some burn faster than others. Basing a “diet” only on calories will not be effective in keeping your hard earned lean muscles and shedding the fat. With a sudden low calorie diet you will initially lose some weight and slow your metabolism down, but you will end up gaining more weight back in the long run. If you concentrate on the quality of your food your body will know what to do with it.

The second element to fat loss is just the right amount of interval work. When working with kettlebells it can be challenging to set up your own workout. Some people are so accustomed to thinking that they can only achieve fat loss with long winded and boring cardio sessions. When in reality, the people with the sculpted bodies, such as boxers, martial artists, and many kettlebell gurus, are doing intense intervals in different segments.

The best way to burn fat while increasing your lean muscle mass is to combine good nutrition with a training program that will keep you motivated. The beauty of incorporating kettlebell training is that it’s quick, efficient, and fun.

There are many people who really have a hard time sticking to a strict training program. Lots of people want to increase their overall strength, lose fat, increase cardio power and have more energy without dreading the planned workout. If you are one of those people who don’t have a whole lot of time and just want the thinking done for you, check out a few of the workouts below.

These simple workouts can be done in less than 30 minutes and all you need is a timer and at least one kettlebell. Make sure you are working to your potential. Don’t be afraid to go heavy since the longest you will be working at one time is for 30 seconds. Proper form is imperative so don’t be stupid!

The Ultimate Double Fat Burner – Kettlebell Workout

Set your timer for 30 seconds of work to 30 seconds of rest. Go through each exercise and repeat for a total of 3 -5 rounds.

Double Swings
Burpees
Double Squat Press
Double High Pulls
Double Snatches

The Sculptor – Workout

One Arm Rows Left 30 sec
One Arm Rows Right 30 sec
Kettlebell Swings 60 sec

Rest 30 and repeat for 2 rounds

Back Lunge (Right Leg, Holding Kettlebell) 30 sec
Back Lunge (Left Leg, holding kettlebell) 30 sec
Alternating Swings 60 sec

Rest 30 sec Repeat for 2 rounds

Plank 60 sec
Pullover to crunch 60 sec
Russian Twists 30 sec

Keep in mind the perfect workout does not last forever. What might work for you right now will probably not work for you in 6 weeks since your body and mind are always adapting. It’s important to keep challenging your body by changing the weights you use as well as the intensity, duration, rest periods, sets, and exercises. If you have fun with your workouts, train smart and focus on high quality foods, your body will ultimately be the fat burning machine you want it to be!

After you have done this workout for a couple of weeks, let me know how your mental strength is

I’d like the thank lady comrade Lauren Brooks, RKC Team Leader for her assistance with this article

Would like any feedback in the comments below.

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5 Mental Strength Questions To Help Improve Your Fitness

Mental Strength Coaching, Personal Success No Responses »

Jun 102010

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I’ll tell you up front this post is going to distribute some of the hard core fitness people out there…heck I’m one of them.

But as a coach it’s my responsibility to help people achieve their goals within the make-up of who they are…I can’t turn them into someone they’re not.

Sure I can push them to grow into their potential…and oh boy do I! But to try to create an individual that is not “authentic” would not serve anyone.

So, with all that in mind….

With the summer fast approaching many will be scampering around trying to lose bodyfat to look good in their swimsuits. They’ll do the same thing they did last year, and the year before that. Sure the process may have a different name but the results will still be the same.

I’m not going to get into details of the statistics about how we are “One Nation Overweight,” but I will say that it’s shocking that less then 20% of the North Americans exercise 3 times or more per week.

So, why do so many people “fail” at keeping their fitness resolve?

As shocking as this may seem a one-size-fits-all approach to fitness simply does not work! The typical routine of lifting weights 1-2 times a week and perform hours of cardio simply an ineffective recipe to be dished out to everyone.

Why?

Because this recipe excludes the individuals’ personality and their social behavioral makeup.

Huh???

What the heck does social behavior have to do with getting fit?

Everything!!

And before I continue I’d like to make a change in terms from exercise to “active living.” Using this term will allow for a more complete discussion about a person’s fitness goals. For example, if it was recommended that an overweight introvert individual take up kickboxing classes that person would be doomed for failure, it’s just not them.

