*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Welcome to all our new subscribers, and I extend my appreciation to everyone who forwards this newsletter to friends. One friend telling another is how we grow, and I deeply appreciate your support. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* IN THIS ISSUE: 1. Greetings from the
Editor *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* You have just gotten through Thanksgiving. I hope you had the opportunity to share this time with family and to count your blessings. Were you able to handle Thanksgiving in a way that you don't feel guilty? Are you ready to tackle the upcoming holidays? Remember that you can be make things easier on yourself in January by making better choices now. Please don't allow yourself to eat everything in sight between now and then because you feel you will over eat during the holidays anyway. On the other hand, maybe by being prudent now, you can indulge yourself during the holidays without back sliding too much with the progress you've made already. You can create the scenario that will take place. You do have the power to create the life that you want to live. And if you didn't do as well as you wanted to do on Thanksgiving, don't waste your time and energy feeling guilty. Guilt is an energy robber. It also sets you up for failure. Just brush yourself off, and get back on track with your eating and exercise program! Viveca *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* When you're too tired to go out to shop, shop online with hundreds of reputable merchants at VNET CYBER MALL. If you don't see what you're looking for, let us know and we will help you find it. Come check out our contests and freebies page. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Have you ever taken a good look at the cover of women's fitness magazines? The models are thin but they aren't "fit." They seem to be the direct opposite of what the magazine is about - fitness. Shouldn't the cover of a woman's fitness magazine show a real woman with muscle tone and not just another "perfect" body? Unfortunately, we'll probably never see a typical American woman on the cover of any woman's magazine. Our society is very "outer oriented" and it is the media's job to sell the myth of perfection. According to the American Psychological Association, 30-40% of Americans are somewhat unhappy with their appearance while another 45% may experience anxiety or depression due to dissatisfaction with their appearance. In other words, we are buying into the myth. We are also punishing ourselves for not having perfect bodies. It's our body's fault that we aren't happy- with our relationships, our jobs, and our lives. Therefore, we deny our bodies desserts, new clothes, and even love. Sadly, a lot of us hate our bodies (or certain parts) and this negative body image poisons the rest of our self-image. If you don't love all of you, how can you really be happy? How do you protect your self-esteem from the dangerous promise of perfection offered by the media? Be honest with yourself and practice self-acceptance. Due to genetics and body types, all of us can't be thin but we can all be healthy. Instead of comparing yourself to a model on the cover of a magazine, look in the mirror to find your own standard of beauty. Ask yourself if you are feeding your body nutritious foods and exercising regularly. Ask yourself if you are at a healthy weight -for you. In addition, self-acceptance means that you choose to feel good about yourself and to take care of yourself, regardless of society's standards. If you love yourself, love handles and all, your feelings about your body will not be influenced by media images.
1. Quit dissecting your body. "I like my thighs but I hate my fat stomach," for example harm your self-image. Appreciate how well your whole body works together to keep you going strong. Love the whole you. 2. Don't punish your body by playing mind games with food. Food is not the enemy. Eat healthy but don't obsess. Allowing yourself to enjoy treats helps prevent bingeing and keeps you in control. 3. Focus on who you are and not just on what your body looks like. Acknowledge the whole you and not just your body. What are your gifts, talents, and dreams? What have you done to uncover your hidden assets? How many lives have you touched? How is the world a better place because you are in it? 4. Speak lovingly and positively to yourself. Fight negative self-talk by complimenting yourself. Look for the good and praise it. Remind yourself how wonderful you are. 5. Take pleasure in just being alive. Be grateful for all you have and all that you are able to experience. Life is too short to be miserable over the external things that will fade away with time. Focus on living each moment from the inside out. 6. Pamper your body. Treat yourself to a facial, a manicure, or a pedicure. Indulge in a long, hot bubble bath. Wear a wonderful fragrance. 7. Take off your rose-colored glasses. Look at the other real bodies around you. The majority of us are not models. Appreciate the beauty of your own body and stop comparing yourself to glossy media images. 8. Learn the basics of exercise and nutrition and set realistic goals. Your focus should always be on your health. 9. Be the star of your own fitness program. Walk, run, bike, or do aerobics. Exercise makes you feel good about your body. Indulge your body in fun, feel-good activities often. 10. Dress up your self-esteem by taking care of your appearance. Wear clothes that are flattering to your figure no matter what size you wear. Stop waiting until you lose a "little more weight" before feeling good about yourself. 11. Ask for support and encouragement from family and friends when life is stressful and/or you are feeling down. 12. Focus on living a whole and fulfilled life--both personally and professionally. Enjoy family, friends, and, most importantly, life. Do something everyday that brings you joy.
