Fitness Philosopher

Picture Perfect Weight

Consider this scenario. . .

You dedicate 12 weeks to improving your nutrition habits, managing your stress and training hard . . . and the results are in:

• The hypertension and high cholesterol you had?  Gone.
• Your energy levels are consistently through the roof.
• You sleep better.
• You look refreshed, awake, younger.
• You can see a tangible improvement in your physique and the clothes that once tightly clung to you are falling off.
• Your friends and family can't take their eyes off you and are amazed at the transformation you've made.
• You never imagined that you could sustain a healthy lifestyle for 12 weeks, let alone achieve it. . .  and then have a desire to maintain it.
• You are living life to the fullest and filled with happiness.
• You LOVE the way you look.

Can you picture this?  Do you have this image burned into your mind?

Now, you step on the scale in front of you for the big weigh in.  You look down with anticipation and discover. . . that you weigh 2 pounds more than when you started.

Does that change anything?

Supernatural Intelligence.

The physical organism, your body, has its own intelligence, as does the organism of every other life-form.  And that intelligence reacts to what your mind is saying, reacts to your thoughts.  So emotion is the body's reaction to your mind.  The body's intelligence is, of course, an inseparable part of universal intelligence, one of its countless manifestations.  It gives temporary cohesion to the atoms and molecules that make up your physical organism.  It is the organizing principle behind the workings of all the organs of the body, the conversion of oxygen and food into energy, the heartbeat and circulation of the blood, the immune system that protects the body from invaders, the translation of sensory input into nerve impulses that are sent to the brain, decoded there, and reassembled into a coherent inner picture of outer reality.  All these, as well as thousands of other simultaneously occurring functions, are coordinated perfectly by that intelligence. You don't run your body.  The intelligence does.  It also is in charge of the organism's responses to its environment. (emphasis mine)
     -- Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth - Awakening to Your Life's Purpose, p. 132

Eckhart's description of universal intelligence reminds us. . .

• Why we can't out-train consistently lousy nutrition.
• Why negative thoughts can kill your training, whether it's before a session or during a rep.
• Why we have to train intelligently.
• Why awareness is a principle that must be developed and applied. . . and
• Why a foundation of health is critical for reaching (and maintaining) our maximum potential.

The more we understand and respect this concept, the greater the odds that we'll experience the results we're striving for.

Last One Standing.

"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." -- Vince Lombardi

My daughter Grace has been standing for a few weeks and is now learning to cruise.  During an attempt yesterday, she fell on her face.

Undeterred (after a frustrated cry or two), she stood back up, took a small step and. . . landed on her butt.

And with this experience, she illustrated a point that all of us would do well to remember:

1. Have no fear.
2. Push your limits.
3. If you fall (fail), stand back up, brush yourself off and try again -- using the wisdom from your fall to take you further than before.

Failure is an essential part of life.  Embrace it.  After all, if you don't land on your butt a few times, you won't know how to avoid it in the future.

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"It is a mistake to suppose that men succeed through success; they much oftener succeed through failures. Precept, study, advice, and example could never have taught them so well as failure has done." -- Samuel Smiles

How Much Do You REALLY Know?

Finding a way to put today's message into words was challenging.  Then I remembered this scene from Good Will Hunting:

The lesson Sean conveys to Will is powerful, but the emotions generated in the way he conveys it is even moreso.  I wonder if the message would've resonated the same if it had been left only to written word.

Which is exactly the point of what I wanted to share with you (and remind myself of) . . . 

Book smart is one thing.  Knowledge through experience is something else.

The technical knowledge we gather from books is critical -- without it, it's hard to build understanding about this life we're trying to be a part of.  But if we limit our knowledge to books - even if we've read every piece of material that exists on a topic; even if it's the most in-depth knowledge that written word can share - do we really know as much as we think?

One of the greatest challenges we face is going beyond our mind and feeling life as we live it.  Feeling requires and openness to being vulnerable.  Being vulnerable pushes you to face your fears. . . and defeat them.

Make an effort to TOUCH, SMELL, TASTE, HEAR and SEE all that life has to offer.  It's not easy, but a concerted effort to do so can save you from going through life without "having the faintest idea of what you're talking about."

The Magic Pill for Improved Health and Fitness.

Unfortunately. . . there isn't one.

Actually, that's not true.  There is a magic pill, but it's not the source most of us think it is:

• the "best" professionals and practitioners sharing our wealth of knowledge
  

• the "best" training equipment and technology
  

• the "best" supplements or medications

• the "best" clothing and shoes
  

None of these are the answer, the magic pill that will bring us all of the improvements that we desire.

None of these.

The answer, the medicine, the magic pill for our progress is within us.  We have to find it - and use it - to enable the above-mentioned tools to work best toward our cause.

