Day 90 of The 100 Day Challenge

Here I am at Day 91, looking back at what the last couple months have been for me, strictly relating to this challenge. I had to take a few days off for a bad back injury (herniated discs are not fun, and no amount of padding allows you to do sit ups - I tried) but got back to it as soon as I was able to. I can honestly tell you that Day 90 was....easy.

Not so easy that I could pass it off without effort. But easy in that there was no stress, struggle, or hesitation when it came to do my routine. 90 sit ups done. 90 push ups done.

I've already decided that when this challenge is complete in 9 more days, I will keep up my workouts, albeit slightly modified. What I find funny is that at Day 50 and 60, I was thinking "Okay, when this is done, I will continue to work out, but I am going to cap it at 40 or 50 or something, cause this is killing me!" Yesterday, I was thinking "90 is pretty good. I could do more, actually, but today is day 90, so I'll stop there for now."

Amazing! Two weeks ago, I was straining to get the last 3 or 4 reps in, wondering how on earth I would ever make it to the end. Today, I am making a future workout plan that includes 100 sit ups and push ups plus some cardio, and maybe a couple other things thrown in on certain days to get to other parts of my body toning. I really didn't think this mindset - of thinking 100 every workout - would be possible. It is!

The key is simply going through it. How can I tell you, dear reader, that you can do 100 sit ups and push ups in a single workout? Because I have done it before! No real magic formula. You can only do 5 push ups now, you say? Great! Tomorrow, do 6. Maybe give it a day of rest after that, and then try 7. And then 8. Before you realize it, you'll be at 10, and then 15. And then 25. And when you hit 30, you will realize that doing 5 is so easy, why didn't you simply do this before?

And here is the life lesson. How do I know that I can write a novel, publish it, and see it for sale in bookstores while signing autographs? Because I've done it before! How do I know that I can get on stage and perform in front of a capacity crowd? Because I have done it before! How can I claim that I can get back into physical fitness, and get rid of years of fat and laziness from my body? Because I have done it before!

Experience is a great teacher. It gives knowledge, wisdom, and confidence. The next lesson I need to learn (and by learn, I mean have that epiphany of knowledge as I have experienced through this challenge) is how to understand a thing through the experience and example of another person. We've all heard great quotes from other people, listened to or read someone else's story (you, dear reader, are doing exactly that right now), however I wonder how much we learn from others actually sinks into our core without us experiencing it ourselves firsthand? It does happen, but probably not enough.

I know personally dozens of people who have been successful in all manner of fields: business, publishing, travel, parenting, and more. Yet their confidence in what they know often doesn't translate to my own confidence in that same thing. Yet it should. My discovery is that I need to trust more. When I am learning from the experience of others, I can choose to trust that what they say is real, or be skeptical of their story and decide that they are lying in some way, or at least believe that what they are claiming is true might work for them but not for me.

But why shouldn't it?

I can tell you, with absolute confidence, that you CAN complete a 100 day challenge. You CAN become more physically fit! You CAN achieve your goals of physical health, strength, or whatever plan you have in place for yourself is. You can do it! Why? Because I have done it before! I have the first hand results of knowing I could complete the challenge. It didn't work out exactly as I planned because injury and illness stole more than a week from my timeline of finishing. It doesn't matter, though, I kept going anyway. And so can you! The key is not about worrying when detours come your way. On any pursuit, you'll have failures crop up. But if you just keep going, refuse to quit and see it through to the end, you'll make it!

I am now attempting to translate that message into other areas of my life, and looking forward to the results. I hope you can too! I believe in you, whoever you are, because I believe in myself.

Need more inspiration? Try these:

"Be not weary in well doing, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9

"Never, never, never, give up." - Winston Churchill

"Winners never quit, and quitters never win." - Vince Lombardi

"The cowards never started. The weak died along the way. Only the strong survived." - multiple sources (Sports, Oregon Trail, Sermons)

Day 37 - of the 100 Day Challenge

Today is Day 37!

I'll need to give a little more background, I suppose, in order for you to know what it is I am talking about.

37 days ago, I started a workout...experiment. I was going to say regimen, but that isn't accurate. Experiment is much more apropos. Here's the summary: on Day 1, I did 1 pushup, and 1 situp.

Day 2 - I did 2 push-ups, and 2 sit-ups.

Day 3 - I did 3 push-ups, and 3 sit-ups.

You see the pattern emerging here, I hope!

So, today is Day 37! I've managed to keep it going, every day, for 36 days. Today, on Day 37, I will do 37 push-ups and 37 sit-ups. All but one of those days I was able to do all of them in a row, too, no breaks. Day 35 was a particularly draining day, and I am not sure why but I could only make it to 26 before my arms stopped responding to my order to push up. I had to take a 15 second break, and then finish the last up.

Last night, 36 in a row, both exercises!

I have discovered a few things along the way.

First, I am stronger physically than I was on day 1. Yeah, no duh. That should be obvious to even the least athletically inclined person out there.

Second, it is habit forming - it's becoming addictive! It took a couple weeks, and then it happened: I have started looking forward to the challenge every day. Not just the physical part - the mental challenge of "I can do this!". I don't want to miss a day. It would be like cheating on a test. And I am trying to do it all out, all in a row, every time. I have started to ignore the physical part, because the mental game is much more difficult, more demanding, and I think in the end will be more rewarding.

