health focus today

For most of us, choosing to be fit is more a test of will than a one-time decision. Being “fit” covers a change in our lifestyle much more than just embarking on a new exercise or diet program. For me, the choice came about 15 years ago. I was about 24 years old when friends of mine convinced me to start going to the gym as a group. At that time, I knew I didn’t really like the way I looked, so I thought it would be a good idea. How hard could it be? Well, it didn’t take long before I knew the answer to that question. And to tell you the truth, at that time my workouts were not that difficult. But getting up at 5 am to be at the gym by 5:30, certainly was, Also, since there were 4 of us and only 1 really knew what he was doing, the workouts were VERY long. Too long when you mix in the water cooler talk that often took over some workouts.

So, after trying this approach for about 3 weeks I still wasn’t motivated nor did I look forward to working out and was about to quit. As luck would have it for me, 2 guys in the group beat me to it, leaving just myself and the only person who knew anything about working out correctly at that time. That changed everything.

With just 2 of us now, we were much more focused and I got some really good coaching on the basics. After a month of 1-1 time, we started increasing the intensity of the workouts and mixing in some really fun cycle classes. Somewhere within the next month, I saw a change. Not just in my appearance, but my outlook and attitude were all affected. At that point, I was hooked. I worked out consistently at the gym 5 times a week incorporating cardio, running, and weights. I looked and felt good thinking this would always be my way of life.

And it was, until about 5 years ago. In 2007, my mother was diagnosed with brain cancer and turned my life upside down. I quickly lost interest in many of my normal activities including fitness. During the next 2 years, I really let myself go and didn’t much care to get back into the swing of things. A major life changing event will do this to a person, and I was no exception. My wife became really concerned about my decline in fitness and began encouraging me to get back into it. I tried but absolutely could not get motivated. After much research and a hard look in the mirror, I was able to pull back the self-discipline I once had. It was not easy, and it took a lot of planning and hard work. So, today, I want to share what helped me conquer my fitness demons. Hope these help you.

The reason I’m giving so much background of my personal fitness experience is to show that each of us will struggle in different ways with choosing fit. Lifetime fitness really isn’t a “one size fits all” approach. We all have different situations that initiate our interest in getting in shape, keeping us motivated and sustaining the lifestyle for the long term. However, I do believe there are some common practices we can all adapt to help us overcome obstacles at any of these stages and become an improved, healthier and fit person.

1. Initiate – This may be the easiest of the 3 stages because it only requires us to decide to get fit, but not actually do anything. That said, don’t underestimate the importance and key factors that should be used to initiate your fitness journey. The main things to remember here are these:

• • Do this for you! Be sure you’re not just giving in to pressure from others. You need to be willing to take this step and feel good it’s the right approach for you.

• • Start with the end in mind. Set goals and imagine what you want your body and health to reflect during the journey. Lose 25 pounds, Get ripped, lower cholesterol, feel better, keep up with the kids.

• • Choose the right program.– The right fitness program for you is very important and will vary depending on your fitness starting point. Choosing one too hard, or that doesn’t yield results fast enough will quickly discourage you and run the risk of bailing too quickly. Find the balance of enjoyable exercise that challenges you enough to hit early goals. Don’t discount the power of proven favorites like walking, jogging, and biking to get started. These can help your body start getting into a routine that will be a base to adopt going forward. Just try to perform your exercise at the same time daily to get your internal clock know what to expect. As you establish a rhythm and hit some milestones you’ve set, it may be time to try new programs or increase the difficulty of your current routines. For a list of some awesome routines, just leave a comment requesting it.

• Accept that your eating habits MUST change. Like it or not, it is part of the game. By not embracing the fact that the workouts alone will not cut it, you’re bound to fail when results do not come. The good news is, the change in eating habits can actually be a very positive experience. You’ll feel great and have the energy to workout the right way. Completely removing everything you like about food is the WRONG way to approach this. You can still eat really good tasting and satisfying foods without sabotaging your hard work. There are even ways to sneak in your favorites and not feel guilty about it, so don’t worry about that. Just know that what and how you eat makes all the difference in the end.