You're Not Alone.

When you're baptized into the world of fitness, you're often asked to think about things that you've probably taken for granted -- moving, eating, sleeping, stressing -- and not given a whole lot of attention to.

Then, while you're cultivating this new awareness, a library's worth of information is thrown at you. . .

And it can get a little overwhelming.

It's okay if you're overwhelmed because you're not alone.

• You're not the first to be confused about the significance of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water.
• You're not the first to ask, "How is eating more going to help me burn body fat?"
• You're not the first to wonder why "doing cardio" (read: a long distance jog on a treadmill) is not an efficient way to burn fat.

Nor are you the first to: 

• fret about becoming Arnold Schwarzenegger by lifting a dumbbell weighing more than 5 pounds.
• wonder if sleep "is really that important."
• wonder if chronic stress really can keep you fat.
• become frustrated with the limitless (and often conflicting) information that's available to you.

Thousands of people begin this journey without a clue -- or that think they have a clue only to find out they've got lots to learn.  (Hey, even highly skilled, highly educated fitness professionals get puzzled as we try to put piece together what we've learned.)

Your story is unique.  The path you've traveled to get to here and now is unique.  You're reasons for "not knowing everything" about movement, nutrition and health are unique.  But the issues you're having are likely not unique at all.  They're experienced by countless others.

And that's great to know, isn't it?

Because when you know you're not alone. . .

• you can find comfort in others who will identify with (and share) your experience. 
• you have a support system to keep you motivated, to pick you up when you're down, to celebrate your success.
• you've got every reason to pursue the wildest of your dreams with confidence.

Are You REALLY Targeting Your Core?

C-O-R-E.

Means "The Epicenter.  The Foundation."

In the world of fitness, core means everything. . . and with good reason.  Without adequate core strength and stability, achieving optimal performance results is next to impossible.

Outside the gym, core means everything. . . and with good reason.  Core habits of healthy living effect the quality of our very existence.

Ironically, however, many of us train one and frequently neglect the other.

We train the physical core. . . and then we go out and make everything else beside ourselves a priority.

We work for tangible core strength, but treat nutrition, sleep, and moderation of (mental/spiritual/ emotional) stress as afterthoughts while navigating through our busy lives.

Why is this?  Why do we focus predominantly on the physical aspect of core strength, when it's only a small pixel of the big "health and fitness" picture?

Why do we disregard the core principles of survival and quality living - treating them as mere "afterthoughts" - when those provide the foundation upon which a strong core is built?

It's time for this to change.

It's time for us to re-learn to focus on the core that matters most.  It's time for us to focus on health and fitness from an increasingly holistic perspective.  It's time to make strength training an entity that manifests itself OUT OF a healthy lifestyle. . . not as something that is a means to the end.

Because, in the end, if we overemphasize physical core strength -- without giving the underlying core principles suitable training and attention -- we'll be too sick, too tired, too stressed or too overtrained to care about the strength of our core.

You're Stronger Than You Think.

"Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right!" -- Henry Ford
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One of the Cardinal Sins of training is to tell yourself (or the coach standing beside you) that you can't do something -- right before you do it.

With the mind having such a strong, undeniable influence on the body, "I can't" is the sure-fire recipe for failure.

Now, I'm not advising you to go train with reckless abandon.  I'm merely suggesting to you that your preconceived notion of your capabilities may be a little off.  So. . .

. . . put your body to the test.

Don't try.

Don't doubt. 

Don't wish or wonder.

DO.

You might just realize that you're stronger than you think.

Trapped in the Future.

Here's an excerpt from a recent dialogue I had with a client:

CW:  One of the keys to your success is to have no fear.  Just "BE." And then DO to the best of your ability!

MK:  I wish I could just BE and DO.  I'm trying, but there just seems so much to be and do.

CW:  There will be lots for you to do, but you only have to BE one thing -- alive in this moment.  It's impossible to be alive in the future, whether it's 5 years, 5 days or 5 seconds from now, because it isn't here yet!  BE alert/aware/awake/conscious right here, right now.  When you are, all the roles you play - loving wife and mother, caring friend, animal lover and fitness enthusiast - are fueled by the unmatchable power of your presence.  If you focus on just being in the moment, instead of living in your head and thinking about the future, the abundance that is in you freely flows into whatever you're doing and strongly influences its outcome.  And that, of course, will have an overriding effect on how your future unfolds.

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"The future manifests itself through the reality that is you right now."  -- Eckhart Tolle

What's Comin' Round?

"Realize that if you have time to whine and complain about something, then you have the time to do something about it."              -- Anthony D'Angelo

The Law of Reciprocation suggests that you get out (of something) what you put in(to it); i.e. "give and you shall receive" or "what goes around comes around."