To help in determining the correct “active living” programs for you these 5 mental strength questions need to be addressed:

Are you a social person or a lone wolf? (if you’re a social person staying at home to exercise will lead to failure)
Do you like adventure or do you play it safe? (if you like to play it safe then a suggestion of taking a Krav Maga will be out of the question)
Are you a leader (or want to be) or are you comfortable following? (if you want to be a leader spending hours on the treadmill isn’t going to help)
Are you a morning or evening person? (if you’re a evening person taking a 5 AM step class will never happen)
What’s more important my work, my life (fitness) or my family? (This is a tough one, but think about this…if family comes before your health, you’ll be more prone to skipping a workout and drive the children to a program…instead of asking for help)

I know these questions may appear to have nothing to do with fitness. But as these questions are contemplated, with the help of a certified fitness coach or life coach, you will begin to understand the ramifications, not just on your physical appearance but, your life in totality.

After this last paragraph you’re probably asking, “A fitness/life coach? Why do I need a fitness coach I have personal trainer.” First, congratulations on having a trainer, the vast majority of people that have one experience more fitness “success.”

A personal trainer is important in your fitness progress. A trainer knows the biomechanics of movements, the muscle structure so that specific exercises can be prescribed. But a trainer is not schooled in getting to the “why.” They can’t adequately match you with an active life program that fits your personality. Also a trainer can’t provide the support when you’re finished with your daily fitness routine. That’s were a fitness coach or even a life coach comes in. If you are committed to your health and life I strongly recommend looking hiring both a trainer and a coach.

Take a good long look at the above questions and reflect on them an how the answers can help improve your personal performance, your fitness or athletic performance and your overall feeling of wellbeing.

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Are We Letting Our Children Die?

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Jun 032010

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In a recent post in Medical News Today it was reported:

“An essential component of the school day has been relegated to the sidelines as more states fail to incorporate quality physical education into elementary and middle schools. The 2010 Shape of the Nation Report: Status of Physical Education in the USA shows a disturbing lack of progress in helping children build healthy bodies and healthy minds.

Despite incremental improvements in making physical education a requirement, an increasing number of states have taken advantage of loopholes and allowed waivers and exemptions from physical education classes and no progress has been made in requiring daily physical education in all grades K-12. With childhood obesity rates climbing along with hypertension and high cholesterol, risk factors for heart disease and stroke, now is not the time to rollback efforts to make physical education a priority in our nation’s schools.”

This very disturbing news comes after a great documentary on MSNBC “One Nation Overweight” The below clip is a preview of the show and documents more information on childhood obesity.

Both these reports look to point the finger at the food industry, schools and the cost associated with “eating right.” What I’m amazed at is neither report look to the parents.

When my children were growing up physical activity was mandatory in our home. Either we went for hikes, played catch, go for a swim, shoot hoops or a myriad of other activities, but we did them together.

Then in school I insisted they go out for a sport. I didn’t care which one, they just to play in an organized sport.

Our children are our responsibility NOT the schools, the food industry or the government, but OURS! We as parents need to get develop some mental strength, wake up and realize that we are sentencing our children to an early grave….no one else….just us!

By not taking responsibility for our actions or lack of actions we are teaching our children that:

We’re not in control our or lives
We’re the victim
We have no power

We’re teaching our children to be weak in body, mind and spirit.

Parents teach their children whether they teach them or not. This means that children learn by you setting the example. “Do as I say, not as I do” simply does not work!

Parents must start to set the example for their children by exercising daily and eating correctly. Parents must stop playing the victim and start living as a victor and a hero to their children.

Turn your excesses into reason…dig deep and find a way to save your children from dying before you.

One thing that can be done is to start a local “support” group of other parents. Then come up with ways to include exercise and proper nutrition. There is strength in numbers and by banning together you’ll have a common mission.

Our children are our future…what kind of future are we creating?

Please share your thoughts and ideas on how this epidemic can be stopped in the comments below.

