As individuals, we have to define our own goals and use them as our guide. Goals are targets and can (should) be changed as our situations change. We target ourselves for a certain weight or exercise. Perhaps it is exercise related, running a marathon or triathlon, swimming in a race or maybe there are exterior goals such as rock climbing, skydiving or hang gliding. Whatever the case, write it down and have a plan for how you’ll achieve those goals, and DO IT.
What has always helped my through my goals in good health is finding something that I want to train for. For example, every year I walk 39 miles for Breast Cancer. It takes a lot training but I love it because it gives me a goal to get in better shape. I look at my diet and make small changes. I schedule my workouts in my calendar. It gets me motivated. Now, that is a ‘once a year’ event for me and my colleagues. Each year I strive to hit the goal and God-willing I am able to do so. But I think goals are about reaching higher, further than you possibly could imagine. What do I mean? It’s called ‘stretch goals’. What is it you want to accomplish, and can you improve that by 10%? Maybe 20%? Back to my annual walk. Those 39 miles are tough, and in two days that is like combining a marathon and a half! I’m beat and totally tired after the walk…and yes, no running is allowed. I have a certain time to get done, but I would like to beat it (I’m that competitive). How do I stretch my goal? I keep walking a bit faster each mile, put myself on a pace to get done early.
Achieving good health and living a healthy lifestyle is not hard to do. Set your goals and keep them front and center. You’ll find yourself doing thing better than you could possibly imagine and reaching higher than ever.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Positive Reinforcement
What’s Better: “Drop And Give Me 50, You Fat Cow,” or “Good Going, Let’s Try for Five More”?
Recently, I was watching an episode of The Biggest Loser, a program dedicated to helping very overweight people lose weight. I was aghast to see one of the trainers yelling, screaming and downright humiliating one of the contestants. This guy clearly was in no shape, physically or psychologically, for the sort of exercise he was asked to do.
I get it that some of us respond better to encouragement, while others of us respond better to fear and guilt – but even so, it was just too much. In my view, getting healthy doesn’t deserve yelling and screaming. There’s a behavior aspect that needs to be adjusted. This particular guy on TV was ridiculed to no end. I did see some positive strides being made, but no positive feedback.
How can anyone treat another human being that way? (Don’t answer that. ;-) It’s vulgar and mean, and I just don’t train that way. If I treated my clients that way, I wouldn’t have clients! Leave the yelling and screaming to the military boots camps. As for the rest of us – we’re training for healthier lives, not for the killing fields, for heaven’s sake.
Positive reinforcement is the way. If we don’t get positive reinforcement, how can we feel good about what we’re doing, let alone move forward? I’m not suggesting we need to be coddled and hand-held every step of the way. I’m saying it’s good to know when you’re doing a great job. Feeling good makes even really hard goals feel achievable.
Some clients ask me regularly about their fitness achievements, and what they can be doing to get to their next level. I love that they ask me! It makes me feel like I’m actually helping them get to their goals, and that they’re truly interested in succeeding. It’s a win-win.
With clients who don’t ask so much, I lay on the positive reinforcement anyway -- how much better they’re doing, how much more balanced they are in their workouts. I’d rather say “great job, go for 10 more,” than “drop and give me 50, you fat cow.”!
It’s important to take positive reinforcement into our everyday lives, too. Beyond workouts. “The Secret” is not such a big secret anymore, and parts of it are right on: Staying positive in life ia great way to get through your day. When you come upon negativity that brings you down, take a few deep breathes and re-frame it. Find the positive. It’s always there. And with it, we can get through any pretty much any obstacle that’s trying to block our way.
So there!
Recently, I was watching an episode of The Biggest Loser, a program dedicated to helping very overweight people lose weight. I was aghast to see one of the trainers yelling, screaming and downright humiliating one of the contestants. This guy clearly was in no shape, physically or psychologically, for the sort of exercise he was asked to do.
I get it that some of us respond better to encouragement, while others of us respond better to fear and guilt – but even so, it was just too much. In my view, getting healthy doesn’t deserve yelling and screaming. There’s a behavior aspect that needs to be adjusted. This particular guy on TV was ridiculed to no end. I did see some positive strides being made, but no positive feedback.