This being the case, if you're unhappy/dissatisfied with your situation, the question is. . .

What are you bringing to your training/ your lifestyle/ your situation?

And is it congruent to what you're expecting in return?

Where's Your Sense of Urgency?

No matter what age you are,

no matter your skill level or physical capabilities,

no matter if you love training or merely accept it as something you have to do. . .

You need to train with a Sense of Urgency.

That Sense of Urgency. . .

keeps you from dawdling between sets,

propels you to squeeze out one more repetition when you think you can't,

brings intensity to your training -- intensity that will stimulate your body to change.

(And that's the whole point of this, isn't it?)

There's no getting around the fact that getting fit requires hard work.  Strength and overall fitness aren't going to just fall into your lap.

You've got to go after it.

Go after it with a Sense of Urgency.

Am I There Yet?

You just said it again. . .

"I'm gonna figure out how to get there."

Where getting there represents:

• improving time management
• having more drive and determination
• eating better
• becoming more consist
• (any attribute that you want to improve upon)

Is there really anything to figure out?  Or is getting there more a function of BEING and DOING?

Telling yourself that you have to "figure out how to get there" implies that a list of things must happen in order for the getting there to occur.  It's a sign that's telling you that you're living in your mind and not conscious of right now.  It places your aspirations for change into the future - where you have no control - instead of the present moment where you have all the control (of your actions) that you could ask for.

Work on being here.  Give every ounce of your awareness, effort, intelligence and determination to this very moment. . . and the path to getting there will reveal itself, leaving nothing for you to figure out.

Change of Focus.

Not getting the results you expect?

You might have to go deeper than merely evaluating your program design, work ethic and nutrition habits. 

It might take more than simply getting more sleep or altering your training emphasis from cardio to strength training.

It might just require a complete overhaul of your perspective.

It's very easy when you begin training and focusing on a healthier lifestyle to focus on the negatives that you want to change. . . as opposed to the goals you want to achieve.

Instead of channeling all of your attention on the fat you can't stand to see, focus on your on the strength you're working to gain.

Instead of loathing your scrawny physique, focus on giving an all-out effort during your deadlifts.

Instead of thinking of all the foods you can't eat, take note of the endless tasty, satiating food options you do have.

Isn't this just positive thinking spin, which is eventually doomed to fail?

No.  It's practicing the skill of aligning your focus with your goals so that you're working with the current of your journey instead of swimming upstream against it.

 

What Works for You? Find the Answer Without Thinking About It.

"Great people are they who see that spiritual is stronger than any material force, that thoughts rule the world." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

The spiritual is stronger than any material force. 

Thoughts. . . are material forces; i.e. they exist as form - they are not formless - so they are material.

So, is it really true that thoughts rule the world?

Or is it the spiritual -- i.e. consciousness -- that rules the world?
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One of the greatest gifts given to human beings is the ability to think.  But it can also be your greatest curse.

Why?

Because you end up being in our head too frequently -- over-thinking, over-analyzing, over-reacting, over planning, worrying, lamenting -- losing touch with reality, with the present moment, with yourself. . . with your body.

Get ahead by finding ways to get out of your head. . . and into your being.

Do this, and you won't have to think about what works best for you.  You'll feel it.

"Repetition is the Mother of Learning."

"Repetition is the mother of learning."  -- Latin Proverb

Chris Melton shared this video, courtesy of yrgworkout.com -- it beautifully illustrates a few of the essentials for enhancing fitness:

Motivation to change -- driven from within. Motivation of all types is extremely important for success.  Motivation from the core of your being, however, can be the most powerful -- and best derive long-term change.

Training with intensity.  This video oozes with Arthur's will to work.  Work Hard.  There was nothing lackadaisical about his training.  (Smart) hard work, with intensity, will enhance your performance.  Without it, getting results becomes difficult, if not impossible.

Strength Training.  In this case, in the form of yoga with an added emphasis on body-weight training.  The key here is that there was a strength component to Arthur's work, and that component was challenging enough to stimulate change including enhanced physiological function and maintenance/increase in muscle mass.

Goals.  Arthur began with fat loss and improved health.  He included the desire to walk without crutches and leg braces.  Then he moved on to the ability to run.  By clearly defining his final destination, Arthur gave himself the opportunity to know how to get there.

A good plan. . . and determination.  Nothing stopped Arthur.  Not his 70+ hour work week.  Not his disability.  He set his mind to the task, worked his plan, and, well, the rest is history.

Consistency.  Consistent training.  Consistent commitment.  Consistent repetition of a well-thought-out plan. . . and getting progressive results almost becomes a formality.

