The Indespensible Macronutrients in Your Diet, Part 1: Proteins
I attended a seminar several years ago hosted by a very famous, very tall, motivational speaker who later played himself in the Jack Black film "Shallow Hal". In the film, Jack called him "Banana Hands." Anyway....
During the last day of the seminar we were given the "secrets" to a healthy eating regimen and suffice to say, protein was portrayed as the evil scourge of mankind.
Here's my advice: Be EXTREMELY wary of any eating plan that informs you to strictly limit the protein you eat ... or the fat ... or the carbohydrates. In case you hadn't figured it out yet, your body needs ALL of these macronutrients. You need the right kind.
In this segment I'll briefly discuss the importance of protein.
Each and every meal you consume should be built around a healthy source of protein. Protein helps to build, repair, and replace the cells of your body. It is vital for a strong immune system - and it boosts your metabolism and helps preserve muscle when you are burning fat.
If you eat meat and dairy (which I HIGHLY recommend), choose products (including eggs, yogurt, cheese, and milk), if you can get them, from animals raised on their natural diet: grass-fed beef, bison, lamb, wild game, and free-range poultry. You should also eat wild - not farm-raised - fish that is known to be free of mercury (such as sardines and wild Alaskan salmon).
Nuts and beans are also excellent sources of protein. And if you use a protein powder, choose one WITHOUT artificial sweeteners.
I heartily encourage you to make it one of your health goals from now on to base all your meals around your healthy protein sources - and to choose protein sources that are as close as possible to the design God gave them and intended.
God bless,
Steve
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
The blessings of this world!
Last night (Saturday) my wife and I were privileged to witness a marvelous event.
At about 3:30 PM, a long time neighbor and friend called to inform us that the mother and father of some of my former high school friends were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. They were holding this informal affair at a local Mexican food restaurant near my home at 6:00 PM that night. I knew we had to go and we arrived at about 6:20.
This family is amazing and I have always admired them greatly. Their oldest, Mark, is an obvious first born child. (If you do not know to what I am referring, pick up a copy of Dr. Kevin Leman's brilliant piece entitled "The New Birth Order Book.") His family of four children is wonderful and his wife of 27 years still looks as beautiful as she did on her wedding day.
Eric, the next in line, was the one I spent the most amount of time with, both in high school and for a time after our respective graduations. The last time I saw him prior to this night was 14 years ago at a sports bar in Ft. Worth. Wow! He's a wonderful man with a successful career as a sports assignment editor for a North Texas newspaper. This is right up his alley as he was a star football player in school. He loves his work, and it shows in his voice as he talks about it.
Vicki, with whom I graduated, is married to Bill, another fellow graduate and classmate. They have been married forever, or at least that's how long it seems since we graduated high School in 1979. Bill joined the Army in 1988, and recently returned from a tour in Iraq. I was honored to shake his hand and thank him for his service. It's unsung heroes like him that enable working slobs like me to sleep at night. I also thanked Vicki for her service as a military mans wife. That's no easy job. Holding their beautiful six year old daughter I'll bet they made a touching sight as they welcomed Bill home upon his return.
Lloyd, the younger of the group, was there with his fiance and son. He always has a smile on his face and hearty handshake. I have seen him several times over the years and have fond memories of each encounter. He's a good guy.
Eloy and Clara, the guests of honor, made their way to the restaurant at about 6:40. As they walked into the room, everyone clapped and hugged them and they cried with joy. A brief walk down memory lane from 50 years of photos was shown via laptop computer and projected onto a wall, all while beautiful music played. We cried some more.
These folks have been through it all: The joy and agony of raising 5 kids...as well as some of their friends. The thrill of watching their children marry and bring grand-children into the world. The pain of losing one of their own sons, Peter, the youngest. They did it all with honor, love, faith in God and hard work. In the end, I guess that's the bottom line: stick to it and keep moving forward.
Thanks, folks, for setting such a fine example for the rest of us.
At about 3:30 PM, a long time neighbor and friend called to inform us that the mother and father of some of my former high school friends were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. They were holding this informal affair at a local Mexican food restaurant near my home at 6:00 PM that night. I knew we had to go and we arrived at about 6:20.
