*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 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. If you know anyone who might like it, please forward this newsletter to them or send them this link: http://www.FitnessMovtivatorNewsletter.com. Attention AOL Members See Information At
The Bottom of this Newsletter. IN THIS ISSUE: 1. Greetings
from the Editor
Dear Fitness Friends, Thanksgiving is fast approaching! Where did the year go? Before long, if you haven't already, you will be worrying about gaining weight during the next few months. Hopefully, some of these articles may inspire you and/or give you information which may help to keep you from gaining weight. The next few months you are sure to be busy. You will benefit greatly if you plan ahead and make a point of getting in regular exercise and choose to eat as healthfully as possible. Remember it is NOT an all or nothing endeavor. You may not be perfect in your attempts, so don't expect yourself to be perfect 100% of the time. On the other hand, don't use indiscriminate eating or lack of exercise on a particular day to be an excuse to let your well-laid plans slide. Take each day as it comes and commit to being kind to yourself by making the best choices. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, I would also like to hear from you. For that matter, I would even like you just to drop me a line just to let me know that you read this newsletter. Have the happiest of thanksgivings! Wishing you fitness and good health,
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "Success must be felt within before it can be seen on the outside." ~ Unknown *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Save 10% at Invitations Galore's Holiday Site
Deadline for 10% discount is November 30. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Eating preparations in the run up to Thanksgiving The turkey tsunami hits on the 3rd Thursday in November. It comes complete and replete with piles of potatoes, pies, sauces, stuffing, and all the rest. When you survey that mound of food, you realize that everything in there is healthy. If you're eating all healthy foods, what’s the problem? The problem is volume, pure and simple. Eating a trough full of anything will make you overweight and unhealthy; and the typical Thanksgiving meal is normally served with a forklift. Name one thing on this planet that you cannot overconsume, to make it become bad for you. Short term problem after Thanksgiving, most people have to be rolled away from the table to recover on the couch for a solid hour of college football. Obviously, if the stretch receptors in the wall of your stomach are screaming at you stop, Stop, STOP, you have added far too many calories at that meal. In addition to the terrible feeling of being completely stuffed, you have simply added to your expanding horizons. Long term problem You stomach is completely adaptable, and responds to what you put in it. If you put it too much food, you are simply training your stomach to receive more and more food at the next sitting. This long term problem comes back at you down the road by increasing your tendency to overeat in the future. Just as you can train yourself to eat smaller over time, you can train yourself to eat and overeat gigantic portions. Now what do we do? Begin preparing for T-day now. Put away your large plates and replace them with the medium sized ones. When you do this, you will put less on your plate than you normally do, and you can begin to train your body to expect less food in the long term. Make that amount last through the entire meal (about 20 - 30 minutes). When T-day does arrive, you will eat on your smaller plate, consume less food, and be the only groan-free member of your family on the post-dinner couch! Dr. Will Clower is the award-winning author of The Fat Fallacy and founder of The PATH Curriculum, The PATH Online, and Newsletter. The PATH: America’s weight solution. Dr. Clower can be reached on his website www.fatfallacy.com. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "Striving for excellence motivates you; striving
for perfection is demoralizing." *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Fitting Fitness into Your Busy ScheduleBy Deborah Mullen Do you know about the benefits of exercise and the risks of inactivity, yet still find it difficult to incorporate physical activity into your lifestyle? If so, you are not alone. Most people have good intentions, but don't seem to find the time, or inclination to exercise. This article is written for you. When you are finished reading it, I hope that you will have found a few tips that you can use, and a way to help you to actually do them. Your Automobile Which do you find more appealing: a) a two-minute drive with long stoplights, heavy traffic and a search for a parking space or b) a ten minute walk where you get to be outdoors and