Dedication to a new lifestyle.  Arthur Boorman committed to a healthy lifestyle - to a change in his mindset - and this decision gave him a foundation for radical change. . . and life-long results.

Educate Yourself!

Educate yourself.

Education brings awareness.

Awareness brings the ability to make informed choice.

Awareness brings the ability to be alive in this moment.

Living in this moment, fully aware. . . well informed. . . brings you limitless potential.

Going Out of Your Mind?

Then get out of your mind!!

Think about it. 

Better yet, don't.

Trade In The Ego for Enlightenment.

Donald Trump says, "Show me a man without an ego, I'll show you a loser."

I say, find me a man who can transcend his ego, and I'll show you a man who's enlightened -- and primed to achieve success that an egomaniac can't fathom.

Spend your time attached to your ego, you'll become bogged down with various forms of mental anguish, like unhappiness, fear, anger, greed and jealousy.  You'll detract from your potential.

Transcend your ego, you gain the freedom of consciousness. . . the ability to be in the moment - to make the most of each moment - and focus on the truly important things in life.
______________________

Be confident.  Be driven.  Be disciplined.  More importantly, be ego-less.  You'll not only end up a winner. . . you'll end up a winner of the highest magnitude.

Look Before You Leap.

So, you've decided to begin a strength training program.

The gym down the street just accepted your membership application and the iron is just waiting to be picked up.  You've got the gym bag, clothes and shoes.  Your iPod is loaded and ready to play.  All you've gotta do is walk in and get down to business, right?

Sure.  But have you considered the following?

• What's your motivation for beginning?
• What are the emotional/mental obstacles that you typically contend with?  What do you do to overcome them? 
• If you're going to hire a fitness professional to guide you, what's your learning style?  What coaching approach works best for you?

These points may seem marginal -- nit-picky, even.  But avoiding questions like these - forgoing the  opportunity to consider their answers at the most basic level - will increase the difficulty of your journey.

Your approach to a healthy lifestyle doesn't necessarily involve getting to the gym first.  Honestly evaluate your current state.  Strive to understand your strengths and weaknesses.  Clearly define what motivates you.  Think about the means by which you'll overcome any obstacles you'll face.

Taking these factors into account will go a long way toward kick starting your journey. . . and keeping you on track to finish it.

The Concept of "BEING."

"You only live once -- but if you work it right, once is enough." - Joe E. Lewis ________________________________

It's 7:30 pm on Friday and I'm traveling uptown on the subway, reflecting on my day . . .

Wishing I wasn't getting home so late. 

Hoping to see my daughter, smiling and awake, and regretting that I hadn't seen her all day.

Lamenting about not being productive enough in my free time.

And then I snapped out of it.  Why was I so discontent?  Why wasn't I simply accepting my day as it unfolded?  What was I trying to get back? 

And what was I losing as I spent my time thinking about it? 

What was I losing?!?!?  I was losing right now.  I was missing out on being in the moment.  I was missing out on truly living.

What does this have to do with training? 

Everything.

It has as much to do with training as it does with everyday life.

When you focus on letting yourself "be," there's no time for fear, contemplation, regret, excessive analysis. . . to get in the way of a pure, unadulterated, full-blown effort and experience.  (An experience that you can now gloriously reflect on.)

When you truly live in the moment and let yourself simply "be," you free yourself up to be the best you can be. . . giving yourself the opportunity to reach your highest potential.

Individualization.

"Individualization should be a given.  Focus on the principles - and on results - instead."
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Individualization.  It's an important concept, yes?

As a client, you want individual attention.

You want a program designed to your individual goals.

You want a training regimen that accounts for/works with your individual strengths and weaknesses.

You want to work with a professional who understands that the concept of individual is significant -- and who knows how to apply the tools of his trade appropriately.

So, appreciation of the concept individualization isn't only important -- it's critical to your success.

But it's also a concept that, when focused on too much -- especially as it pertains to training -- can detract from your ability to reach your greatest potential. 

Think about that for a second:  Too much focus on individualization can detract from your ability to reach your greatest potential.

Why?  Because too much focus on your individuality increases the likelihood that you'll lose sight of the overall objective.  Too much focus on your individuality may result in you "treading water" as you search for the perfect programs to account for your unique situation. To much focus on your individuality might make you forget the fact that, fundamentally, you're the same as everybody else around you:

• You're human.
• You need to be active.
• You physically operate by utilizing fundamental movement patterns.
• You need to train in a progressive manner to provide stimulus for change.   
  
• You survive on the same macronutrients.
• You need rest.

Sure, you have your own unique tastes, goals and skills.  You have your own unique injuries and stressors to overcome.  But your individuality doesn't override the principles of the physical universe that you live in . . . and it doesn't warrant that you place so much of your attention on it that you forget where you're trying to go.