2. Stay Motivated – Everyone is motivated out of the gate when starting a fitness program, but that quickly fades for many people when they realize the process is more difficult than they imagined. Make no mistake, getting fit is HARD, but the challenge is not unlike anything else worth having in life. You must commit and keep motivated using several tactics, of which I’ve tried many. Try these to help you stay on track.

• • Aim for some quick results. Everyone wants this, but it is key to see some quick results early on so that the momentum of starting the program does not dwindle. Losing a pound or two, dropping a pant size, completing a workout without stopping, whatever makes you feel good. Be realistic about this, but have something you shoot for so you can taste success and drive you to continue.

• • Read about being fit. This is truly a big motivator as it shows you success stories and gives a lot of ideas about achieving goals. So take the time to read a magazine or internet article about your favorite exercise, or healthy food. You’ll be surprised how engaged you may quickly become.

• • Get the sweat flowing. For me, a workout that doesn’t do this leaves me somewhat empty. Getting your heart rate up (and sweating) activates all of the key things that makes exercise so effective. It burns calories, strengthens the heart and cardio system, and releases endorphins in the brain that make you feel great. You’ll see!

• • Never settle – Set, Reset and Reset your PB (Personal Best). Constantly challenging your last record is an awesome way to stay in the game. Run that mile faster, go longer, extra reps, extra sets, higher jumps, deeper lunges, better form. The list can go on and on. You can be your best competition and there’s nothing like competition to motivate the heart and soul. So kick your own butt! You’ll enjoy it.

• • Do what you can! We all have limits and quite often use them as excuses that interfere with our fitness routines. Time, stress, aches, and tiredness all contribute to our justification to digress or completely stop a program. Don’t let that happen. If you find yourself giving in to one of these temptations, try to at least do something. Convince yourself you can at least do 1/2 or even 1/3 of a workout. (10 minutes? Don’t go as intense or fast. Give yourself a break, without actually giving yourself a break. You may be surprised by convincing yourself to at least get started, you’ll be more willing to push harder during the workout.

• • Don’t tempt yourself or give in to food junkies. Everyone I know encounters this during their fitness journey. It involves either being introduced to a food situation that makes it difficult to say no, or being encouraged by others to “cheat” even when they know how you feel about staying on track. By giving in to either, you will likely feel guilty afterward, which oddly enough increases your chances to continue cheating. The negative feeling of guilt are powerful and can actually begin a vicious cycle of continuing the pattern, so don’t let this happen. The first of these is actually easier to deal with by simply planning around it, or modifying the portions of food you have available so they at least meet some of the standards of your diet. For the second, if you find yourself in this situation often, have a gameplan. Either be ready to defend your stance on cheating or plan to deal with it in another way. Maybe use it as your cheat meal, compensate for it on the next day or week, or modify the portions so you can at least control the damage.

• Keep a support network. Family, friends, social networks, whatever. Have some person you can confide in about your struggles that can offer positive support. Works wonders in the beginning.

3. Sustain the LifeStyle. This part can seem a little easier once you achieve your goals, but the long-term approach to fitness is actually one that must always be top of mind. While this stage is a practice of discipline, even an “iron will” can be bent when the lifestyle is too far from what a person enjoys. So how can you force yourself to embrace a long-term lifestyle that doesn’t match who you are? Well, actually you can’t. I think people are amazing and capable of just about anything. But not allowing yourself to be YOU jeopardizes your character and simply said, is not right for anyone.

Because of this, let’s look at this challenge from a different approach. How do create a lifestyle that is both fits and matches your personality? The answer may be a little different for everyone, but for me, I can provide a few tips that helped. Consider these and possibly modify to suit your own needs.

• • Find your fit, in fitness! Put another way, find exercise and diet that allow you to be fulfilled. What activities do you enjoy, or for that matter, dislike? Running, walking, lifting, bike riding, Plyometrics, calisthenics, WiiFit, whatever. If nothing lights your fire, you will have a tough road here, However, if you’ve read this far into the post, I doubt there’s nothing for you.

• • Challenge yourself! Once you’ve found the exercise(s) you enjoy, don’t always settle for the moderate workout. You need to push yourself for various reasons. It not only keeps your workouts interesting, it provides the edge required to make an impact on your fitness. The level of “intensity” differs from person to person, but you know when you’ve given your all. Don’t cheat yourself out of real benefits. I don’t think someone really taps into the true benefits of fitness until they crank up the volume of the workout. You’ll look better, feel better, and even be more confident and positive.