get a chance to slow down and take notice of things? I'm hoping that you preferred the second, otherwise you need more help than I can give you. Why do we use our cars for such short trips? If safety isn't a concern, then probably it's just force of habit. Really, now, an extra ten minutes won't collapse your day's schedule. Think of the saving in wear and tear on your car--your starter motor will thank you. You know that the walk will do wonders for de-stressing you, so next time you hear that nasty little voice urging you to turn the key and hit the gas pedal--just lock the doors and hoof it! If you do have to drive around to do errands, make sure to park in the farthest space in the parking lot. This forces you to get an extra few minutes in--remember it all adds up! You also will save a lot of dings and scratches to your car this way. Your Office At work, why don't you try hand-delivering messages instead of picking up the phone? It's a great way to limber up muscles that have gotten stiff from sitting too long. Also, the recipient of your message would probably appreciate talking with you in person. The simplest way to increase your physical activity at work is...if there is an elevator, don't use it! If your office is higher than the fifth floor, you are allowed to take the elevator--but only to the floor that is 3-5 floors below yours! Accept the fact that people will give you odd stares. Oh, well. They are concerned with convenience, while you are concerned with staying healthy. Bring your walking shoes and turn your coffee break into a " stress-reduction and revitalization break". It really isn't that hard to do. Remember, this isn't a cardio workout--you won't get sweaty and have to change your clothes if you walk at a moderate pace for ten minutes. It's best to keep your shoes at work. Every Monday bring five pairs of socks to work and on Friday bring them home. Try to come up with a few different walks. Assess how your body and your mind feel before and after your walk. The benefits will spur you on to continue the habit. At Home Modern technology has taken the physical activity out of chores. I'm sure that you're happy not to have to mow the grass with a push mower or to use a washboard for clothes. That's o.k. But you need to replace that lost physical activity with something else. When watching television, use commercial breaks to climb the stairs five times. Take " physical breaks" from the desk or computer to tone your muscles for five minutes with some easy strength-training exercises. With a little creativity, you can think of some ways to combat being a high-tech slug and move around more! In order for you to actually incorporate any of these ideas, you must first change your attitude about them. If the " little voice" in your head automatically dismisses a potentially good one for you, remember not to listen. Usually it's a feeble excuse to keep things as they are. "Not enough time" is the primary excuse for remaining inactive. You Do Have Time! Five or ten minutes isn't going to effect anything. If it is, you are in serious need of some time management consulting. "Too tired" is the second most common excuse. Sitting all day will make you feel tired and sluggish. A little physical activity will blast oxygen to your brain and muscles, thus revitalizing you. Also, it is one of the best ways to combat excessive stress and anxiety--our bodies were designed to use physical activity as a response to stress (fight or flight). For any of the other excuses you come up with, just remember, they are only that. Acknowledge them for what they are-and do it anyway. Think of how important it is to your health that you add this crucial physical activity into your lifestyle. Think Physical Activity, Not Exercise Do you find yourself making excuses for not exercising? Here are some tips to make it a more enjoyable experience. Do you find that you say to yourself "I hate to exercise"? That's o.k. Many (or most) sedentary people feel this way. If that's the way you feel then don't exercise. All you really are trying to do is increase your physical activity. You must change your attitude if you are to succeed. Don't think exercise, think physical activity. And when you think of physical activity, think of a fun recreational activity that just happens to include moving your body. Walking Walking is the easiest and most popular way to increase your physical activity. If you think walking would be something you might want to do more of, but haven't got around to it on a consistent basis, you need to think of ways to make it fun. I'm going to throw a phrase at you that I will use again in this article: If it's Not Fun, it's Not Done. Find an interest of yours that could be taken into the walk. How about strolling through the neighborhood to check out the gardens? Or who got a new car? Or what houses are being refurbished? I'm sure you can think