Here is what I mean - getting to 35 push-ups in a row was hard, and I failed at it. I still completed all 35, but that break in between was a little demoralizing. The next day I analysed myself and was thinking "What did I do wrong last night? I did 34 in a row...why was 35 so hard? If I couldn't do 35 in a row, what am I going to do for 36 today? Split it in half and take a break in between?"

I had thoughts like this all day. When I finally set about to do 36 push-ups, I did this instead - I counted to 12 three times. Amazing, I didn't feel fatigue hit me until I counted 8 on the third set. Why was that small, seemingly insignificant change so monumental? The reason: my brain told itself: "I can do 12 push-ups. 12 is easy! I've done 12 push-ups many, many times before. So there is no problem with that, right? Another set of 12 - sure! I can do 12! A third set of 12? Absolutely. I can do 12, we've already discussed this."

Remember this: your subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between fact and fantasy. It just believes the information it is given. Yes, you can 'trick' yourself into doing more, simply by reminding yourself that you've already done it before, or by changing the rules of the game in your own favour.

How far can I get on this 100 Day Challenge? I don't know! But it is a learning experience that I am looking forward to, every day.

Living & Dying in Peace

Recently I went through a life experience that I have previously never had to go through. It has been a few of days now, and still it is impacting me. I have asked myself a couple times “Okay, when are you going to be over this?” like it should be something simple.

I've been around funerals before; a friend in High School, co-workers, a few distant family or friends along my life's path. This, though, is the first time in my life that I have ever had to deal with death...directly.

My Dad was 76 years old this year. And now he’s gone. Just last week, I was talking to him at his bedside, and this week I came upon the sudden and stark realization that I can never do that again. I will never be able to sit at his bedside, or across a dinner table, or lounge on the couch, and have a conversation with him. Ever. He is gone. This truth is hard to swallow, yet the odd thing is this isn’t news to me. Let’s face it! Anyone who has ever watched a movie or read an epic novel knows that death is permanent, it is real. Even in Harry Potter, Charmed, and other mystical tales, the dead don’t rise again. They may appear and chat for a while, but the finality of their death is still real, permanent.

I am a Christian, and I believe that God is good and will bring my Dad to heaven. Being a carpenter and a painter, I am sure my Dad is up there right now creating some masterpieces for me to see when it is my turn, and I meet him there! Jesus was a carpenter, so Dad should fit right in! When I talk to others about how my Dad is gone from this earth, that I will never talk to him again, they respond by reminding me that I can talk to him any time, he’s a spirit now, free from the pain of this world and moved on to the next. I can speak out loud and he will hear me, I can pray and hope that the message gets through.

As a Christian, I understand where this is coming from. It doesn’t matter, though. It isn’t the same. My real, flesh and blood Dad, that big, gruff, goof of a man, with his deep voice, and hearty laughter...is gone. It will never be the same.

I feel it is important to tell this story. To write this and hopefully pass the message on to others.

Over the last several months, I had the opportunity to talk to my Dad one-on-one. Actually, it was more to listen to him. It has been tremendously sad for me to see him withering into a weaker and more frail person all this time. It happened so fast - cancer is a horrible nightmare that I truly pray we find a cure for, so that no one else, ever, has to go through it like he did. Something I am grateful for in all this, though, was the time I did spend with him.

Dad told me countless stories, talked of things that he remembered that he had never spoken of to me before. I think maybe it was this realization that he was dying that spurred him into such conversation. That is a normal reaction, and good thing to do. I learned so much, and cherish the memory of those short times I had with him. If I think back on the last few years, I curse myself for not spending a LOT more time with him. But that is hindsight, isn’t it - “IF I had only known...” doesn’t qualify anyone for a second chance.

Here is something my Dad told me, something I want to share. There were many stories he told me on a number of different visits (I wish I had made time for more!) however there was one day in particular that stands out more than the others. My poor Dad, in pain, tired, coughing every few minutes, his voice hoarse and raspy, stayed awake and spoke to me for almost two hours straight! Seriously, I could barely get in a couple of words!

It started with me talking for about 10 minutes, and telling jokes to make him laugh. My thought process was that if this was his last time on this ball of mud, we should at least make it a happy time before he leaves. I guess it worked - his laughter and smiles seemed to give him energy. He perked up. He spoke...and kept on speaking.

I won’t tell you, dear reader, everything he said, as the purpose of this commentary is focused on one part of his message to me that day. As fate would have it, it is a message I heard repeated in several other talks and discussions and books I heard or read over the next few weeks before my Dad’s passing, and it is also the first message that popped into my mind when I looked upon his face for the last time.

I feel it important to share it with you. My Dad felt it so very important to share with me, and he said it as a life lesson, a warning, and urged me to take him seriously. Silently, days after as I was thinking on what he said, the message itself seemed to be pleading with me to make it known to the world.

It’s quite simple, and I have two separate phrases that sum it up. They each try to tell the same thing, but from a different perspective.

1) Live every day to its fullest.

2) Don’t die with the music still in you.

Let me briefly delve into a little more detail on each point.