So, by all means, take your individual needs into account.  Understand how those needs will influence the path you'll follow/the choices you make.  But then, focus more on the fundamentals that dictate change in all of us.  Focus on the principles, as opposed to losing yourself in the underlying individual details,  and you'll go a long way toward achieving the results you desire.

Let Down by an Expert?

Occasionally, I'll come across a prospective client who's got a know-it-all persona. . .

who's got the world in the palm of their hand (read: no problems whatsoever). . .

who claims (s)he's absolutely driven to succeed. . .

and who hasn't needed help from anybody, but if they did seek the services of a professional -- an expert -- they only hired THE BEST. 

"My psychiatrist?  Doctor?  Nutritionist?  Trainer?  Got his/her degree from XYZ University.  Charges $500 an hour.  Has worked with hundreds of big named clients. . ."   (you know, all the truly significant elements used to decipher an expert's qualifications. . . )

All of this information comes out during the introduction and initial assessment.  Then, suddenly, as our training sessions commence, an alter-ego materializes -- one filled with head-to-toe negativity, who has lots of blame to pass around to everybody else outside of her/himself. . .

My psychiatrist/doctor/nutritionist/trainer didn't know what (s)he was talking about.  (S)He didn't understand my condition. . . didn't grasp that my body is different from the rest. . . didn't know how to develop a program that would fulfill me, my body type, my goals. . .

I don't know whether to laugh or cry when I hear commentary like this. Why?  Because I feel like I'm listening to an individual who's completely lost, who I want to help. . . but who, based on the character traits (s)he's presented, may be unreachable.
_____________________________

My question to you is this -- do you embody the person described above?  If so, here's my to-the-point response to your dilemma:

So. . . you only hire the best?  And virtually none of the best have been able to help you?  Then one of two things is happening here, and they both center around you. . .

1)  The experts you hired aren't as qualified as you as you thought and for some reason you've decided to stick with them.  Well, more power to you.  Presumably, nobody is forcing you to stick with substandard service.  Do some more research and find the experts who are truly capable and qualified to help you.

2)  The experts are giving you the best advice out there, and you're just not willing to listen and apply their knowledge.  In this case, all I have to say is, "WAKE UP!"  It's highly unlikely that you have all the answers.  If you do, why are you bothering to hire expert assistance?  If you've gone through the trouble to ask scores of professionals for their expert help, the least you can do is make a diligent effort to apply their advice.

As I've said before, the ability to create positive change -- whether it be physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, professional or personal -- comes down to accountability.  If you're not accountable to yourself, it doesn't matter how much technical knowledge you have or how much expert advice you receive -- you'll still struggle to succeed.

Stop struggling by utilizing the expert wisdom that you've invited into your life.  Stop struggling by making application, not theory, your practice.

How to Win THE Race.

THE Race <===> Your fitness journey <===> Your life journey.

"Slow and steady" wins it. . . isn't that what we learned from The Tortoise and The Hare?
______________________

I appreciate your stance as it pertains to your training progress.  You want results, and you want them as efficiently as possible.  That's great!  I want you to reach your goals efficiently (and safely and quickly) too!

But efficient doesn't necessarily mean tomorrow,

or next week,

or next month,

or even six months from now -- especially if your physical journey is starting from a place of significant disadvantage.

Maybe you're a recovering from a serious injury. . . or 15 years of anorexia. . . or 7 years of steadily increasing obesity. . . or 20 years of mental self-abuse where you've struggled to see yourself for the amazing person you are.

And recovering the "you" that you really want to see is going to take hard work and time, simply because years of damage inflicted on the body can't be completely rehabilitated overnight.

The way to get through - and win - this race? 

• Learn the principles required for change and make an honest, diligent effort at applying them.
• Develop patience.  Develop fortitude.  Develop trust in the process.  Understand that if you're applying a sound plan, positive changes are consistently unfolding -- many are just at the microscale level and not readily visible or easily felt.
• Learn to hear your body and adjust your training and nutrition according to your specific needs. 
• Most importantly, give the plan time to work.  It will work, if you just give it time.

_________________________

Time allows for absorption, understanding, application and wisdom. . . and with these, the ability to cultivate extraordinary results that you can appreciate and maintain for a lifetime.

Critical Thinking.

Anybody undertaking a fitness program who thinks that their state of mind is not a critical factor in their success. . .
           . . . needs to have their head examined.

Anybody that's in denial about the importance of emotional health in obtaining positive training results. . .
            . . . needs to look objectively into their heart and learn the truth.