How can anyone treat another human being that way? (Don’t answer that. ;-) It’s vulgar and mean, and I just don’t train that way. If I treated my clients that way, I wouldn’t have clients! Leave the yelling and screaming to the military boots camps. As for the rest of us – we’re training for healthier lives, not for the killing fields, for heaven’s sake.
Positive reinforcement is the way. If we don’t get positive reinforcement, how can we feel good about what we’re doing, let alone move forward? I’m not suggesting we need to be coddled and hand-held every step of the way. I’m saying it’s good to know when you’re doing a great job. Feeling good makes even really hard goals feel achievable.
Some clients ask me regularly about their fitness achievements, and what they can be doing to get to their next level. I love that they ask me! It makes me feel like I’m actually helping them get to their goals, and that they’re truly interested in succeeding. It’s a win-win.
With clients who don’t ask so much, I lay on the positive reinforcement anyway -- how much better they’re doing, how much more balanced they are in their workouts. I’d rather say “great job, go for 10 more,” than “drop and give me 50, you fat cow.”!
It’s important to take positive reinforcement into our everyday lives, too. Beyond workouts. “The Secret” is not such a big secret anymore, and parts of it are right on: Staying positive in life ia great way to get through your day. When you come upon negativity that brings you down, take a few deep breathes and re-frame it. Find the positive. It’s always there. And with it, we can get through any pretty much any obstacle that’s trying to block our way.
So there!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Tune Up With Touch
Next to yoga and meditation, I rank massage right up there as a valuable and useful (and heavenly!) way to relax. There are certainly different ways to ease the mind and body, but for me, it's massage.
We all have a tendency to give up what is important to us, to make room for conference calls, meetings and errands -- and before we know it, we feel burned out. Taking the time out of a busy day to get a massage is one of the most important ways to heal the body, mind and spirit.
Massage therapy is especially helpful for de-stressing the muscles around your neck and shoulders, where most people hold tension.
When you have relieved muscles, you can perform better at your workouts and your everyday life. A professional massage therapist knows where to touch, how much pressure to apply, and how to make a difference.
Finding the right massage therapist takes some research. Obviously, you want to find the best fit for you. Start by asking friends whom they recommend -- bearing in mind that everyone will swear they have the best massage therapist EV-er. ;-)
Before you hop up on the table, do ask the clarifying questions, which really do matter: How long they been in massage therapy? (One of my Denver favorites, Carolina Gosselin, has been performing massage therapy for so long, she very literally rubbed the fingerprints off her fingers!)
Where did they acquire their certification? What kind of massage therapy do they perform? And most importantly, just see if you connect with them. There’s nothing worse than showing up at your appointment, only to feel ill at ease, for whatever reason.
What if you don’t feel comfortable? You have two choices: Stay and tough it out, or get up and leave. I tried the first path once, at a chain that offered cheap-cheap-cheap ($30) massages – and ended up with a severely stiff neck for several weeks afterwards. I knew as soon as she started jamming her elbow into my neck that it didn’t feel good, but I stayed quiet, stayed polite. I should’ve gotten up and left. Do have the courage to get up and walk out.
(Massage Etiquette 101: Just as it’s tacky to ask for a doggy bag at an all-you-can-eat buffet, don’t get up and walk out 55 minutes into your one hour massage. If it’s not working, leave within the first 10 to 15 minutes.)
Taking the time for massage is very important for your mind, body and soul. An hour every two weeks is ideal (and luxurious!). If you can’t commit to the ideal, then try once a month. Even once a quarter is better than none.
Here are some links to help you find the right massage therapist for you:
www.finda.com
We all have a tendency to give up what is important to us, to make room for conference calls, meetings and errands -- and before we know it, we feel burned out. Taking the time out of a busy day to get a massage is one of the most important ways to heal the body, mind and spirit.
Massage therapy is especially helpful for de-stressing the muscles around your neck and shoulders, where most people hold tension.
When you have relieved muscles, you can perform better at your workouts and your everyday life. A professional massage therapist knows where to touch, how much pressure to apply, and how to make a difference.