First, “Live every day to its fullest” is more than what you see on the surface. This is something we have all heard, probably hundreds of times in our lives, and more than likely the grand majority of us do not understand it, follow it, or even truthfully know what this means. I am not a scholar on the topic, but I do have some new insight to it. My Dad urged me “Don’t hold onto hurtful things, Andreas. Life is too short to be mad or angry all the time. Let go of all that garbage, and enjoy every day! You don’t know how many you have left. Love your kids and be with them as much as possible. Be involved!”

It is so true. When he told me this, I understood it logically...but I didn’t feel it, I didn’t understand it with my heart. It was just something that made sense, a rule of thumb to tuck away and think about another day. Truly, tomorrow never comes, I see that now.

Second, “Don’t die with the music still in you”. This hurts, so much. It hurts to write this, but it was a clear message I had been given. You see, close to the end of this conversation we shared, my Dad looked at me with sudden anger, frustration, and sorrow, holding up the feeding tube, looking at the hospital style bed he was in, and shrugging in futility before saying his next words to me.

“Look at this. What can I do? Damn it, I want to live! I have many things I still want to do! I want to paint! I need to get better so that I can properly say ‘Thank You’ to Barb for watching over me, and caring for me...I have places I want to visit again, and things I want to accomplish. But what can I do?”

My Dad was 76 years old this year. But don’t let that fool you - he still had fire in his heart, passion in his soul. He didn’t want to die, because there was still music inside him that he wanted to let out for his family to hear. He still felt young inside! He was a great painter - I have several paintings of his on my walls, and they are fabulous! Its hard to look at them now without getting tears in my eyes. And yet with all the paintings he had done, my Dad wanted to do more. He wasn’t finished yet!

You ever watched a movie, where one of the characters has lost a loved one and says something along the lines of “I wish I had more time...I never had the chance to say goodbye...”? The truth is, it never matters how much time you have...it is never going to be enough. I want so badly for my Dad to be alive, to be here just that one more time, to hold his hand, to hear his voice talking or singing, or laughing. But he is gone, and so memories will have to do.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the heart of the message my Dad was trying to tell me, and I received it too late to truly understand and share with him. And that is why I want to write it here and post it online for the world to read. Even if only one person reads this, but it gives them a chance at a better life, a better relationship, a better understanding of how precious life is and how precious little time we have in it, than it will be worth it.

Live each day of your life like you are doing it on purpose. Each decision, each task, own the choices you make, even if they are mistakes! Make sure that the decisions you make on how to spend your time are exactly that: your decision. Whether it is playing a video game, watching a movie, writing a novel, spending time with family or friends, working, composing a symphony...whatever it is, do it on purpose, and be happy with your choice.

You have dreams in you. We all do. DON’T WAIT! Start, and get the ball rolling now. Beginning something is 50% of the work! Once you’ve started and build up momentum, the rest seems to somehow carry the dream forward on its own. Go after them! It doesn’t matter how simple or complex your dreams are, just move towards them! No one on their deathbed - trust me, no one - will ever say “I wish I had done less with my life, I wish I had less time”. Time is the most precious commodity you have - be very careful what you are trading it for.

Pursue your dreams. You know something that I really wish my Dad could have told me that day? It would have given me a lot more peace of mind, a great deal of comfort, if he had instead told me “Son, I have a lived a full life, and I have accomplished most of my dreams. The dreams I didn’t finish, I pass on to you and others to complete for me. I don’t want to die, but I am ready to, because I know my life was full of everything I ever dreamed of!”

I want that for me. And for you. And everyone. I want it so that everyone, when it is their turn to pass on to Heaven, the Afterlife, the Great Beyond, or whatever their particular belief calls it, they can do so with a smile, and a peaceful heart.

Please don’t misunderstand. I believe my Dad is at peace now. I just wish that he had found that peace before he left this world.

Chase your dreams, be truthful in your pursuit of happiness, and attain them!

God bless.

Written by Andreas Zimmermann

- In fond memory of Klaus Zimmermann, 1937 - 2013, Calgary, AB, Canada

Daily Habits To Increase Mind Power

I saw this post in my Google+ feed today, and had to share it!

There are so many sayings out there describing how mankind has no idea how much potential there truly is within our brains, our bodies, and our souls. I agree.

"If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would truly astonish ourselves." - Thomas Edison

This list is a small habit we can all do on a daily basis to tap into the unlimited power inside your soul. Thanks to +Facts 'n' Myths for posting this list!

Enjoy - I hope you get something enlightening from you new Daily Habits.

Andreas Z.


DAILY HABITS THAT WILL INCREASE YOUR MIND POWER

1. Go for a walk with a friend.

That means walking with a friend so that you talk as you walk. Social connection, physical exercise and mental stimulation are the brain strengtheners.

2. Solve Puzzles, Play Games

Playing a game of Sudoku or attempting to solve a difficult crossword sets your brain cells in action. Doctors often advise people who report focus problems to play a video game for few minutes everyday to boost brain’s ability to focus on one thing at a time.

3. Meditate

Meditation is easier said than done. But if you could include it in your everyday routine and practice it diligently, it would go a long way in giving you a better memory help to make a better brain.

4. Eat healthy

Our diets have a HUGE impact on brain functioning. Our brains consume over 20% of all nutrients & oxygen that we consume so remember to feed your brain with the good and healthy Stuff.