Anybody who thinks that overall health isn't the lasting force behind getting and maintaining their ideal body. . .
            . . . needs to consult a knowledgeable healthcare practitioner and fitness professional.

And anybody can go on denying the above statements all they want. . . but in the end, no matter what "safety zone" has been created to shelter oneself from the realities of the world, the truth will always show itself in the end.

Judgement Call.

When you see an overweight, if not obese, individual exercising, what's your first impression of that person?

And your first impression of that "vision of physical fitness" across the floor?

Did you ever stop to think that those first impressions could be completely inaccurate?

That person you see working diligently to burn bodyfat may not be as unhealthy/unmotivated/"unathletic" as you think.  Maybe their lack of nutritional discipline is their only (albeit significant) concern.

That Greek God(dess)?  May look great on the surface, yet be the healthy equivalent of a ticking time bomb underneath.

"Never judge a book by it's cover" couldn't ring more true here.  Be careful about under/overestimating your level of fitness and health based on what you see in the mirror.

Today.

"I'll train later today instead. . . "

"I'll begin my regimen tomorrow."

"I'll get back on track after work settles down."

"My New Year starts after next week's vacation -- I'll fine tune my training and nutrition when I get back."

Ahhhh, the good ol' trap of "tomorrow's another day,"  where tomorrow becomes three days from now. . . becomes next week. . . becomes next month. . . becomes a problem.

You've heard it before, you're reading it now:

Timing in life is rarely going to be perfect.  There will always be things to do.  There will always be obstacles to overcome.  So instead of postponing your plans to change, start now.

After all, there's no guarantee that you'll even see tomorrow.  Don't you want to get the most you can out of today?
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Yesterday is history.  Tomorrow is a mystery.  And today?  Today is a gift.  That's why they call it the present.           -- Babatunde Olatunji

(Re)Learning Essentials Through the Eyes of an Infant

It's incredible how much insight you can gain while observing somebody in their earliest stages of life outside the womb.  Beautiful.  Vulnerable.  Uninhibited.  These are the three words that come to mind as I watch my daughter Grace while she interacts with the world around her.

Amazing also comes to mind.  Amazing because here I sit, age 35, and she, at 4 months old, is rejuvenating wisdom and insight that's been taken for granted, if not forgotten.  Frankly, it's insight that all adults would be wise to acknowledge regularly, especially when pursuing enhanced fitness.

And those insights would be?

1.  Breathe.  Belly breathe, that is.  Infants do it automatically, we tend to forget after years of trying to suck in the gut to show off that 6-pack.  It's time to reverse the trend.  Focused, deep diaphragmatic breaths will not only provide a calming effect, but it will go a long way toward releasing any tension in your neck and shoulder musculature (thus promoting neck, shoulder and back health).

2.  Eat.  And eat smart.  Infants ask for and receive the perfect food (Mommy's milk) - lots of it - and they stop eating when they're full.  Too often, adults claiming that they're seeking better health either forget to eat, choose not to eat, eat poor quality food and/or eat too much.  I'm sure I've read this somewhere . . . positive results might just come easier if you make a conscious effort to feed regularly on high quality foods.

3.  Sleep.  Infants will sleep up to 18 hours per day.  Most adults should sleep at least 8. . .  and most fail to do so.  If you want to make significant, timely progress, adequate rest and recovery is a must.  So, stop with the all-nighters already and get some sleep!

4.  Work hard, without reservation.  Infants do this naturally, whether they're trying to hold the head up, roll over, crawl or. . . fill their diaper.  Nothing gets in a baby's way -- if she's got a task to perform, she'll go at it, undeterred, until she finishes.  It's safe to say that if you exhibit the same fearless determination when trying to reach your goals, there's a high probability that you'll succeed.

5.  Live, for the sake of living -- and enjoy every moment of it.  I see my daughter behaving in a way that almost seems reflexive.  She's hungry, she cries.  Tired?  She cries.  Uncomfortable?  She cries.  Sick?  Surprise! She cries.  Content?  She lays there with an innocent look on her face or smiles at everything around her.  She may not be laying there thinking, "I'm going to behave this way if that happens," but the point is, she acts as if she does.  She knows what she needs and she doesn't ignore/deny her senses.  She lives in, and gets the most out of, each moment.  Wouldn't you be better off if you did the same?
______________________________ 

All too often, we deny ourselves -- or worse, become unaware -- as we age.  We become reserved.  Inhibited.  Self-conscious.  Afraid of vulnerability.  We "forget" to breathe, eat well and get adequate rest.  Essentially, we become fearful/lose sight of what's natural, of what was instinctual to us at the earliest moments of our lives -- to the detriment of our health and well-being.  Maybe we could prevent it, if we took the time to see the world through the eyes of an infant. . .

Letter to My Readers.