Finding the right massage therapist takes some research. Obviously, you want to find the best fit for you. Start by asking friends whom they recommend -- bearing in mind that everyone will swear they have the best massage therapist EV-er. ;-)
Before you hop up on the table, do ask the clarifying questions, which really do matter: How long they been in massage therapy? (One of my Denver favorites, Carolina Gosselin, has been performing massage therapy for so long, she very literally rubbed the fingerprints off her fingers!)
Where did they acquire their certification? What kind of massage therapy do they perform? And most importantly, just see if you connect with them. There’s nothing worse than showing up at your appointment, only to feel ill at ease, for whatever reason.
What if you don’t feel comfortable? You have two choices: Stay and tough it out, or get up and leave. I tried the first path once, at a chain that offered cheap-cheap-cheap ($30) massages – and ended up with a severely stiff neck for several weeks afterwards. I knew as soon as she started jamming her elbow into my neck that it didn’t feel good, but I stayed quiet, stayed polite. I should’ve gotten up and left. Do have the courage to get up and walk out.
(Massage Etiquette 101: Just as it’s tacky to ask for a doggy bag at an all-you-can-eat buffet, don’t get up and walk out 55 minutes into your one hour massage. If it’s not working, leave within the first 10 to 15 minutes.)
Taking the time for massage is very important for your mind, body and soul. An hour every two weeks is ideal (and luxurious!). If you can’t commit to the ideal, then try once a month. Even once a quarter is better than none.
Here are some links to help you find the right massage therapist for you:
www.finda.com
Sunday, July 25, 2010
The Punishment of Gluttony
Independence Day: A time to rejoice the birth of our nation, celebrate our individual and collective independence … and watch 20 or so big eaters go nuts gorging on Nathan's Famous Weiners, in their 94th annual hot dog eating contest?
No really. I’ll spare you the flatulent details, but suffice it to say there were well over 400 hotdogs (with buns) eaten by these bingers. Fans cheered and rooted on their 'heroes'. The winner, in fact, slammed down FIFTY FOUR HOT DOGS in 10 minutes. It probably won’t come as any big surprise that my mind wandered off to the dangers of overeating.
Hey. We all go off our 'program' at times. What’s most important isn’t as much the recognition of our 'sin' as how we handle it afterward. On Independence Day weekend, we find ourselves focused on fireworks, togetherness, celebration and re-birth....but let’s be realistic. We also find ourselves focused on potato salad and cheeseburgers and beers and ice cream.
None of this is bad - unless you go overboard and cannot control the difference between what your mouth wants, and what your body needs. If you find yourself eating too much, which many of us do, don't feel so bad. It happened. It's over. Turn the page and start fresh. Put some distance between that “bad eating day” and many good days, and, soon enough, it’ll be in the rear-view mirror.
A good way to keep your food mentalities in check is to apply the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time we should eat well and healthy and drink lots of water. And 20% of the time we should be human! ;-)
Live a little! Have some fun. I think the 80/20 ratio is a great way to stay healthy in body and mind.
We all fall down. It's how quickly we get up and make the right choices that’s the difference between 10 “vanity” pounds that could go, and 50 “health-impacting” pounds that must go.
So on those holidays that invite overeating and drinking, have fun. Then, as soon as you can, get back on track.
No really. I’ll spare you the flatulent details, but suffice it to say there were well over 400 hotdogs (with buns) eaten by these bingers. Fans cheered and rooted on their 'heroes'. The winner, in fact, slammed down FIFTY FOUR HOT DOGS in 10 minutes. It probably won’t come as any big surprise that my mind wandered off to the dangers of overeating.
Hey. We all go off our 'program' at times. What’s most important isn’t as much the recognition of our 'sin' as how we handle it afterward. On Independence Day weekend, we find ourselves focused on fireworks, togetherness, celebration and re-birth....but let’s be realistic. We also find ourselves focused on potato salad and cheeseburgers and beers and ice cream.