5. Think positive

Stress and anxiety kills existing brain neurons and also stop new neurons from being created. Research has shown that positive thinking, especially in the future tense, speeds up the creation of cells and dramatically reduces stress & anxiety. Try and get a handle on negative thoughts and makes an effort to leave them and change it to positive ones.

6. Laugh It Up

Laughter causes a natural release of the brain’s endorphin's chemicals that drown out pain and increase overall well being. Laughter is a well known, natural stress reducer. Watch a comedy, crack a joke, and increase those endorphin levels.

7. Listen To Music

Studies have proven that listening to music strengthens the right-hemisphere of the brain and literally changes the structure. Those same studies have found that people who listen to the music are generally much smarter and have more emotional intelligence than those who don’t.

8. Do Self-Hypnosis

The power of hypnotic suggestion is definitely real. You can change aspects of your thought process and learn to shift your focus by taking the time to do some self-hypnosis. Hypnosis research shows that by practicing hypnosis, an individual experiences lowered stress, increased pain tolerance, and clear thinking.

9. Set Goals

Setting goals activates areas of the brain associated with positive thinking and action. Setting goals is great for achieving success and prosperity in life and boosting your brain.

10. Follow a Sleep and Wake up Routine

One day you are night owl and other day, you wake up at 5. This randomness of your sleep pattern is neither good for your body nor for your brain. Better Sleep makes your mind healthy . Sleep sound, wake up fresh and try to stick to a routine.

The Courage Medal

I borrowed this from my mentor, Brian Herosian. He has a fantastic point here, and I absolutely had to share it. You can read more of him and his tips on Health and Wellness at his own Blog page here: http://profitnesstraining.blogspot.ca/

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As the Summer Olympics concluded in an amazing closing ceremony in London on Sunday evening, it was obvious that this was a very well-organized and a highly-successful Olympiad.

Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals were awarded to outstanding athletes from around the world. I think there should have been a fourth medal category - The Courage Medal.

If I were voting, here would be three athletes to whom I would have awarded The Courage Medal:

U.S. sprinter Manteo Mitchell was the leadoff man in the first round of the 4x400 relay. People wondered why he seemed to slow down. As he ran the first 200 meters, his left leg didn't feel quite right. Then he heard a snap and felt severe pain. He did not stop running. He was part of a team and he didn't want to let his teammates down. X-Rays later proved that he ran the second 200 meters on a broken fibula. A broken leg didn't keep him from running his portion of the relay.

I would also have given The Courage Medal to Oscar Pistorius of South Africa. When he was a child, both of his legs were amputated below his knees. That didn't stop him. Now he's known as the "Blade Runner" and "the fastest man on no legs". He runs with the aid of Cheetah Flex-Foot carbon fibre artificial limbs by a company called Ossur. He is the world record holder, racing other amputees, in the 100, 200 and 400 meter events. It was amazing to watch Pistorius run in the London Olympics.

If you watched the closing ceremonies of the Olympics on Sunday evening, you might have seen Bryshon Nellum carrying the American flag as the U.S. team came into the stadium. It was four years ago that this U.S. sprinter was shot three times in his leg. The 23-year-old was a sophomore at USC in 2008 when gang members pelted him with a shotgun. Through several surgeries, he was determined to run again. At times, during his recovery, it was so painful for him on the track that he would sometimes crumble in agony. His appearance at the London Olympics was an amazing testimony of Bryshon's courage.

So, there you have it. My nominations for The Courage Medal at the London Olympics.
Surely you and I could do something this week that would show a special measure of courage.

You are special. You are unique. You are destined for greatness! Have a powerful day!

A Courage Affirmation
I have the courage to do amazing things.

Deeper Thoughts

"A ship in the harbour is safe...but that is not what ships are built for."
- John A Shedd

"An eagle in the nest is safe...but that is not what eagles were born for."
- Andreas Zimmermann

"A human being home watching TV is safe...but that is not what Humans were meant for."
- Andreas Zimmermann

Thinking to keep you Healthy

Things that impact your body are:

1. The outside environment
2. What you take inside your body
3. Exercise (or lack thereof)
4. The thoughts you have

These all impact your body in a positive (healthy) way or negative (unhealthy) way, depending on what the stimulus is.

The first two are obvious: live in a toxic area, and eat garbage foods all the time, it effects your body in a negative way. We can eliminate these to some degree by keeping a clean place to live in, and taking good foods and supplements. Getting Water Filters and Air Filters for your home can help take care of #1, while #2 can be looked after by using great Multivitamin/Mulitmineral Supplements.

People may want to argue that eating well, with the right foods, right amounts each day, or even organic foods, is all you need to keep healthy. I am not going to debate that here, but I will say that if you believe 3 square meals a day of organic foods is enough for you, you have not done enough research into how the body works, and what the term "organic" really means to a supermarket.

Exercise should be obvious to everyone: workout a muscle, it gets stronger, ignore a muscle, it gets weaker. 'Nuff said.

Now, what about #4? How do thoughts keep you healthy?

There are so many books on this subject, I hardly know where to start. I'll try to sum it up this way: thoughts are things.

Yep, they are real, tangible things. Too many people (myself included for a number of years) don't care what their thoughts are, because they're just thoughts right? But believe me - think that you are an overweight, unhealthy person just waiting for disease to overtake you, worrying that your family history of some ailment or another is eventually going to get you, and amazingly - it will happen.