• • Learn how to eat clean, then do it 90% of the time. There are a ton of books on the topic of eating right, and they all have some validity. Find a good nutrition plan that works for your body, and learn the framework. Once you understand the basics of nutrition, portion control and the most harmful foods to avoid, the rest can be adapted to your eating habits. Now, eat this way 90% of the time. This gives you the break people need to keep their sanity. I eat approx 5 times a day, which means I have 35 meals per week. In my world, I allow 3 of those meals to stray from my normal eating. I don’t lock myself for a day, or time of day to do this. I choose the right meal to allow this based on “life”. Sometimes it’s a donut breakfast with my daughter or an awesome dinner with my wife. Maybe a good old fashion home cooked meal from my mother in law. It doesn’t matter, just stay committed not to go beyond this limit and please don’t overdo it. The 90% rule is not a free for all at the dinner table. That could really wreck your progress! It is a way to give yourself the freedom you need to eat foods you really enjoy to make the system work for you.

• Variety, Variety, Variety! Did I say that enough? If so, it’s because I believe without variety in your fitness it will inevitably become boring while not allowing enough areas of the body to get attention. If workouts become stale and mundane, you run the risk of disengaging from them and eventually quit. Who wants to do always do something that’s boring and hard.NOT! This doesn’t mean you have to always recreate your entire workout. Most often slight adjustment to your current routine will provide the mix needed to spice them up. If you run/bike, change the route, look at modifying the weights or reps on a lifting routine, even changing the intensity or order of the exercises can help liven things up. Whatever you decide to do to make them a little different helps and you’ll see how quickly it rekindles your interest in staying fit.

Hopefully these tips on “Choosing Fit” will help you Set, Hit and Maintain your fitness goals. They have done wonders for me in my life and I am constantly looking for new items to add in each section. Let me know your own ideas, and feel free to share with all your fit friends. Like I said, it’s a tough road but worth it and doable with a little bit of strategy. Hope this helps you on your journey.

EXERCISE FOR A BETTER YOU – INSIDE AND OUT

Being fit can give you immediate benefit of improved vigor, and it may offer long-term benefits as well.

# Gain More Energy. As you exercise regularly, your entire body becomes more efficient. Your heart begins to pump more blood with each beat and to beat fewer times each minute. Your body develops the ability to make more oxygen available to your cells. That means more energy – greater productivity, more stamina, and less fatigue.

# Feel Good. Exercise makes you feel good, both physically and mentally. It gives you a psychological lift and strengthens your sense of accomplishment. The discipline associated with exercise also makes you feel good about yourself: “I feel good that I walked today,” or “When I run, I feel I have control over one area of my life.”

# Look Good. Regular exercise plays an important role in helping to reduce body fat and weight and to develop muscle. Fitness can give you a better-looking, better-proportioned body: a flatter abdomen, firmer thighs, and slimmer hips.

# Feel Younger. Increasing your activity level can reverse or slow the changes that many people think are simply the unavoidable results of aging. In reality, lack of exercise usually reduces flexibility, strength, blood vessel elasticity, and lung functions; slows reaction time and metabolism; and increases body fat between ages 30 and 60.

# Build A Stronger Heart. Regular exercise may help reduce or modify some of the risk factors associated with heart diseases, such as high cholesterol levels, elevated blood pressure, obesity, and stress. A three-year study at the University of Toronto showed that people who exercised regularly after a heart attack had less than a 5 percent chance of having a second attack, while those who were sedentary had 22 percent chance.

WHAT IS PHYSICAL FITNESS?

Physical fitness has two extremes: the well-conditioned person at one end and the completely inactive individual at the other. To be well-conditioned, you need to work on the four components of physical fitness: Body Composition, Cardiovascular Fitness, Muscle Fitness, and Flexibility.

# Body Composition: Body composition is the ratio between body fat and muscle. Too much fat and not enough muscle may increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, gout, and arthritis and back problems.

# Cardiovascular Fitness: Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of the heart, blood, and blood vessels to transport oxygen to your muscles. A strong, efficient heart is important for stamina and may lower your risk of heart disease.