None of this is bad - unless you go overboard and cannot control the difference between what your mouth wants, and what your body needs. If you find yourself eating too much, which many of us do, don't feel so bad. It happened. It's over. Turn the page and start fresh. Put some distance between that “bad eating day” and many good days, and, soon enough, it’ll be in the rear-view mirror.
A good way to keep your food mentalities in check is to apply the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time we should eat well and healthy and drink lots of water. And 20% of the time we should be human! ;-)
Live a little! Have some fun. I think the 80/20 ratio is a great way to stay healthy in body and mind.
We all fall down. It's how quickly we get up and make the right choices that’s the difference between 10 “vanity” pounds that could go, and 50 “health-impacting” pounds that must go.
So on those holidays that invite overeating and drinking, have fun. Then, as soon as you can, get back on track.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Working With Your Personal Ideal
So you don't feel like Wonder Woman today? Cut yourself some slack. Which is not the same as slacking off.
When we wake up each morning, sometimes we can smell the coffee, and sometimes not. Let’s face it: We don’t always wake up at our personal best. Not enough sleep. Too much stress. Too much on the to-do list.
Distractions, real and imagined, prevent us from consciously committing to being our best selves.
As a trainer, and having worked in the fitness industry for over 15 years, I’ve developed a keen sense of intuition about how my clients are doing on any given day -- often without them even speaking a word to me.
Yes, friends, I can tell when you’re stressed, tired, sick, or just a little ho-hum. I’ve seen you when your energy hits me like a tidal wave, and I’ve seen you when your energy hits me like a faucet trickle. My job is to create a workout for you that jives with your vibes.
It works better for me, though, when we work together. When you go to see your trainer, or your yoga instructor, or your pilates class, and you’re feeling like a 3 out of 10, don’t overcompensate. Toning it down a little is not a bad thing!
Our bodies get overworked and stressed out and yes! Exercise aids in all of that. No doubt. But it’s all relative, and it’s important to factor in some reality about how hard to push ourselves at any given point in time.
So if you’re a 3 out of 10, take it down a notch for today. Maybe a little less incline on the treadmill, or, if you lift, drop your weights back a few pounds. Do fewer repetitions, do whatever it takes to get you through your workout. Importantly, get THROUGH it. You’ll feel satisfied that you did. Maybe it’ll even bring you up to a 5.
Be conscious about wanting to work at your personal best, but know that it’s not always possible. Every day is a new day. Maybe tomorrow you’re rested and ready to take on the world. Then you can push yourself a little harder. As with everything, seek balance and consistency.
At the end of a longer timeframe, say a month or two, you will see the difference in your results. Write it down, if that works for you. I write down in my journal daily about how I’m feeling, what may have influenced me and what kind of energy I had. Was I high energy or low energy? Did I give it my all, and if not why? I ask more questions about my own behavior because it teaches me what works, for me, to try to live healthy.
And hello: This is not an invitation to slack. Be very honest with yourself. Tag a low energy day as such, but go do your workout. Get through it. Don’t skip it.
When we wake up each morning, sometimes we can smell the coffee, and sometimes not. Let’s face it: We don’t always wake up at our personal best. Not enough sleep. Too much stress. Too much on the to-do list.
Distractions, real and imagined, prevent us from consciously committing to being our best selves.
As a trainer, and having worked in the fitness industry for over 15 years, I’ve developed a keen sense of intuition about how my clients are doing on any given day -- often without them even speaking a word to me.
Yes, friends, I can tell when you’re stressed, tired, sick, or just a little ho-hum. I’ve seen you when your energy hits me like a tidal wave, and I’ve seen you when your energy hits me like a faucet trickle. My job is to create a workout for you that jives with your vibes.
It works better for me, though, when we work together. When you go to see your trainer, or your yoga instructor, or your pilates class, and you’re feeling like a 3 out of 10, don’t overcompensate. Toning it down a little is not a bad thing!
Our bodies get overworked and stressed out and yes! Exercise aids in all of that. No doubt. But it’s all relative, and it’s important to factor in some reality about how hard to push ourselves at any given point in time.