This family is amazing and I have always admired them greatly. Their oldest, Mark, is an obvious first born child. (If you do not know to what I am referring, pick up a copy of Dr. Kevin Leman's brilliant piece entitled "The New Birth Order Book.") His family of four children is wonderful and his wife of 27 years still looks as beautiful as she did on her wedding day.
Eric, the next in line, was the one I spent the most amount of time with, both in high school and for a time after our respective graduations. The last time I saw him prior to this night was 14 years ago at a sports bar in Ft. Worth. Wow! He's a wonderful man with a successful career as a sports assignment editor for a North Texas newspaper. This is right up his alley as he was a star football player in school. He loves his work, and it shows in his voice as he talks about it.
Vicki, with whom I graduated, is married to Bill, another fellow graduate and classmate. They have been married forever, or at least that's how long it seems since we graduated high School in 1979. Bill joined the Army in 1988, and recently returned from a tour in Iraq. I was honored to shake his hand and thank him for his service. It's unsung heroes like him that enable working slobs like me to sleep at night. I also thanked Vicki for her service as a military mans wife. That's no easy job. Holding their beautiful six year old daughter I'll bet they made a touching sight as they welcomed Bill home upon his return.
Lloyd, the younger of the group, was there with his fiance and son. He always has a smile on his face and hearty handshake. I have seen him several times over the years and have fond memories of each encounter. He's a good guy.
Eloy and Clara, the guests of honor, made their way to the restaurant at about 6:40. As they walked into the room, everyone clapped and hugged them and they cried with joy. A brief walk down memory lane from 50 years of photos was shown via laptop computer and projected onto a wall, all while beautiful music played. We cried some more.
These folks have been through it all: The joy and agony of raising 5 kids...as well as some of their friends. The thrill of watching their children marry and bring grand-children into the world. The pain of losing one of their own sons, Peter, the youngest. They did it all with honor, love, faith in God and hard work. In the end, I guess that's the bottom line: stick to it and keep moving forward.
Thanks, folks, for setting such a fine example for the rest of us.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
To Squat, or not to Squat? Is that REALLY a question?
There probably isn't an exercise movement that elicits more respect, or controversy, than the Full Squat. I call it one of the "Epitome Moves." The Full Squat embodies everything that exemplifies true exercise and training.
When you squat deeply, you not only train the muscles of the legs, you involve the entire physique; from your head to your toes. You challenge your balance, stability, neurological system, hormonal system, central nervous system (CNS), and whole host of other portions of the body.
"So where is the controversy", you may well ask. Generally it all stems from the recommended depth that constitutes a full squat. Some "experts" will tell you that squatting to, or past, parallel is dangerous to the knee joint and compromises joint stability, possibly increasing the likelihood of laxity or "looseness" in the joint. I don't buy it. Why aren't seats on airplanes built so that we don't have to squat so deeply if that is the case?
Here's a quote from a recognized leader in the field of sports performance and study, Angel Spassov:
"In a full Squat (parallel), the soft muscles of the legs slow the speed of the bar down, and help the joints recover. In the half Squat (partial) you have to stop for a very short time when the bar is going down - and at the same time, shift the bar in the upward direction. That moment is very sharp stop; it's like a knife, especially over the knee joints. So the danger of injury during the half Squat is much greater than during the full Squat.”
Research and years of "real world" experience can back that one up. But only if you're squatting correctly. So what does a correct squat look like? I'm glad you asked.
The following sets of pictures will demonstrate what constitutes a good and bad squat. If your knees hurt from squatting, check to see how your own squat form measures up to these examples.
This is a side view of what a poor squat looks like. Notice that my chin is not parallel to the ground. Notice also the position of my shins in relation to my body. I am rolling forward onto my toes, creating a ton of "sheer force" on my knees. This hurts.
This is another side view of a "half squat." A little better technique, just not enough depth. My chin is parallel, but I'm still on my toes. This is still hard on the knees.