On the other hand, think that you are healthy, strong, capable and full of energy and life, and that will happen too.

There are an incredible number of examples of this in every day living, all around us. Do some research into what many call miracles, but to the successful person who is the centre of the story they simply call "thinking right".

Warning: Thinking the positive is harder, more challenging and a constantly difficult road, because the negative is easier to believe, and requires no effort at all. Your mind is like a garden - if you don't tend it, weeds grow automatically and choke the life out of your garden. It takes constant care, discipline and effort to keep that garden clear of weeds and pests, so that the good plants can grow fully, eventually becoming what they are meant to be.

I highly recommend everyone reads more about how your thoughts affect you and your life. I suggest these books to start with:

• Hung by the Tongue, by Francis P Martin
• The Magic of Thinking Big, by David J Schwartz
• Get Off Your Attitude, by Ryan C Lowe
• Book of James, chapter 3

11 Months Old

Consider this:

Scientists have discovered that the human body regenerates itself on a continual basis, so that after approximately 11 months, all the cells in the body have been replaced. Some cells are replaced more rapidly than others, but the point is this: at most your body is only 11 months old!

That's right! People may argue it, but the scientific fact is that your body is only 11 months old, at the oldest! The cells that are regenerating right now in your body are brand new, fresh cells. The old ones are discarded as waste, the new ones continually make up the new you!

I know this is a very high level approach to viewing the human body, but the science is sound.

So the next time someone asks how old you are, you can reply "At most, 11 months!"

Isn't eternal youth grand? =-)


For more on this topic, look here.

Being yourself...is that enough?

It is certainly true that at best you can only ever be a 2nd rate someone else; only you can be the #1 You! No one else can claim that position, just you.

That is encouraging, and yet I caught myself thinking today....is that enough? Is that really the whole story?

"Know Thyself, And To Thine Own Self Be True." Absolutely, definitely, this is truth. You have to know who you are at your core, and be true to yourself as already stated above.

I'd like to submit that being yourself is only 50% of the equation.

The challenge I have when thinking of this, is that it basically leaves a person in a stalemate. Being yourself means you first find out who you are, and then be it. That doesn't offer any direction though, does it? It just means you've discovered things about yourself, and you have accepted them. Don't get me wrong, that is a fantastic place to get to - I just think there is a whole new part of the journey that opens up at this point!

Once you know who you are, you also need to start figuring out the truth to the next question: "Who do I want to become?"

The way everything works in life is either growth or decay, life or death. Nothing in our entire world just sits in neutral. A standing pool of water if left alone will slowly begin to become overgrown, or brackish, and eventually turn into a muck pond, swamp or other pool of water that is unsuitable for drinking.

On the other hand, fast flowing water doesn't have time to grow moss - it's in constant movement. This is one of the reasons why commercials for drinking water always show a flowing stream of crystal-clear water...water in motion is clean, usable.

Who you are, the real you and where you are going, is the same way. If you make the effort of self-discovery, then you need to take the next leg in the adventure...look down the road 2, 3 or 5 years, and ask yourself:

What picture of 'me' do I want to see?
Is there anything about me that I would like to clean up, improve or strengthen in the future?
What images of myself did I have when I was growing up that I haven't accomplished yet, or have accomplished but could be better?
Am I standing still (stagnating), or am I progressing forward to something new?
How can I change course to get back on track for things I have always wanted myself to become?
Which friend or friends can I include on this course of self-aware improvement, that can help uplift me, be honest with me, and keep me on track?
What opportunities are available for me right now to help with this process?

Many other aspects of your life can fall into place while pursuing your goal of You. For example, you may see yourself now as not being energetic enough, and you are sad that you tend to decline offers to go out because you are always tired. You've made this discovery of yourself and want to do something about it, so you make a plan to start going jogging three times a week. The first week is hard, the second week a little easier, and by the third week you've added an extra day in because you are enjoying the extra energy you are feeling throughout the day. You start eating healthier, because your body is demanding more of the right foods to fuel the running you are doing.

A Thursday night comes by, and some co-workers ask if you want to go out with them for some appetizers after work. You say yes, head out, and while enjoying their company you suddenly realize that you would never had said yes to an invitation like this a month ago! You would have been too tired!

The choice to do something about yourself, (I'm not happy with my lack of energy, so I am going to change it) has given you advantages you didn't see before! You concentrate better at tasks, have more energy at work so you are accomplishing more during the day, you're more capable in your social life because you aren't tired after work any more, and your self-esteem is going up as a result!

If you don't know who you are - and I mean the real honest personality inside - take the time of self-discovery to learn about yourself. When you do, take the next step, which is really the most exciting, and find out just what is really possible with that great amazing person, called You!

Gaining Perspective

Sometimes in my life when I am confronted with a daunting task, something that I think is either very difficult or impossible, I shrink away from it, and doubt, worry and fear set in. Despite all the positive people I associate with, the good books I read, I can still succumb to the negative influences of the world around me and feel discouraged, beaten.

Make sure you check your Perspective.

Perspective is a way of regarding situations or topics, or a mental view of the state of one's ideas. Put another way, it means being concerned with the future or things related to the future. This can tie very closely into your self-image: if your self image is low, your perspective (outlook) on life will most likely be low (negative) as well, and conversely if your self-image is high, your perspective (outlook) on life will be high (positive).