About the Author: Edel Jarboe is the founder of Self Help for Her.com (http://www.selfhelpforher.com), an online self-help magazine helping you create your better life. She also publishes a free weekly newsletter, which features advice on goal setting, stress management, coping with difficult people, and overcoming obstacles: Subscribe subscribe@selfhelpforher.com and receive a FREE stress report. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Ten Fitness Obstacles and Their Solutions By Edel Jarboe Obstacle #1: "I don't feel like working out today." Whenever you feel tempted to skip your exercise routine or to put starting one off altogether, remind yourself of the reasons why you want to exercise. Write it down on an index card and read it whenever you feel like blowing off your health. Why do you want to get fit? How will being in shape benefit your life? Obstacle #2: "I'm just not motivated to exercise." Setting specific daily or weekly fitness goals helps you to focus on your performance and keeps you motivated. For example, committing to working out four days a week or walking five miles gives you a specific fitness target to aim for and makes it easier for you to make the time to exercise. It is also helpful to keep a record of your fitness performance so that you can up the stakes and stay challenged. Most importantly, you can provide ongoing motivation by rewarding yourself at the end of each week or month with a pedicure, massage, or new workout gear. Obstacle #3: "I don't have time to exercise." Schedule your fitness workouts for the week with a specific time, location, and activity. When you do this, you eliminate the excuse of not having enough time to workout. Quite simply, you make the time and honor this appointment with yourself. Obstacle #4: "I have a hard time staying motivated." Keep a workout journal. Tracking your progress helps you to see how far you've come. Record the date, activity, how long you worked out or how many reps you completed, and how you felt afterward. You could also keep track of your measurements and how you feel about your body as it becomes stronger and leaner. Obstacle #5: "I'm too busy to exercise." On crazy-busy days, instead of skipping your workout, do a mini- version of it. For example, if you don't have time for your usual one-hour step video, scale it down to 30 minutes using just the of warm-up and the beginner's level. Not only will you feel good about yourself but you will also maintain your fitness schedule. Being too busy is no longer an excuse because you can also take a couple of 10 or 15-minute fitness breaks during the day. Even on our busiest days we can find at least this much time for ourselves. The point is to keep moving so that we don't start using this excuse all the time and sabotage our fitness plan. Obstacle #6: "I got sick and haven't exercised in months." Always have a backup fitness plan. Be creative and come up with alternative fitness solutions for when you are out of town, bored, or in a time crunch. Planning for setbacks keeps you in control of your fitness. Working out before you go to work, at lunchtime, or adding a new activity to your fitness repertoire are all good solutions to the above fitness obstacles. Obstacle #7: "I'm not a fitness buff. I don't really like to exercise." Develop a fitness mindset anyway. When you see yourself as a walker, runner, or a step video queen exercise becomes second nature. How can you identify yourself as a fitness buff? Keep a regular exercise schedule and make your workout time as important as the other areas of your life. Obstacle #8: "I don't like working out alone." Find a workout buddy. Having someone else there on your road to fitness makes workouts more fun and adds the spirit of competition to your routine. You also keep each other motivated. Make sure your exercise partner has the same fitness goals and that you both commit to a regular workout schedule. Obstacle #9: "I'm bored with my exercise routine." Okay, so you've gotten your exercise routine down. Four times a week you run the same five miles. Yawn. Suddenly you don't feel like going for your run anymore. Spice it up. Look for new ways to make your workout fun and exciting. Try a new route or cross train. Alternate your running days with spinning classes, hiking, or rock climbing. Obstacle #10: "I'll always be out of shape." Acknowledge that your fitness is under your control and that you have the power to take charge of your health. Believe that you can make it happen. Copyright © 2001
by Edel Jarboe. All Rights Reserved. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* If you would like to submit an article, or place an advertisement In this newsletter, or if you have any questions or comments, send them to Editor@FitnessMotivatorNewsletter.com. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
If you need more motivation and some group support, feel free to subscribe to the Exercise Your Willpower mailing list. To get more information or to sign up, visit our website at: http://www.exerciseyourwillpower.com *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Subscription Information To subscribe or unsubscribe, please click here. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Please rate this Ezine at the Cumuli Ezine Finder. Please
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