# Muscle Fitness: Muscle fitness is the strength, endurance, and shape of your muscles. Good muscle fitness helps you maintain good posture; avoid lower back pain, and lift, carry, push, and press any objects. Regular exercise keeps your muscles well developed – an important ingredient in proper body composition. Calisthenic and weight-training exercises improve your muscle fitness. Aerobic exercises also can improve muscle fitness, although to a lesser extent.

# Flexibility: Flexibility is the range of motion possible at the joints of your body. Good flexibility helps you avoid lower back pain, plus joint, neck, shoulder, arm and leg injuries. Calisthenics, stretching exercises, and yoga can help maintain or improve flexibility or suppleness.

GETTING OFF TO A GOOD START

Before you begin an exercise programme, discuss what you plan to do with your physician. Most physicians will adjust the programme according to your needs and health status.

HOW ARE FIT YOU NOW?

Evaluate your physical fitness level before you start a fitness programme. Ask yourself the following questions for the evaluation:

CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS

Q #1: Do you exert yourself enough to work up a sweat for 20 minutes or more, three to four times a week?

Q #2: Are you physically active on the job? That is, does your work require you to move for at least 40 minutes non-stop, do the vigorous physical activity, lift heavy objects?

BODY COMPOSITION

Q #3: Is your weight appropriate to standard height/weight charts?

Q #4: Are you satisfied with your body’s muscle tone and the way your body looks?

MUSCLE FITNESS

Q #5: Have you been free of lower back pain (a backache) during the past 6 months?

Q #6: Have your waistline expanded less than one inch since age 18 (women) or 21 (men)?

FLEXIBILITY

Q #7: Can you easily touch your toes without bending your knees?

Q #8: Are you currently free from aches, pains or stiffness in joints such as the neck, shoulders, lower back, hips, and knees?

WHAT IS YOUR BODY TYPE?

In addition to your medical and fitness status, consider your weight and body type when starting a fitness programme.

BODY TYPES

Heavy: Substantial amount of fat with poor muscle development – usually very inactive.

Heavy Muscular: Substantial amount of fat with fair to good muscle development – usually formerly or occasionally active.

Thin: Very lean and very little muscle development – usually very inactive.

Now check the list below for guidelines on the best exercises for particular body types. But remember that there are always exceptions: some aerobic dancers are heavy and muscular, and some swimmers are thin. In general, the list highlights those activities from which you can expect the most success, the least frustration, and the best chance to staying with on the road to fitness. For example, a heavy person may not get the full benefit of jumping rope, running, or aerobics because of the stress that extra body fat puts on the legs.

# Heavy: Bicycling; Swimming; Brisk Walking

# Heavy Muscular: Aerobic Dancing; Bicycling; Racquet Sports; Swimming; Brisk Walking; Weight Training.

# Muscular: Aerobic Dancing; Bicycling; Racquet Sports; Jumping Rope; Running/Jogging; Climbing Stairs; Swimming; Brisk Walking; Weight Training.

# Thin Muscular: Aerobic Dancing; Bicycling; Racquet Sports; Jumping Rope; Running/Jogging; Climbing Stairs; Swimming; Brisk Walking; Weight Training.

# Thin: Aerobic Dancing; Jumping Rope; Running/Jogging; Climbing Stairs; Brisk Walking

ASSESS YOUR PERSONALITY

Your personality is basic to success in selecting the right fitness programme. If you are introverted, you will probably like activities that you can do alone such as bicycling, running, and swimming. If you like to do things with other people, an aerobics class, racquet sports, walking with a friend or perhaps weight training at a gym may be best. If you are competitive, one of the racquet sports may be a consideration. As an outdoor person, brisk walking, jogging, or roller skating might be one of your options.

CHOOSE A FITNESS ACTIVITY

There are many activities that help you get into shape. Brisk walking, running/jogging, swimming, bicycling, aerobics, jumping rope, climbing stairs, weight training, and racquet sports will all help you develop physical fitness. These activities very, however, in how effectively they help you develop the four fitness components.

To make the most of the activity you choose, it’s important to consider how often, how vigorously, and how long you exercise.