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No More Excuses – Time To Take Care of Your Body

Personal Success 2 Responses »

May 192010

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I recently read a great post by Craig Harper titled “Stop Ignoring Your Body!!!”

http://www.craigharper.com.au/health-nutrition/stop-ignoring-your-body/

In my reply I began to get so frustrated that even despite clear evidence of the benefits of exercise, people come up with the lamest of excuses for not taking care of their bodies!

Being a personal trainer and strength coach I’ve heard just about every excuse under the sun.

“I don’t have time” – Come on man! Get off the couch and do jumping jacks during the TV commercials.

“I don’t have any money” – Ever hear of running? How about calisthenics? Ridiculous!

“I’m not my body” (this is usually quoted by the overly spiritual crowd) – This maybe true…but your body is carrying You around and if it fails, there you go!

“Beauty isn’t everything” – I’m not talking about beauty, I’m talking about being healthy and living a full, zestful and adventurous life!

Jimmy Connors once said:

“People say I am still around because I have a lot of heat, but I know all the heart in the world couldn’t have helped me if I wasn’t physically fit.”

I hope it’s safe to say that we all know the benefits of physical conditioning including:

Shorter hospital stays
Fighting disease
Increased endurance
Increased strength
Increased flexibility
Looking good naked

But this blog is about mental strength, so how does physical conditioning help a person psychologically?

To start:

Clearer mental functioning, especially under stress (mental strength)
Stable emotions
Positive mood
Reduce feelings of depression (which are probably caused because the person feeling guilty about not working out)
Increases endorphins – if “addicts” got a hold of this one…wow! We’d have way more fit people out there. Endorphins are the body’s “high” hormone…kind like opium, but naturally occurring, especially during exercise.
Increase resistance to pain

Here are three great sites that give more detailed information on the psychological benefits of exercise.

A report by Paul Schaefer, M.D., Ph.D:

http://www.ohioafp.org/pdfs/news_publications/TOFPSpring09.pdf#page=30

LiveScience: Nice post by Dan Peterson

http://www.livescience.com/health/090305-sports-exercise-benefits.html

MedScape – references several case studies

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/424757

So now it’s time to explain yourself!

Do you have excuses or reasons for not taking care of your body?

Let’s take a look…

For many of excuses and reasons are the same and you may be asking yourself, “Is there really a difference?” For the “untrained” mind the distinction between the two can be difficult to recognize.

Explanations come in two forms – excuses and reasons.

You make excuses OR you give reasons.

Excuses:

Excuses have the ability to be disguised as reasons deceiving you into thinking, “That sounds like a valid reason.” In fact, when you dissect the “reason” this facade will quickly give way to expose the limiting belief, falsehood and the excuse.

An excuse is an attempt to free oneself from blame by deflecting attention and responsibility onto someone or something else. Excuses diminish your power and say “I am not willing to take responsibility. Instead, I will settle for whatever my results due to my lack of action.” Making excuses will destroy your self-respect. If you can’t respect yourself…how can?

The refusal to be personally accountable is rooted in the fear of failure – to be known as someone who did not follow through. This defense mechanism results in an appeal to convince others to overlook you coming up short.

To say you have a “good excuse” is an oxymoron which implies there is a difference between good and bad excuses. All excuses are bad and unacceptable.

Reasons:

A reason is defined as a legitimate, truthful account of a situation which includes an honest explanation of your part. Rooted in good judgment, there exists a willingness to be responsible, own your actions and deal with the consequences.

Reasons seek to clarify what happened, who was responsible, and how to deal with the situation and seek immediate solutions so that one can do better now and in the future. A reason is not motivated by fear, but driven by respect and integrity. Here are some examples:

Action steps

When you are in the moment of truth, remember the choice is yours – you can make excuses or you can give valid reasons.

It is very easy to turn to an excuse into a reason. Just take the excuse turn it around and begin the reason with “because”, .i.e. Excuse – I don’t have enough time: Reason – Because I want to spend more time and full life with my family I’ll commit myself to exercising regularly.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you give an explanation to determine if you are about to make excuses or provide a reason:

1. What is your intent – is it to release yourself from blame and guilt, or to provide a straightforward, honest account of the situation and your actions?