What is your self-image? I like this description best. Self-image is not what you think of yourself, and it is not what other people think of you. No! Your self-image is defined as what you think other people think of you.

There is a great moment in the movie Hoosiers that talks directly to your perspective. Coach Dale, played by Gene Hackman, and the team are entering the empty gymnasium for practice before the State Finals. He commented the week before that the boys on his team have probably never seen a building bigger than 2-storeys except in a picture, because they are all farm boys having never been to a big city. The looks on their faces as they walk into the immense gym says that he was right. The boys are scared, intimidated and feeling smaller than they ever have before!

Coach Dale pulls out a tape measure, and calls one of the boys to hold it at the baseline while he takes the end to the top of the key. He makes the boys measure the court and call out the number! Then he has the boys measure the height of the rim of the basket. Finally, he tells them, "I think you will find that the measurements are exactly the same as our gym back in Hickory." All of the boys smile, and suddenly their fear is gone because they know...it is the same sized court, just in a bigger building.

Some powerful tips here!

Making the boys do the measuring, they are involved, and they know that the coach isn't lying about the numbers, or just trying to make them feel good. Because they are the ones taking the measurements, they have an ownership in it, and confidence in knowing the point he is driving at.

The second point is that, in a very real, observable and practical way, the Coach gives the team something they can believe in: themselves. They have won dozens of games up to this point already. This court is the same size as every other basketball court they have played on. They now have confidence and belief in knowing that the task set before them is possible.

When Fear knocks, if Faith answers, no one is there!

Be sure to check your Perspective daily. Thomas Edison said, "If we did all the things we were capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves." He's right - you are infinitely more capable than you will ever give yourself credit for. Go out and make yourself proud! Work hard, work smart, and set out to accomplish the tasks and goals set before you. You can do it!

Henry Ford said, "If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you're right."
Solomon said, "Whatever it is you find to do, do it with all your might!"

If you still have trouble knowing what perspective you should be looking from, think of it this way:

You're on a football team, at the centre of the field lined up against a dozen of the nastiest, meanest looking players you've ever seen.

On your side of the line is just you, and God.

Who's going to win? =-)

Now maybe you don't believe in God, and that's fine, but for the sake of extending this example, just imagine that there is a God who is all-powerful, and He is on your team. What could ever possibly stand against you?

That's a perspective I can feel confident with.

5 Ways To Burn Fat

Hey gang! I have copied here a list of 5 great things to do to burn off calories. I am going to start working on some of these tips right away! This list was copied from Brian's Blog at http://profitnesstraining.blogspot.com/ - check out his blog for more tips on health, nutrition and fat-burning solutions!


From Brian @Pro Fitness Training:
5 Surprising Things That Burn Fat
Increase your fat-burning using these 5 simple tricks
Want to burn more fat? Who doesn't, right?
So here are 5 tips to help you do it...
TIP 1
Eliminate the Starch
Starches, such as rice, potatoes, some veggies, oats, etc. are often considered "health foods."
While they can be healthy, they can also pack on stomach fat big time!
Well... how does THAT work?
Simple: Timing is everything.
And we take a "weekly" approach to foods rather than a daily approach. This keeps your metabolism guessing. If your body cannot figure out what you're up to, fat burning is that much more powerful. And you can get by with eating starches... at least at specific times on specific days. It all depends on when you work out!
So it is a simple rule when it comes to starches. Only eat a starch in the meal following a workout! You will be replacing the glycogen that you burned working out instead of that glycogen getting converted to fat because your storehouse is already full. The body can only store approximately 300-500 calories of glycogen!

TIP 2
Can the PoP
This one is really hard for me. I've been hooked on diet-soda on and off for years. When I go to get into top shape I have to get rid of the diet-sodas... yes, DIET-sodas. Need I say "real" sodas too? They are loaded with sugar.
Why diet-sodas? A recent study revealed that people who drank diet-sodas actually increased body fat when compared to those who drank sugar-sodas. What the... ??
Yep. Your body cannot be fooled by aspartame and chemicals. Sorry, but that's the truth.
What you need to be drinking: A quart of pure water per 50 lbs of bodyweight a day.
I mix it with lemon and a bit of Stevia (an herbal sweetener) and make lemonade. It's awesome!
Or a nutrilite twist tube to get added vitamins and anti-oxidants.


TIP 3
Stay Hungry
Arnold's first movie was "Stay Hungry" (well, after "Pumping Iron" that is). You cannot rest on your butt and stay hungry. You cannot think you've "arrived" and stay hungry.
It takes a special person to be hungry... and an even greater one to stay that way.
I want you to stay hungry in two ways: In how you workout and literally... stay a bit hungry before you go to bed. Not "starving"... just a bit hungry.
For your workouts, I have a great solution. Get into the gym on a regular, consistent basis and let us help you melt body fat.
You see, progression -- "forced" progression -- is the best way to stay hungry. Progression is built into our training System.
As far as staying hungry at night? Check with your doctor and if he/she okays it take 500mg of potassium and 1000mg of magnesium/calcium a few hours prior to bed. This helps with the hunger pangs. Also, keep hard-boiled eggs in the fridge. If you get really hungry, eat one with half the yolk (toss the other half.) It keeps me full for an hour at least.
TIP 4
Cardio Clarity
Hours and hours of cardio a day is not the answer. However, you can do "light" cardio (i.e. brisk walking, or riding the bike at 60% of your max) just to burn off calories. That's okay... and personally I don't find it that boring if I'm watching a TV show. It does not interfere with my main fat loss exercise (weight training... YES!) And it burns off about 400 calories an hour.
What does work is early morning fasting cardio... but you only need 15-20 minutes when you are running on empty.
TIP 5
Get Raw At Night
Raw veggies with your last meal and as a snack will really help your fat burning going in the right direction. Keep an assortment of cut up veggies in the fridge for convenience. Give this a try. The fat loss is well worth it.