So if you’re a 3 out of 10, take it down a notch for today. Maybe a little less incline on the treadmill, or, if you lift, drop your weights back a few pounds. Do fewer repetitions, do whatever it takes to get you through your workout. Importantly, get THROUGH it. You’ll feel satisfied that you did. Maybe it’ll even bring you up to a 5.
Be conscious about wanting to work at your personal best, but know that it’s not always possible. Every day is a new day. Maybe tomorrow you’re rested and ready to take on the world. Then you can push yourself a little harder. As with everything, seek balance and consistency.
At the end of a longer timeframe, say a month or two, you will see the difference in your results. Write it down, if that works for you. I write down in my journal daily about how I’m feeling, what may have influenced me and what kind of energy I had. Was I high energy or low energy? Did I give it my all, and if not why? I ask more questions about my own behavior because it teaches me what works, for me, to try to live healthy.
And hello: This is not an invitation to slack. Be very honest with yourself. Tag a low energy day as such, but go do your workout. Get through it. Don’t skip it.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Relax, Meditate, Slow Down
Relax. Meditate. Slow Down.
Along with making definitive room for your workout in your busy schedule, you do need to get a little relaxation. Sounds counter-intuitive, but, so are lots of things! The world is yin and yang, black and white, good and evil. Life needs balance, you need balance. Without balance you are stressing too hard on one side vs. the other.
In short: To keep your mind, body and spirit healthy, you need to carve out some quiet time.
Do it by finding 30 minutes a day to sit quietly. (This will be the hardest part, finding the time!)
If you’re familiar with meditation, all the better. If not, just sit still. Sit in a quiet room: No TV, no radio, no iPod, no screens. Just sit quietly. Try to clear your mind. Try to think of nothing. Yes it’s hard to do, but with some practice you can calm the mind. If your mind is totally corkscrewed into a motor-head realm, start with 5 minutes. Work your way up to 30. Set an alarm, so you don’t have to worry about how many minutes have passed.
Why stillness and meditation matters: It helps aid in stress relief, sicknesses, and above all, peace of mind.
Here are some techniques that can help:
Count Your Breaths. That’sright, just count. Count every inhale, count every exhale. It’s a way to clear the mind that you can do even when you’re walking.
Follow Your Breaths. This means focusing more intently on your breaths. If you’ve taken yoga, you’ve heard the line “go to your breath.” This is a variation. Relax, breathe. In through your nose, out through your mouth; in through your mouth, out through your nose, doesn’t matter. Just focus on filling your lungs with air.
Visualize. Go to your happy place, in other words: Think about the cool breeze of the beach, the sunset, a very delicious mango shake or whatever you feel like thinking about, as long as it is positive. Not only will you start to relax. You really will reduce tension and stress.
Want more?Here’s a useful web site for further meditation techniques:
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-491/Meditation-Techniques-for-Beginners-Demonstrated-by-Deepak-Chopra-Video.html
Along with making definitive room for your workout in your busy schedule, you do need to get a little relaxation. Sounds counter-intuitive, but, so are lots of things! The world is yin and yang, black and white, good and evil. Life needs balance, you need balance. Without balance you are stressing too hard on one side vs. the other.
In short: To keep your mind, body and spirit healthy, you need to carve out some quiet time.
Do it by finding 30 minutes a day to sit quietly. (This will be the hardest part, finding the time!)
If you’re familiar with meditation, all the better. If not, just sit still. Sit in a quiet room: No TV, no radio, no iPod, no screens. Just sit quietly. Try to clear your mind. Try to think of nothing. Yes it’s hard to do, but with some practice you can calm the mind. If your mind is totally corkscrewed into a motor-head realm, start with 5 minutes. Work your way up to 30. Set an alarm, so you don’t have to worry about how many minutes have passed.
Why stillness and meditation matters: It helps aid in stress relief, sicknesses, and above all, peace of mind.
Here are some techniques that can help:
Count Your Breaths. That’sright, just count. Count every inhale, count every exhale. It’s a way to clear the mind that you can do even when you’re walking.
Follow Your Breaths. This means focusing more intently on your breaths. If you’ve taken yoga, you’ve heard the line “go to your breath.” This is a variation. Relax, breathe. In through your nose, out through your mouth; in through your mouth, out through your nose, doesn’t matter. Just focus on filling your lungs with air.