2. Are you willing to accept the consequences of your lack of actions and take steps to improve the situation?

3. Are you willing to honestly acknowledge the degree of your responsibility, and is there anything you could have done differently?

The next time you are faced with the decision to exercise and thoughts start running through your head, use your mental strength ask yourself “Is this an excuse or a valid reason?” Always find the courage to behave with integrity and honor your body and self-respect.

When faced with a choice, the question is what will you do when no one is looking?

The answer to this will greatly impact your personal performance and your success in life!

How are you going to turn your excuses into reasons? Let me know below in your comments.

What is your excuses for weight loss? (fitnesstipsforlife.com)

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Do You Have G.A.S?

Mental Strength No Responses »

May 032010

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No…not that kind of gas…this kind of G.A.S. (General adaptation syndrome).

When we’re exposed to a “stress” most of us react in a specific way or stages.

Stress is how our and mind and body reacts to a stressor. This could real like getting chased by a lion, or imagined – like worrying about something- to the mind it’s all the same.

Short term stress can actually be healthy while chronic long term stress can lead to unhealthy situations.

Here are the stages of stress during that we experience.

Alarm is the first stage. When the threat or stressor is recognized the body’s stress response is a state of alarm. During this stage adrenaline will be produced in order to bring about the fight-or-flight response.
Resistance is the second stage. If the stressor persists the body begins to try to adapt to the strains or demands of the environment, the body cannot keep this up indefinitely, so its resources are gradually depleted.
Exhaustion is the third and final stage in the GAS model. At this point, all of the body’s resources are eventually depleted and the body is unable to maintain normal function.

“So what…how does this affect me?” You ask.

Let’s presume that most of us are in the second stage most of the time. Yea, most of don’t have to run away from lions, but think about your daily activities:

Commuting to work (traffic)
Meeting deadlines
Business meetings
Putting out “fires” at work
The commute back home
Family matters

These are all stressors. Get the picture?

Most of us have been in Stage Two for so long that it feels normal. The only reason many of us don’t slip into Stage Three – Exhaustion – is the weekend!

S.A.I.D What!

This brings us to S.A.I.D or Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand

In physical fitness there is a principle – the SAID principle. It states that the human body adapts specifically to imposed demands. That is, certain stressors on the human system, whether biomechanical or neurological will create a Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands (SAID).

SAID is a training principle that explains that a certain exercise or type of training produces adaptations specific to the activity performed and only in the muscles (and energy systems) that are stressed by the activity.

The more the stress the efficient the muscles become at performing the task. This is one reason to mix-up any fitness routine. The benefits start to diminish as the body becomes more efficient.

You Largest Under Utilized Muscle

You brain is a muscle as well. Sure, in most cases it doesn’t grow like a skeletal muscle, but it does grow by making more neural connection. The connection, the more it grows.

If we don’t give the mind a variety of actives to cope with, the brain cannot make more connections. This is the foundation of mental strength development, to face an imposed “stressful” situation head-on and succeed at the task.

Let’s say that you’ve wanted to start a business for sometime now but have been afraid to move forward. You’ve decided not taking action, in others words you’ve adapted to the stress (Stage Two in G.A.S). And because you haven’t taken any action your body has adapted to the imposed demand (S.A.I.D) of doing nothing VERY efficiently.

To overcome this you MUST impose MORE stress, but just for a short period of time. This could as simple as calling City Hall and asking what’s required to start a business. You don’t even have to give them your name, just make the call.

Before the call you’ll feel a spike of adrenaline due to the perceived stress. The when the call is over you’ll feel great about what you just accomplished. You “spiked” your stress and were in Stage One of G.A.S. for a short period time and then moved back to “recovery.” And look…it wasn’t even the weekend yet

When you keep building on this everyday and add short bursts of “stress” you’ll soon condition your mind to “fight” instead of “flight.” Then when S.A.I.D. kicks in you’ll become so comfortable with moving out of your comfort zone that you will see all the possibilities that are in front of you.