August Blog Time

I was about to write on a specific topic, but I realized after posting the July blog that I like quotes, and I know of several others that need to be stated. My original topic I will save for September. =-)

I truly hope you find something in these quotes to help you keep going, press on and more forward to progress and success in whatever it is you are doing! God bless!

"The person who gets the furthest in life is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets too far from the shore." Dale Carnegie

"A gold medal is a wonderful thing, but if you're not enough without it, you'll never be enough with it." Irv Blitzer (John Candy), Cool Runnings

"The successful always has a number of projects planned, to which he looks forward. Anyone one of them could change the course of his life overnight." Mark Caine

"I've never known anybody to achieve anything without overcoming adversity." Lou Holtz

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it, with all your might..." Ecclesiastes 9:10

July - no Blogs here!

I didn't have a chance to blog on anything in July. Basically the fault is all mine - I didn't make time, didn't force myself to sit down and start writing, and didn't put the responsibility firmly on myself to get it done. I could make excuses about summer activities, vacation, work, and more, but really the honest truth is I just didn't do it.

So instead, here I am at the end of August, preparing to enter this in for July to cheat a little bit. The OCD in me doesn't want to skip a month, that would make the calendar uneven. So instead, I am going to add in some quotes that are my favourites "of all time" to share with you, and just pretend that I submitted this post in July (work with me a little here).

These quotes inspire me, remind me of what's right and wrong, or give me a boost whenever I need it. Hopefully they will do the same for you.

The first one is lengthy, I know, but so amazingly powerful. Read it through!

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." Albert Einstein

"If you think you can, or think you can't, you are right." Henry Ford

"Do, or do not, there is not try." Jedi Master Yoda

A Journey of a Thousand Miles....

Everyone knows the old Chinese proverb. But do you know how to take it to heart, and do you know what it means?

I don't claim to be an expert on the subject, either, but I did want to share some of my own insight, in the hopes that it might spawn some ideas of your own, perhaps some motivation for whatever journey you are on right now.

Every journey begins with a single step. Dr. Robert Schuller said that "...beginning is half done!" And that is so true! Actually taking the first step - starting out, taking the first bit of action, really beginning - is about 50% of your journey! Thousands and thousands (if not millions) of people every day have ideas, inspiration, dreams and desires that they want to achieve, and some of them even decide to do something about them.

But a decision isn't enough: you have to take action! Move! If your goal is business, or education, or a relationship you want to improve....whatever it is, the journey begins not when you say you are going to start, not when you decide to start, not when you believe the timing is right. No, the actual journey only starts when you take action, and take the first step.

I would dare say that a good majority of people never even start. I'd call it 80%. And of the 20% that actually do take action, I would say that probably only 20% of those people make it any further than step #1.

Why?

Journeys are hard. If your goal is a really worthwhile attainment of something special, of something that means something to you in your heart of hearts, than you have to expect that it will be a hard journey. Most people take the first action step...and then stop. Fear, worry, doubt, negative influences of other people telling you that you will fail, they have the power to stop you.

Don't let them!

Here is the bottom line that you need to know. Look back at the proverb: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Does that give you the impression that after one step, the next 999.99 miles are a breeze? Do you imagine that for the second step the person on the journey is rocketed, magically teleported, or otherwise shot to the finish line? No! The journey begins with a single step! So how do you get the rest of the distance?

By taking one more step.

Just one! Don't worry about step #3 right now, just finish the second step! Now, once you have completed step #2, don't try to skip over to step #10. It won't work! Finish step #3! And if you make it, then you can try.....step #4. And so on, and so on.

What I am trying to say is that you need to take every measure of your journey towards success one day at a time, because regardless of your particular endeavour, your goal is to succeed, right? Each and every day, choose your behaviour, choose your attitude, and choose what action you will take to complete the next step. Not ten steps, not fifty miles...just the next step, because the only thing you can affect is what is available for you to do right now, today.

There are dozens of books that speak on this topic. Read them! One of my favourites is "The Slight Edge", by Jeff Olson, and another classic is "Peak to Peek", by Dr Robert Schuller, but there are many more.

I wish you great success on your journey! Here is an Irish blessing for your journey to leave you with:

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields

And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Spring Cleaning

Ahhhhhh! Spring is in the air!

Signs of Spring: There have been no shortages of Garage Sales all over the city the last few weekends. It is like a scene from a movie where the empty street during the week becomes crowded with shopping stalls overflowing with knick-knacks for sale - Calgary's Garage Sale extravaganza starts the moment Spring does!

And of course, let's not forget the ultimate in sure signs that Spring is finally here - I have seen not just one, but dozens of Robins all over the city!