This is what a full squat should look like. Notice the angle of my shins with respect to my body position. My chin is parallel to the ground, my shins are roughly perpendicular, my hips and thighs are at a near 90 degree angle and my back is flat. This is a safe, effective and very positive way to squat, use a ton of muscle and BURN FAT!
If you have any questions or want a deeper explanation of squatting technique simply e-mail me at MajorPayne143@gmail.com and I'll get back to you ASAP.
Lord bless,
Steve
When you squat deeply, you not only train the muscles of the legs, you involve the entire physique; from your head to your toes. You challenge your balance, stability, neurological system, hormonal system, central nervous system (CNS), and whole host of other portions of the body.
"So where is the controversy", you may well ask. Generally it all stems from the recommended depth that constitutes a full squat. Some "experts" will tell you that squatting to, or past, parallel is dangerous to the knee joint and compromises joint stability, possibly increasing the likelihood of laxity or "looseness" in the joint. I don't buy it. Why aren't seats on airplanes built so that we don't have to squat so deeply if that is the case?
Here's a quote from a recognized leader in the field of sports performance and study, Angel Spassov:
"In a full Squat (parallel), the soft muscles of the legs slow the speed of the bar down, and help the joints recover. In the half Squat (partial) you have to stop for a very short time when the bar is going down - and at the same time, shift the bar in the upward direction. That moment is very sharp stop; it's like a knife, especially over the knee joints. So the danger of injury during the half Squat is much greater than during the full Squat.”
Research and years of "real world" experience can back that one up. But only if you're squatting correctly. So what does a correct squat look like? I'm glad you asked.
The following sets of pictures will demonstrate what constitutes a good and bad squat. If your knees hurt from squatting, check to see how your own squat form measures up to these examples.
This is a side view of what a poor squat looks like. Notice that my chin is not parallel to the ground. Notice also the position of my shins in relation to my body. I am rolling forward onto my toes, creating a ton of "sheer force" on my knees. This hurts.
This is another side view of a "half squat." A little better technique, just not enough depth. My chin is parallel, but I'm still on my toes. This is still hard on the knees.
This is what a full squat should look like. Notice the angle of my shins with respect to my body position. My chin is parallel to the ground, my shins are roughly perpendicular, my hips and thighs are at a near 90 degree angle and my back is flat. This is a safe, effective and very positive way to squat, use a ton of muscle and BURN FAT!
If you have any questions or want a deeper explanation of squatting technique simply e-mail me at MajorPayne143@gmail.com and I'll get back to you ASAP.
Lord bless,
Steve
Friday, February 16, 2007
10 Realistic Little Tips to Make a BIG Difference in Fat Loss
The problem many of us have in losing body fat is that we’re usually more efficient in wishing for a slimmer physique than actually attaining one. Most of us actually try too hard, going to extremes that are either ineffective or detrimental to our progress. Here’s a piece of advice from one who has witnessed many folks succeed in becoming one of the successful “losers”: Take it easy.
The extra weight you may currently be carrying is likely the result of many small behavioral actions, like eating between meals or driving to places that you could easily walk to instead. Losing the fat may really be as simple as adding some extra activity, as well as some small clever activities, into your day. These activities include actions taken in your diet, exercise and attitude levels.
The addition of several of these examples into your day will do nothing more for you than help you to obtain your fat loss goals sooner than you had previously planned. By themselves they are not very powerful. However, bunched together they add up to a giant supplement on the road to success. Give them a shot and watch what happens.
1. Fidgeting. Those who habitually squirm, toe-tap or play the drums on their desks burn, according to some studies, up to 800 calories a day. That’s like running several miles! If you’re not a naturally fidgety person, don’t try to become one. You’ll only succeed in frustrating yourself. Instead, try doing things that make you move more, like changing the channels on the television manually or parking at the opposite end of the lot from your destination.
2. Sharing. Most restaurant portion sizes are HUGE. Try cutting down by sharing. And if the thought of eliminating deserts is simply impossible, at least share them with someone, or several someone’s.
