The Final Piece of the Puzzle (Part 3)

 

         We have discussed why it is important to be fit and the three key elements of getting fit or maintaining your fitness. Let’s talk about something that sooner or later most of us will face as we strive to reach our full potential ….plateau.

From a fitness perspective, it appears that you are just not making any progress no matter how hard you try. A fitness plateau can happen to beginners or even to those who are regulars and consistent in exercising. If you have not experienced a plateau yet, don’t worry you will. Sorry to rain on your parade but it is common and natural for all of us to experience some sort of plateau. It is a way for our body to tell us it is time for a change. 

What causes a plateau? There are many reasons you may experience a plateau. I definitely can’t cover all of them but let’s touch on some common reasons. Why would someone experience a plateau when just starting off or not long into trying to get fit? I would argue that, based on my first two series of my blog, the person was not ready. Reaching your full potential starts with the mind and giving your body the proper fuel before you can physically challenge your body. Perhaps it is not a plateau at all? Remember my last post talked about being realistic and consistent. One approach does not fit all and some people’s bodies take longer to react to change than others.  Another reason for a beginner’s plateau is the simple fact that in the very beginning there is more of an opportunity for the body to make change than later. In other words, for someone who has never properly ate and/or exercised, the results of progress would be sooner once they started then perhaps several weeks later as they get in a routine.

Even though a physical plateau may happen in the beginning, it is more common to happen to someone that has been exercising…I mean “getting fit” for a longer period of time. A common reason for this is because an individual has been doing the same routine for too long of a period of time. What that period of time is depends on the individual. Routines are obviously necessary, however after a certain timeframe the body no longer gets challenged and adapts to the program providing minimal results. This is very common for those who have made fitness part of their lifestyle.  Sometimes taking a break is what your body may need.  Perhaps you may not be giving your body the proper rest to recoup and recover from the consistent shock it has been receiving? A few days off can do wonders for the body for a consistent fitness person.

Now that we discussed what fitness plateau is and some common reasons behind it, next post we will discuss some ideas of addressing it.

The Final Piece of the Puzzle (Part 2)



    

          Last post I laid the ground work for this series "The Final Piece of the Puzzle"; now I would like to start digging a little deeper. I mentioned that the word "exercising" is a turn off for many people. They hear that word and think running, treadmill, weights, and traditional methods that have been used for many years.  I am not knocking the traditional methods by no means ( I do a lot of them), but there are many ways that can assist in helping you keep fit or get in fit that perhaps you never thought of.  From my viewpoint there are three things to consider when fulfilling that final piece of the puzzle:

• Enjoy It!
• Be Consistent!
• Be Realistic!

           First let's talk "enjoy it".  Are you really going to be committed to do something that you do not enjoy? Your mindset needs to change from it being a chore to something you enjoy and look forward to. The easiest way to change the mindset is to find something that you enjoy doing that would help increase your metabolism. There are so many options and opportunities out there that I believe there is something for everyone. It does not have to be formal or even organized. No ...sitting on the couch watching television does not work! No....twelve ounce curls do not work either! Remember, the key is that it needs to be an activity that would increase your heart rate which increases your metabolism.           

          Next on the block "be consistent".  Whether you are in shape or out of shape, odds are you did not get that way overnight. Please do not expect to see change overnight either.  Just like the term "dieting" is fading away and being replaced with the term "lifestyle change", getting fit should also be a lifestyle change. In fact my entire blog is really geared to a lifestyle change.  That is why it is important for you to enjoy the journey on getting fit (or staying fit). One of the most common downfalls I see are people who start off ambitious but end up quitting because they do not see immediate results. Worse yet, people may see some immediate results but then plateau. They get discouraged and quit. I will most likely address this plateau issue at a later time. For now, just remember be consistent no matter what!

     Lastly "be realistic"! Your expectations and your goals need to be achievable. Don't set that bar too high or for sure you will want to quit. Build your confidence first by setting small goals that you know you will achieve. As your confidence grows, perhaps challenge yourself a little more. Not only be realistic in your goal setting, but be realistic with your schedule. Whatever activity you choose, you do not have to do it for two hours straight. In today's era, we are a society always on the go and seldom have much time to ourselves. That is a problem in itself and a topic for another day. More important than the length of time you spend, is how consistent you are.  Just for an example, 30 minutes four to five times a week is better than 90 minutes twice a week. We all have different schedules, so only you can decide how to be realistic with your schedule.

           So there you have it, enjoy it, be consistent, and be realistic. If you can accomplish all three, then you are on your way to reaching your full potential. See ya next post!

The Final Piece of the Puzzle

          For those of you who have been following my blog from the beginning, I have a few questions for you. Are you mentally ready? Are you giving your body the right energy? Are you ready for the final piece of the puzzle to reaching your full potential? For those of you who have not been following me, I would encourage you to check out my archive posts. My next series of posts, although important, are not as important as my first two series of posts. The subject of this series will be maximized by having a proper mindset and giving your body the proper nutrition. Have you guessed what the final piece of the puzzle is?