FREQUENCY, INTENSITY AND TIME

FREQUENCY

You need to exercise three to four days each week. While some people exercise every day, it’s a good idea to take a day or two of rest, especially if you have been inactive for some time. If you are past age 40, exercising every other day gives your body time to recover.

INTENSITY

You have an efficient, built-in computer for determining how hard to exercise: your heart or pulse rate. To count your pulse rate, place your first and second fingers of one hand along the thumb side of your other wrist to feel for the pulse. Count pulse for 10 seconds, then multiplies by 6 to find out how many times your heart beats per minute.

Your ideal exercise level is determined by your “training heart rate.” Your training heart is approximately 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. To make sure you are exercising vigorously enough; check your pulse occasionally to see if your heart rate falls within the training zone.

In addition to taking your pulse rate, you can determine whether you are exercising too hard by listening to your body. For example, if your breathing is labored, slow down. A good guide is that you should be able to hold a conversation while exercising.

The list below shows average ranges; you should check with your doctor if you have a condition that would not allow you to safely reach these levels.

TRAINING HEART RATE:

Age || Beats per Min.

10-19: 123-174

20-29: 117-166

30-39: 111-157

40-49: 104-149

50-59: 99-140

60-69: 93-132

70+: 87-123

When considering the intensity of exercise, remember your fitness level and age. If you are just beginning a programme, exercise on the low side of your training heart rate. This is, do not exceed 10 beats above your lower reading. For a 40-year-old, for example, a pulse rate of 105-115 could be appropriate.

A warning: trying to beat the clock can defeat an otherwise good exercise programme. Thinking that if two miles in 17 minutes is good, then two miles in 15 minutes is better can be inefficient. When you run, bike, swim or walk against the clock as if trying to excel in competition, you have moved from fitness to sport.

TIME

Ultimately you should aim for an exercise period of 30 minutes, enough to train your heart and reduce body fat. If you are just beginning an exercise programme after a period of inactivity, you will want to take it slowly, gradually building up to 30 minutes.

# Aerobic Dancing: Good for Cardiovascular fitness and Body Composition. Works most of the body.

# Bicycling: Excellent for Cardiovascular fitness and Body Composition. Strengthens leg muscles with little trauma

# Racquet Sports: Fair for Cardiovascular fitness. Good if both players are skilled and timeouts minimal.

# Climbing Stairs: Excellent for Cardiovascular fitness and Body Composition.

# Weight Training: Excellent for Muscle Fitness. If done correctly, may improve Flexibility too.

# Yoga/Stretching: Excellent for improving Flexibility. No equipment necessary.

# Jumping Rope: Fair to good for Cardiovascular fitness. If skill level is adequate, you may get a good workout.

# Running: Excellent for Cardiovascular fitness and Body Composition.

# Swimming: Excellent for Cardiovascular fitness. Low injury rate. Excellent for heavier person or person with joint or arthritic problems.

# Walking: Excellent for Cardiovascular fitness and Body Composition. Easily built into the day. Low injury rate and very safe.

WARM-UP AND COOL-DOWN

You should spend 5 to 10 minutes warming up before each exercise session and 7 to 10 minutes cooling down afterward. This will help prevent injuries and sore muscles as well as promote flexibility. Walking vigorously and then walking while swinging your arms, twisting your upper body, handshaking your hands and arms is a good warm-up. To cool down, spend a couple of minutes walking slowly and then do some exercises that stretch the upper, middle and lower third of your body.

MUSCLE FITNESS

Aerobic exercises are very effective in strengthening the heart and lungs and are a good aid to weight loss. As beneficial as aerobic exercise is, however, it is not enough to add muscle and shape to your body.

The best activities for developing muscle fitness are calisthenics and training with weights (dumbbells or barbells, for example). These type of exercises allow you to place greater-than-normal resistance on your muscles, which result in improved muscle strength and endurance. But it is essential that you know how to perform the types of exercises correctly and safely.

CROSS-TRAIN FOR LONG-TERM FITNESS

Cross-training – complimenting the activity you have chosen with other forms of exercise – is an excellent way to maintain your interest in a long-term fitness programme and to make sure you develop all four fitness components. It also helps prevent injuries that might be caused by overstressing certain muscles and joints. Runners, for example, should consider doing other exercises to develop the upper body. Cross-training also allows you to target a particular area to improve your overall body proportions.