The Spring rain has come, finally, and with it the clean up of the streets of the grime remaining from winter. Our entire street is practically glowing green now as all the plants burst into life! I am very grateful for spring: for me it is the best symbol of renewal, revitalisation, growth and second chances. As a matter of fact, I hold a deeper resolve in Spring Time for committing to new Resolutions than I do at New Year's Eve.

I think most people do, even if only subconsciously.

Everyone has junk, both material and insubstantial, that they need to clean up. For us, we had a driveway full of garbage from the renovations we're finishing up, as well as few boxes of stuff that just seemed to accumulate over the winter. May long weekend was finally the time to throw it all into the truck and make a trip to the city dump! We also took some time to clear out our mental garbage as well, by looking at the failures of the last few months to find out what was good, what was bad, and changing our game plan in order to achieve new goals.

My hope every Spring is to start new, start fresh, re-commit to the goals I have been pursuing, or sometimes get rid of the old goals that were missed, lest the weight of missing them drags me down to a stop.

Spring is movement! It is momentum! I hope you have a chance to re-align yourself to your goals, clean up any mental or physical baggage that might be holding you back, and truly make a fresh start! June is almost upon us - let's all make sure we start that month with a clean slate, ready to progress forward to happiness, freedom, prosperity, or whatever else your goals may be this year!

Thanks again, Mother Nature, for showing us that all it takes sometimes is a little Spring Cleaning. =-)

Andreas Z.

www.zimenterprises.biz

Hey Everyone!

I want to share this music video with you all, a message of hope, belief in yourself and your dreams, faith in your team, and that possibilities exist for you to accomplish anything you need to even in your darkest hour. I don’t know if the message in these lyrics and video will touch you as they do me, but I hope that you can at least feel some inspiration from it.

http://youtu.be/7v0o27BPIIk

Bookmark this song, so whenever you are feeling low you can play this music video to bolster your spirits once again. I believe in you!

Sincerely,

Andreas Z.

www.zimenterprises.biz

5 Surprising Things That Burn Fat

A great post from my buddy and mentor Brian! His Blog is at:

http://profitnesstraining.blogspot.com/

5 Surprising Things That Burn Fat
Increase your fat-burning using these 5 simple tricks
Want to burn more fat? Who doesn't, right?
So here are 5 tips to help you do it...

TIP 1
Eliminate the Starch
Starches, such as rice, potatoes, some veggies, oats, etc. are often considered "health foods."
While they can be healthy, they can also pack on stomach fat big time!
Well... how does THAT work?
Simple: Timing is everything.
And we take a "weekly" approach to foods rather than a daily approach. This keeps your metabolism guessing. If your body cannot figure out what you're up to, fat burning is that much more powerful. And you can get by with eating starches... at least at specific times on specific days. It all depends on when you work out!
So it is a simple rule when it comes to starches. Only eat a starch in the meal following a workout! You will be replacing the glycogen that you burned working out instead of that glycogen getting converted to fat because your storehouse is already full. The body can only store approximately 300-500 calories of glycogen!

TIP 2
Can the PoP
This one is really hard for me. I've been hooked on diet-soda on and off for years. When I go to get into top shape I have to get rid of the diet-sodas... yes, DIET-sodas. Need I say "real" sodas too? They are loaded with sugar.
Why diet-sodas? A recent study revealed that people who drank diet-sodas actually increased body fat when compared to those who drank sugar-sodas. What the... ??
Yep. Your body cannot be fooled by aspartame and chemicals. Sorry, but that's the truth.
What you need to be drinking: A quart of pure water per 50 lbs of bodyweight a day.
I mix it with lemon and a bit of Stevia (an herbal sweetener) and make lemonade. It's awesome!
Or a nutrilite twist tube to get added vitamins and anti-oxidants.

TIP 3
Stay Hungry
Arnold's first movie was "Stay Hungry" (well, after "Pumping Iron" that is). You cannot rest on your butt and stay hungry. You cannot think you've "arrived" and stay hungry.
It takes a special person to be hungry... and an even greater one to stay that way.
I want you to stay hungry in two ways: In how you workout and literally... stay a bit hungry before you go to bed. Not "starving"... just a bit hungry.
For your workouts, I have a great solution. Get into the gym on a regular, consistent basis and let us help you melt body fat.
You see, progression -- "forced" progression -- is the best way to stay hungry. Progression is built into our training System.
As far as staying hungry at night? Check with your doctor and if he/she okays it take 500mg of potassium and 1000mg of magnesium/calcium a few hours prior to bed. This helps with the hunger pangs. Also, keep hard-boiled eggs in the fridge. If you get really hungry, eat one with half the yolk (toss the other half.) It keeps me full for an hour at least.

TIP 4
Cardio Clarity
Hours and hours of cardio a day is not the answer. However, you can do "light" cardio (i.e. brisk walking, or riding the bike at 60% of your max) just to burn off calories. That's okay... and personally I don't find it that boring if I'm watching a TV show. It does not interfere with my main fat loss exercise (weight training... YES!) And it burns off about 400 calories an hour.
What does work is early morning fasting cardio... but you only need 15-20 minutes when you are running on empty.

TIP 5
Get Raw At Night
Raw veggies with your last meal and as a snack will really help your fat burning going in the right direction. Keep an assortment of cut up veggies in the fridge for convenience. Give this a try. The fat loss is well worth it.