of something. Remember to tell yourself this is the reason for the walk. Are there birds you would like to know the names of? Buy a bird guide and use that to identify the ones you see on the walk. Keep track of how many different species you see. Who says you have to move the same way throughout the walk? I don't know about you, but I find that walking the same way all the time isn't very fun. For variety, I like to do intervals of something different: walk faster (by taking shorter, quicker steps), walking sideways, (right foot behind left, left, right in front of left--then face the other way and left behind right, etc.) and walking backwards (hey, it's great for the front of the thigh and for improving balance). My 71 year old mom, when first attempting backwards walking, thought it was a little strange. Now she does it at the end of each walk--and gets a kick out of the looks she receives! Do you have a piece of cardio equipment that is currently being used as a clothes rack? Do you like to watch movies? (and what do these two questions have in common?) Get videos to watch when you're on the treadmill, bike, stairclimber, etc. Buy, swap with friends or rent from the library (you get them for a week). Then only watch that movie when you are on your cardio machine. This is a great way to stick to your workout and to make it a lot more fun. You'll find that when you are absorbed in a movie, the minutes fly by. As the suspense increases, so will your speed. You may even find yourself staying on a little longer just to see the end of a scene. Strength Training, the Most Time-Efficient Way to Better Fitness I'm sure that you have come across articles telling you how great strength-training is (a.k.a. resistance training, weight training). Well believe them, because they are true. If you're looking for a really quick, easy and efficient way to better fitness, this is it. You can add muscle or tone up what you already have, effectively drop extra body fat, and prevent or even reverse certain diseases, all in 1/2 hour, twice a week! You don't need fancy equipment, elaborate exercises, or a membership at a gym. There is a simple, safe and inexpensive ways to train at home...see The 2 Day Workout Family Recreation--Quality Time and Better Health in One Activity What types of things does your family do for recreation? Watch television? Have a barbecue? Why not replace a few hours a week of your more sluggish activities and try something a little more physical. If it's important for your family's health, can't you arrange your priorities and squeeze in some physical fun? Then you will truly be spending some quality time. Kids aren't very interested in doing something that's good for their health. They need a better motivator (and so do you). Remember, If it's Not Fun, it's Not Done. Walking is a good physical activity for starters. Try using the techniques mentioned before. Also, you can add things like follow the leader--each family member gets to lead for 5 minutes. Set rules ahead of time for what is allowed. Ideas are: walk "tightrope" on the curb, walk up and down on the curb, hop to sidewalk lines, weave in and out of trees--there are lots more. Have each member of your family come up with four ideas. If you are lucky enough to live near a state park or forest area, hit the trails in a fun way. Use nature walks as a way of counting how many different birds, animal, flowers, etc. that you can find. After deciding on a category and going over an identification guide, give each family member a check-off list on each walk (don't say "hike"). Decide on a healthy reward for the member with the most sightings. How to Stick With Your Physical Activity Plan I hope that you've found a handful of ways to add a little more physical activity into your lifestyle. Now you need to come up with a few ways to make sure that you do them. The Contract Personal trainers love to use contracts to get clients to commit to their plans. We find them to be useful for targeting the type and amount of physical activity to be done in a certain time frame, with a reward named for compliance. When giving Family Fitness Workshops, I find that the contract is very popular. (If you are single, simply make one out for yourself and possibly some friends) First, have your family brainstorm physical activities with a duration of 30 minutes or more that they would enjoy and that can realistically be done. Come up with a minimum number of sessions you would like to perform in a month. Next agree on a healthful reward (go to the movies, buy a new video, cd, etc.) Then fill out the contract and have each family member sign it. Post it in a visible place. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CONTRACT The (name)_______________________________ family, during the
month of _________________ will participate in
(number)__________ physical sessions of at least 30 minutes.