New Year 2008

Let me begin by thanking all of you for following my site as it has evolved during its first year.  Writing in this forum has provided a valuable learning experience and I look forward to the challenge of continuing -- and improving -- this year.

May 2008 bring you:

• Clear vision of your goals.
• Endless determination as you lift
• Strength to know that "you can" no matter the challenge
• Deeper, applied knowledge and understanding of the principles of training
• Commitment to a healthy lifestyle outside of training
• Results, results, results!!

I wish you all the best in the upcoming year as you pursue enhanced health and fitness.

-- Christopher

Inspiration.

Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.  -- Leon J. Suenes

The sound of clanging dumbbells.
The thought of doing a 300 pound deadlift.
The feeling of sweat pouring down your face.
The demanding nature of a full throttle sprint.

If these images don't motivate you;  if you're one of the majority who appreciates the benefits of training, but isn't thrilled to train for the sake of training, what do you need to do to ensure that you not only get to the gym, but that you give quality effort when you get there?

Look inward and uncover your true source(s) of inspiration.  Define the driving force that gets you out of bed in the morning.

It might be:

A role model.
Your family.
Your career.
Your health and longevity.
Your goals.

Find something, because without inspiration, getting to the gym and achieving your goals becomes a formidable challenge.

  

One Hundred Percent.

It goes without saying that nobody, including the world's most elite athletes, is expected to give 100% of their life to training.

After all, training is only one component of the whole in the process of improving performance.

It goes without saying that you aren't expected to be on track 100% of the time when pursuing fitness.

After all, you're only human.  And over the course of a lifetime you'll encounter other matters that take precedent over training.

That being said, there comes a time where 100% effort is expected. . . and that time begins the moment you step on the gym floor for your training session.

You'll need 100% commitment.
100% focus.
100% exertion.
100% determination.
100% purpose.

Even if you're not having your best day, you need to give 100% of what your body and mind will allow -- the best you can offer in the present moment.

After all, if you don't give 100% to your moments in the gym, you'll find it very difficult to achieve 100% of the results you're looking for.

The Power of Choice.

Of the responsibilities associated with my career, helping clients to solve their health and fitness "problems" is my favorite and one that I take a lot of pride in.

When a client comes to me distraught over a personal dilemma that's interfering with their training, stressed about the burdens of their job, or lamenting the fact that they've fallen off track with their nutrition, I remind them of one simple thing:

YOU HAVE A CHOICE.

For every situation you encounter, you have a choice as to how you're going to handle it.

Always recognize that.  YOU HAVE A CHOICE!

The choice may not always be pleasant, but the fact remains that:

• You have a choice as to the actions you'll take in the presence of hardship.
• You have a choice over the mindset you'll have as you take action (no matter how unpleasant that action is).

You are exclusively the one who has the power to make decisions for yourself.  Nobody can crawl into your brain and take that away from you.

As such, be proactive!  Evaluate your options as you face any obstacle that stands before you.  Choose to make the best choice possible.  Choose to be content with your choice.  Practice this NOW.  (And if your choice ends up being a mistake, that's okay. . . After all, you'll have choices available to help yourself find a remedy.)

_____________________________
For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
                                                        -- Hamlet:  William Shakespeare

Accountability.

This may not be easy to hear, but the reason you're not making progress may be resting entirely on you.

Fitness professionals are not enablers.  They are teachers, coaches and motivators.  Even when you've made the sacrifice to hire a professional, it's imperative that you give an "A" (90% or better) effort toward your endeavors -- both in the gym and on your own time.

Fitness professionals provide the tools and guidance to get you on the path to improved fitness and health.

The onus to change has to come from within you.

The physical labor has to be done by you.

The choices of when and what to eat have to be made by you.

The price of being tenacious and consistent has to be paid by you.

The courage to speak up if you need more guidance has to come from you.

If the professional you've hired is giving you all that he can, everything he's trained to provide and all that you asked for. . . and you're still not getting the results you want, look within yourself first before you place the blame on something or someone else around you.

That accountability for your own success will likely be exactly what you need to turn your dreams to golden reality.

Facing Fear of Failure.

Failure.

Fear of it pervades our society.

Frustration with it crops up on the gym floor.

The question is, is that frustration you feel when you experience failure constructive or destructive?

If you respond to that failure constructively -- with a stoked competitive fire and a stronger drive to train harder and smarter in pursuit of your goals -- you're golden.

If, however, you habitually respond with a destructive mindset that leads you to contemplate trading the rigors of training for a couch, TV and bowls of ice cream . . . well, you don't need me to tell you that you've got some mental work to do.

