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It's easier than you think! |
The Priniciple Sign of Life is Movement!
Our primitive ancestors did not have luxury in their lives. It was eat or be eaten. It was survival at all costs. This meant being able to run, hide and hunt.
I was struck by the story of the woman who was attacked in her sleep while camping by a momma grizzly. She woke up with the grizzly chewing on her arm. She screamed. The bear bit harder. She got the message quickly. "Play dead." She went limp, feigned being dead, the bear loosened.
This bit of wilderness smarts served her well.
Inversely, if we lounge about and don't get some body movement into our daily regimen, we will be dead much sooner than later. All those diseases of modern civilization can quickly catch up to us: Diabetes, Cancers, Heart Disease.
So how do we become motivated to get up and move? As human beings, we have to primary motivators that cause us to act. You may know what they are.
Pain and Pleasure.
Funny thing about humans is that Pain is so much more effective than Pleasure. Both are great motivators. A lot of us, me included, have to have something really drastic to happen before we act. For me it was finding out that my high trigycerides put me a step away for the coronary unit of my local hospital.
Knowing that I had high triglycerides did nothing to motivate me to do something until I finally got a blood test in 2005. I guess I figured that if I just stayed away from the doctor, all would be well. It's important to know your numbers. So 508 became my magic number to motivate me to get on the ball, start taking fish oil and exercising. I started going to camps, wilderness events, biking and running.
Pain has become my friend of sorts. Like the rewarding pain of sore muscles telling me I did well on the softball field, or competed ably in a muddy buddy race.
Make it Fun!
But the real key for long term success in getting your body moving is that you have got to like it. Pleasure. Now I have had the privilege of visint 29 countries thus far in my life. I have seen a lot of cool things, but you don't have to travel far to find beauty.
I can guarantee you that if you are willing to travel 5-25 miles from where you live you will find a nature trail, a mountain, a forest, a river to visit. While you are bonding with the beauty of nature you won't even know that you just walked 5 miles. Or biked 10.
So if you are willing to make a committment that every weekend you are going to explore and discover something pleasurable to visit and view, you will find a love for life that you may not have previously known.
Sure beats watching television slumped on a couch.
How about the daily grind?
There are people walking around the track at the local high school. There are people right now walking up and down the bleachers in the stands at stadiums. In inclement weather, people put on their sneakers and go mall walking. (Just leave the wallet locked up out of view in your car. Stay away from the cinnibonn stands.)
Mind-State is important and the simplest way to change your state is through music. Change the beat. Those little ipods and mp3 players are very inexpensive.
Exercise Basics No. 2:
Establish an Accountability Partner
One of the best things you can do is establish and accountability partner in your life. A friend, a buddy who you can call up and say, "I walked 30 minutes today." And they can affirm back to you. "Great job."
Just don't let not having the Great Wall of China to walk on be your excuse not to go for a walk. Don't let not having a partner stop you from doing what you need to do. You can affirm yourself, "I love my life." "I am the best me I can be." Do it to a beat, make your own rhyme or rap.
Exercise Basics no 3:
Finding Energy
Nothing succeeds like success and nothing fails faster than failure. Momentum is the name of the game. If you can just get the boat in motion, the current will carry you far. Don't let the lack of energy be your excuse.
Good nutrition is number one for finding energy. But we don't always eat as well as we should that's why God made Multi-Vitamins and supplements.
My all time favorites for boosting energy
You also will "create" energy by exercising. It's amazing but if you exercise for even an half an hour before bed, I guarantee you, you wont' be able to go to sleep for awhile. The energy you create by exercising refreshes you and doesn't really drain you. I am not saying to exercise late at night, it's just an illustration to prove the point that exercising energizes your metabolism and will keep burning for hours after you stop exercising.
Conclusion
Be Well –
Garey AFAA Group Fitness Certified.
Yoga practitioner (5 years now!)
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Q and A:Q - I am too tired to exercise. I feel run down all the time. How can I break out of the rut I am in? Anonymous A - I was at dinner with friends the other night and I heard myself say, "There is no such thing as time. It's just a figment of our imaginations." Of course I was immediately challenged by my party. But, but but.... I really hadn't pre-meditated that I was going to make such a bold statement. I reasoned, "the past only exists in our memories. You can't revisit past events except in our memories. The future hasn't happened yet so we can't say that really exists either. The only thing we really have is now." So my advice to anyone who struggles with a lack of exercise, the only thing you can do right now is get started. The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. If you have health issues, you can see your doctor and get a referral to a fitness coach who can help you start at a level that will meet your needs. We also can offer you a 15 minute consultation with Vaughn over the phone. If you decide you want Vaughn to be your personal coach, he can help you as he has helped me! (info@vaughngray.com) Here is what the CDC says, There are 1,440 minutes in every day. Schedule 30 of them for physical activity! Regular exercise is a critical part of staying healthy. People who are active live longer and feel better. Exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight. It can delay or prevent diabetes, some cancers and heart problems. Most adults need at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days per week. Examples include walking briskly, mowing the lawn, dancing, swimming for recreation or bicycling. Stretching and weight training can also strengthen your body and improve your fitness level. The key is to find the right exercise for you. If it is fun, you are more likely to stay motivated. You may want to walk with a friend, join a class or plan a group bike ride. If you've been inactive for awhile, use a sensible approach and start out slowly. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Please visit for news and articles and topics of interest:  
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Quick Tip: One of the neglected areas of nutrition is not getting enough healthy fats. Healthy fats from free range chicken, pasture raised beef and healthy Omega-3s are the stuff that makes health really work. Before I go for a rigorous outing. I eat carbs and fats and protein to give me ballast and set my fat metabolism to "GO" So on Softball Sundays, I eat a pretty hearty breakfast. I don't want to run out of steam. Fats and Carbs are for your energy production. You will not gain weight from eating these healthy foods if you get outside for a few hours, they will also fire up the metabolism and will continue burning for many hours after. You were treated to Michael Phelps news stories during the Olympics: he was consuming 10.000 calories in one meal before a hard day of training. Did you see any excess fat on him? Nope. You and I aren't Michael Phelps but if we are going to learn about your body and how it works you can't be afraid of fats and carbs. Especially healthy and organic. Just make sure you get out there and give it all you've got. And that is not the diet you partake of before bed. Let's be clear on that! -Garey Website: Orderline: Customer Service: |