If we successfully do this, we will treat ourselves to:
_________________________ __________________________________________
Get organized. Do whatever you can ahead of time. Planning ahead helps to overcome the tendency to put off the activity when the time comes to actually do it. Place your walking shoes and socks in your doorway so that you will have to either trip over them or put them on when you get home. Have air in your bicycle tires and water in your bottle. Here is a typical "dragging your feet" scenario---say that you've planned a nature walk for the upcoming Saturday morning. You picture how nice it will be, how much fun you will have. Saturday morning arrives. You find that you are very cozy being indoors. You think about all the stuff you have to get ready to be able to go hiking. It's so much easier just stay home and watch television or read the newspaper. I know, because I've been guilty of this myself. What I've found to be extremely helpful is to get food and clothes ready the night before, when I'm still thinking about how much fun it will be. This way, when Saturday morning rolls around, my husband and I have less excuses for not going. Also, it helps to play time traveler. By this, I mean that you have to transport yourself to actually being in the forest and using all of your senses. Think about being there already. How many times have you told yourself that you were silly to make so much of a fuss about doing an activity--that when you were involved in it, it was a lot of fun?! Just remember the phrase If it's not fun, it's not done when thinking of ways to add physical activity into your life. Also keep in mind that brief bouts of strength training and stretching can be done while listening to music or watching TV. The mental and physical relaxation you feel afterwards should be a good motivator to continue to do these activities. Copyright © Deborah Mullen Deborah L. Mullen, C.S.C.S, is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and certified personal trainer. She has been in the fitness industry for over 10 years. Deborah was the Post-Rehabilitation Director for a local health club and fitness columnist for a local newspaper on Kauai where she gave numerous public speeches, seminars and workshops related to fitness. Currently she is owner of Simple Fitness Solutions, which sells portable fitness equipment. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "Motivation is like food for the brain. You cannot get enough in one sitting. It needs continual and regular top offs. " ~~Peter Davies *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Enjoy
Healthy Eating! Can you enjoy healthy eating? Some people seem to think that healthy eating is some kind of punishment. On the contrary, it's a pleasure! There are so many delicious dishes that can be made with less fat and sugar. It's a new world to discover. When I go out for dinner or cook in my own kitchen I often choose a vegetarian meal. There are lots of different ingredients to choose from and the combination possibilities are almost endless. Sometimes I just pick a few products in the store without having any idea of what to do with them and then I surprise myself with a new tasty dish. It's fun! Use your imagination. Eat what you enjoy and enjoy what you eat! You don't have to exclude meat in your food, but we all need much more vegetables. We should try to see the vegetables not just as accompaniments, but as a meal in itself, with its own value. Relax! Try to give yourself time in the kitchen. You need to slow down and be free from stress to be able to enjoy eating. Think of your time in the kitchen as an important part of your day. Make your kitchen a place where you can relax and feel comfortable. Make it nice, put a cloth on the table and some flowers. Light candles. Many people seem to want to get out of the kitchen as soon as possible. If you feel that way, you won't be able to enjoy your meal. Be present, focus on the meal, don't watch TV or read any paper or magazine while you're eating. Enjoy the food, see how it looks, feel the appetizing smell and taste of it. Eat slowly! When you are enjoying something you want it to last long, right? Eat slowly, take your time to enjoy every bite. Chew it well. When you eat slowly like this you will notice that your body will tell you when it's time to finish. You will know when you are content and you can avoid eating too much. Stop eating when you feel content even if there is still food on your plate. Make a small lifestyle change! When you go to a restaurant next time, order something new that you haven't tried before. Next time you go to the store, buy some low fat or light products that you haven't tried. Find out if they really are as boring as you might think they are. Maybe you'll be surprised. Maybe you will find new favourites and get new ideas for delicious meals to enjoy! Then you have made a small lifestyle change. And all major achievements start with the first step. Ingela Berger started her own Internet business Lifestyle Plans http://www.lifestyleplans.com in 2003 out of a desire to inspire and encourage others to make reality of their dreams of a personal, healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. Ingela has studied theatre directing, history of art, and leadership psychology. After some years working with art exhibitions and the theatre she is now back at school to become a health and lifestyle consultant. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Articles & Web Sites Worth a Look*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "You are what you think. You
are what you go for. You are what you do! " *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  Exercise Your Willpower Support Group Mailing ListIf you need more motivation and some group support, feel free to subscribe to the Exercise Your Willpower mailing list. We have a great group of people who help motivate each other. To get more information, visit our website at: http://www.exerciseyourwillpower.com Check out the many online fitness and health tools. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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