          Ladies and gentlemen, coming in third place and making the podium is KEEPING FIT! Wait ….don’t go anywhere! Notice how I did not say exercising? The word “exercising” is a turn off in many people’s eyes. Although I personally like the word and use it often; I like to approach this from a different angle. The truth of the matter is that keeping fit and exercising is synonymous. Thank God for spell check because I just hacked that word all up J  In keeping fit you physically allow yourself to do the things on this earth that are important to you. Your odds of reaching your full potential and fulfilling your purpose are much better than if you are not fit. I have heard of too many people that have not been able to reach their dreams or do some things they have always wanted to do because their body just will not allow it. You can only abuse your body for so long before you start feeling the effects from not taking care of it. Let me start by saying IT IS NOT TOO LATE! No matter how young or old you are, make today the first day of the rest of your life and embrace change.

            So what is keeping fit? Keeping fit in its simplest definition is nothing more than increasing your metabolism allowing your body to burn off those calories that have been building up. I told you it was a simple definition (my definition).  At my job I often hear the phrase “keep it simple”. I agree with that phrase. Life is not as complicated as we make it out to be. This is why I gave you a simple definition of keeping fit.  The more you understand and less intimidating it appears, the more achievable it seems. You have now just entered into the “World According to Dan”, keep it simple ….keep in fit.



Really! Time to go already! Good thing this is just the beginning of this series because I have a lot to talk about. More importantly, what do you have to share? Remember, we are all in this together and can learn from one another.

Is Your Mind Trained ???? (Part Two)

 

 

          10 to the 2,400,000,000th power! Do you know what that number is? If you were to write out that number with zero's being 1 inch wide, you are looking at a strip of paper being 37,000 miles long. That number is how likely it would be to find someone exactly like you based on the DNA molecules. That is unique. YOU ARE UNIQUE!!! Since you are that unique, don't you really want to reach your full potential and fulfill your purpose in life? It is very likely no one else will fulfill that purpose. Reaching your full potential requires taking care of yourself and as stated in my last post, it all starts with your mind.   

            If you are anything like me, it does not take much for your mind to start stinking thinking. With all the negative around us, with the stress in the workplace or even at home, with the majority of the news on the television being negative, and often the financial struggles we face, it is no wonder why it feels like an uphill battle! So how can we get positive and better yet, stay positive? My answer to that is, surround yourself with positive!!

            Since negative appears to be naturally around us, it will take effort to surround yourself with positive.  The effort may seem overwhelming at first, but stay the path and eventually it will start becoming easier and easier (check out the saying on this blog about "sowing").  I asked a co-worker of mine today "How do you stay positive?”  His response was only be concerned about the things you can control and stop stressing about the things you can't control.  I think that is a very wise statement. I can't tell you how many times I got upset, worried, or stressed over something I could not change.

            We all have our own ways or techniques on becoming positive, but let me share some of mine. First off, I believe that if you start the day wrong than it will be more challenging to end the day strong. Start the day by doing something that lifts your spirits (reading, music, talking to a loved one, etc.). With me, I am a man of faith and I start the day with devotions and prayer.  Speak positive things in the morning and set the tone for the day.  Surround yourself with positive people, positive phrases/sayings, and put yourself in a positive atmosphere. If you want to be a success then learn from those that are successful. Lastly, before closing your eyes for the night, think of something positive. Don't allow the last thoughts of the day to be negative.

Check out Will Smith's perspective on life:

                                                          
Oh by the way that statistical opening in this post, I learned it from the book I recommended last post "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren.

http://purposedriven.com/books/pdlbook/#purpose

 

 Make A Great Day!!!



Is Your Mind Trained????

            If you are anything like me, when you first think of the phrase Health & Wellness you think of exercising and eating right.  It sure is a challenge to exercise regularly and eat properly, but I do not believe either of those two areas are the greatest challenge.  The greatest challenge is above your shoulders. IT IS YOUR MIND!! Your mind controls your actions throughout the day. If you are not in the right mindset then your day will most likely not go as well as it could of. 

            Most of the battles in life are not physical in nature but mental.  We often talk ourselves out of opportunities and challenges before even physically attempting to move forward.  Change of any sort is uncomfortable. This feeling of not being comfortable starts in your mind.  There is a book I try to read at least once a year that really puts life in perspective. The book is called “The Purpose Driven Life” and is written by Rick Warren. In one section of the book it talks about your thoughts and how it affects the way you feel which then leads to how you act.  I highly recommend this book if you have not read it.  This is a faith based book, but even if you are not one of faith, this book has a lot of good information that would be helpful in reaching your full potential.

            Why am I spending so much time talking about your mind? If you want the most of your body and be able to reach your full potential your mind has to be trained. As we all know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.  Soooo…..to get different results you have to ……...uh oh ………...here it comes…………….….CHANGE.  

           We have now started the process of breaking the chains that bind our mind! Stay tuned to my next post and we will continue where we left off talking about the mind.  

                                                     

If you want more information concerning the book I have mentioned above, I have included the link below:

http://purposedriven.com/books/pdlbook/#purpose