The probability that you're going to "fail" during a training session is high.  If you really want to enhance performance -- whether it's performance in mundane daily chores, professional sports or anything in between -- the very nature of training dictates that you have to push your limits to make progress.  You have to stimulate your body in a way that provokes it to become better than it already is.

And that means you're not always going to achieve the number of reps you'd planned for.

You're not always going to successfully move the weight you've been working toward for months.

You're not always going to maintain a high level of intensity for an entire training session. . .

. . . and that's okay, provided you're doing your best to progress.

In the context of training, the failure most commonly experienced is anything but abject failure.  In fact, the only way you'll completely fail is if you fail to try.

What's Your Last Memory? Your Lasting Impression?

You're often reminded that you don't get a second chance to make a first impression on a new person or group that you encounter.

But what about the final impression, the lasting memory that you have of yourself?

Are you walking out of the gym today lamenting a perceived sub-par effort, or are you exalting the fact that you "let it all hang out" before you stepped into the shower?

Are you timidly stepping through the days of your life -- hoping not to get hurt and make mistakes -- or are you taking life on and doing your best to experience all that you can?

And regardless of your endeavors -- the small ones at the gym or the large scale dreams that carry you through the majority of your life -- are you looking in the mirror at the end of the day happy with who you are?  Celebrating the memory(ies) that you've made that nobody can take away from you?

Living life in a way that leaves others positively impressed with you can surely contribute toward your fruitful life.

But screw that.

Concern yourself more with leaving a positive final impression on you, regardless of the world around you.  Concern yourself with being content when you look in the mirror every night.  Concern yourself with living a life without regret. 

Concern yourself with taking advantage of every opportunity to create a lifetime of positive memories. . . and you'll all but guarantee a lifetime of cumulative success.

What To Do When The World Around You Spins Into Chaos. . .

. . . Take a step back.  Take a few deep breaths. 

FOCUS.

Focus on the one or two things you can or have to do right now.  And simply do them.  One step at a time.

Side note -- Baby Warden's on the way!!

How to Ensure Success in Any Training Program

Take responsibility for your decisions.  Take ownership of your actions. 

Nothing more.  Nothing less.

It seems to me that it's all too common for people to place the blame for their failures on somebody else.  And, ironically, many others fail to give themselves credit for a job well done.

If you habitually show up late for training sessions; if you refuse to follow the nutritional guidelines that have been suggested; if you only give a half-hearted effort when you walk into the gym, you're going to fall short of your expectations.  Don't place the blame on your training partner, friends, or family.  The problem is your failure to fully commit.  The problem is your inaction.  It's not the fault of those around you.

In the same regard, if you're achieving great results -- recognize the work you've done and acknowledge it.  Absorb it into your soul.  Don't blow it off as "I did it because of my friends, . . . " or "My trainer is the one that got me here."  Sure, you had support, but that support wasn't sweating and picking up the heavy iron for you.  That support wasn't making the final choices about what to put into your mouth.  You did it.  By choice.  You didn't give up.  You were the proverbial star.

This isn't to say that the people and environment around you don't have an effect on your overall performance.  Poor advice and bad influence can knock you down as easily as supportive family, friends and co-workers will help carry you to your greatest achievements.  But in the end, despite the influences around you, failure or success is the result of the decisions and actions of the person you see when you look in the mirror.

____________________________

Walk into almost any gym across the country, and, at one time or another you'll hear the phrase "It's all you (man)!" bouncing off the walls.  These words are often served as a source of encouragement to somebody grinding out the last reps of a tough set. 

As it turns out, "It's all you" might just be the perfect reminder that ultimate success (or failure) for any of us oftentimes rests in our own lap.

Strong-Willed? Apply Within.

In today's NY Times, Barron H. Lerner, asks:

"As Diet Ideas Abound, Is Willpower Obsolete?"

His essay poses a worthwhile question in the midst of literature suggesting that strong will, wise choices, and consistent exercise are, in fact, relatively insignificant in provoking long-term fat loss -- especially where genetic predisposition is concerned.

Dr. Lerner doesn't easily accept the idea that willpower is irrelevant in the fight against obesity, and he implies as much in his closing statement:

"I just cannot conceive of a session with an overweight patient that does not involve a discussion of being careful at holiday meals, controlling portion size, avoiding bedtime snacks and trying to exercise three days per week."

It's hard to argue with this sentiment.  After all, at the end of the day, we as individuals are the ones who need to take responsibility for our health and appearance.  We make our final decisions based on the choices available to us.  We have to develop the willpower to make consistently beneficial choices -- either on our own or with the prodding of a health professional -- no matter what the variables are that we're confronting.

Of course, defending the significance of willpower in the war against obesity doesn't make the science any less important.  Do genetics play a role in how far we can or can't develop?  Without question.  Doe