Monday, August 13, 2012
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/
____________________________________
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.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
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
- 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
Monday, January 23, 2012
Thinking to keep you Healthy
Things that impact your body are:
- The outside environment
- What you take inside your body
- Exercise (or lack thereof)
- 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.
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
Saturday, January 21, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
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!
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!
Monday, September 12, 2011
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.
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.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
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.
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.
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