Visualize. Go to your happy place, in other words: Think about the cool breeze of the beach, the sunset, a very delicious mango shake or whatever you feel like thinking about, as long as it is positive. Not only will you start to relax. You really will reduce tension and stress.
Want more?Here’s a useful web site for further meditation techniques:
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-491/Meditation-Techniques-for-Beginners-Demonstrated-by-Deepak-Chopra-Video.html
Turning it OFF will Turn you ON
Here’s a reality sequence that may sound familiar: You come home from a long day at work. You put your stuff down, look in the fridge, scrounge up some dinner -- and sit down in front of the screen. Doesn’t matter what screen it is – TV, laptop, family PC, iPad. It’s a screen. You sit in front of it. It’s a habit.
Perhaps this is obvious, folks, but in case it’s not: Screens are a habit. The bad news is, they’re a sedentary habit. We SIT in front of our screens.
The good news is, just like rules, habits can be broken. We look our screens day in, day out, week after week, month after month. We get tons done! Right? (And they’re a plausible refuge, right? “I have to work.”)
Get UP. Stop thinking so much. Move your body. Push your body! Go for a walk around the block, for starters, or pretend you’re a Marine. Drop and gimme 50! (Ok, 10. To start.)
Head too busy? Ok, get out another tool: Your music. I often work out with my iPod. It doesn’t quiet the brain’s restlessness, in making lists and multi-tasking, but it can drown it out for a while.
Or, go to the farthest extreme: Unplug. Disconnect your satellite or cable subscription, and back off on the Hulu and the YouTube, too. Go look at the bugs in your garden. Count the bees. Pull a weed or 10. Bitch about the Miller moths, this time of year. Just keep your eyes off of the screen.
The best way to become a former couch potato is to stop spending so much time there. End up there, instead of starting there.
Whatever you choose to do, understand that it's not all that bad, but like anything good it’s best for the physiology of your body to choose moderation over excess. That goes for the screens, too.
So here’s an alternative. Come home from work, put your stuff down, and change into something more comfortable. Something you’d wear to, say, go for a walk, or a run, or a hike, or a bike ride. If your brain is too busy, plug in to some tunes.
This isn’t news to you, right? You know this, and you know what to do. I’m just here to remind you to apply some discipline. Get your eyes off the screen. Turning it off you will turn it ON!!!!! Try it. Tell me what happens.
Perhaps this is obvious, folks, but in case it’s not: Screens are a habit. The bad news is, they’re a sedentary habit. We SIT in front of our screens.
The good news is, just like rules, habits can be broken. We look our screens day in, day out, week after week, month after month. We get tons done! Right? (And they’re a plausible refuge, right? “I have to work.”)
Get UP. Stop thinking so much. Move your body. Push your body! Go for a walk around the block, for starters, or pretend you’re a Marine. Drop and gimme 50! (Ok, 10. To start.)
Head too busy? Ok, get out another tool: Your music. I often work out with my iPod. It doesn’t quiet the brain’s restlessness, in making lists and multi-tasking, but it can drown it out for a while.
Or, go to the farthest extreme: Unplug. Disconnect your satellite or cable subscription, and back off on the Hulu and the YouTube, too. Go look at the bugs in your garden. Count the bees. Pull a weed or 10. Bitch about the Miller moths, this time of year. Just keep your eyes off of the screen.
The best way to become a former couch potato is to stop spending so much time there. End up there, instead of starting there.
Whatever you choose to do, understand that it's not all that bad, but like anything good it’s best for the physiology of your body to choose moderation over excess. That goes for the screens, too.
So here’s an alternative. Come home from work, put your stuff down, and change into something more comfortable. Something you’d wear to, say, go for a walk, or a run, or a hike, or a bike ride. If your brain is too busy, plug in to some tunes.
This isn’t news to you, right? You know this, and you know what to do. I’m just here to remind you to apply some discipline. Get your eyes off the screen. Turning it off you will turn it ON!!!!! Try it. Tell me what happens.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)