3. Write down everything you eat and drink...and be honest. Instead of wondering why you are gaining or not losing weight, it will soon become evident. If you want a little more incentive to watch what you ingest, get a friend or family member to agree to hold you accountable and to check your "food journal" once a week. And while we’re at it, water is what flows in rivers; not soda. That’s why you should drink water. Often.
4. Don’t eat foods from their original containers. It’s easy to fool yourself into believing you’re having “just a tad”, but you’re not as smart as you look. Measure out what it is you want and let that be the end of it. The best bet is to keep “weakness” foods out of the house altogether.
5. Go grocery shopping on a full stomach. Nacho chips, donuts, cookies and pies don’t have half the allure they normally do when you go grocery “hunting” on a full stomach. You can enhance the experience by strictly shopping from a list and allowing yourself only one purchase that is not pre-planned.
6. Make mealtime smarter, not harder. Before you sit down to dinner, put the amount of food that you would like to eat on your plate and put the rest in the refrigerator. This will discourage you from going back for seconds.
7. Take only a limited amount of money. This is simply insurance against impulse or reactionary purchases. It also helps you to develop discipline.
8. Swear off elevators and escalators. Stairs are built for walking. They are your friends. Use them.
9. Police your speed of eating. Put your fork down between bites and enjoy the moment. The more slowly and thoroughly you chew your food when you eat, the faster you’ll feel satisfied and full. If you still feel like seconds, use the “10 minute rule.” Wait ten minutes. The feeling will probably pass.
10. Establish a time-out routine. Take a time out half-way through your meal. Sit back and just breathe for a few moments. Here’s a trick: put a pot of water on the stove to boil. It will take about ten minutes. When it does, get up, fix a cup of herbal tea. When you get back to the table, you probably won’t feel like eating much more.
Lord bless you,
Steve
The extra weight you may currently be carrying is likely the result of many small behavioral actions, like eating between meals or driving to places that you could easily walk to instead. Losing the fat may really be as simple as adding some extra activity, as well as some small clever activities, into your day. These activities include actions taken in your diet, exercise and attitude levels.
The addition of several of these examples into your day will do nothing more for you than help you to obtain your fat loss goals sooner than you had previously planned. By themselves they are not very powerful. However, bunched together they add up to a giant supplement on the road to success. Give them a shot and watch what happens.
1. Fidgeting. Those who habitually squirm, toe-tap or play the drums on their desks burn, according to some studies, up to 800 calories a day. That’s like running several miles! If you’re not a naturally fidgety person, don’t try to become one. You’ll only succeed in frustrating yourself. Instead, try doing things that make you move more, like changing the channels on the television manually or parking at the opposite end of the lot from your destination.
2. Sharing. Most restaurant portion sizes are HUGE. Try cutting down by sharing. And if the thought of eliminating deserts is simply impossible, at least share them with someone, or several someone’s.
3. Write down everything you eat and drink...and be honest. Instead of wondering why you are gaining or not losing weight, it will soon become evident. If you want a little more incentive to watch what you ingest, get a friend or family member to agree to hold you accountable and to check your "food journal" once a week. And while we’re at it, water is what flows in rivers; not soda. That’s why you should drink water. Often.
4. Don’t eat foods from their original containers. It’s easy to fool yourself into believing you’re having “just a tad”, but you’re not as smart as you look. Measure out what it is you want and let that be the end of it. The best bet is to keep “weakness” foods out of the house altogether.
5. Go grocery shopping on a full stomach. Nacho chips, donuts, cookies and pies don’t have half the allure they normally do when you go grocery “hunting” on a full stomach. You can enhance the experience by strictly shopping from a list and allowing yourself only one purchase that is not pre-planned.
6. Make mealtime smarter, not harder. Before you sit down to dinner, put the amount of food that you would like to eat on your plate and put the rest in the refrigerator. This will discourage you from going back for seconds.
7. Take only a limited amount of money. This is simply insurance against impulse or reactionary purchases. It also helps you to develop discipline.
8. Swear off elevators and escalators. Stairs are built for walking. They are your friends. Use them.
9. Police your speed of eating. Put your fork down between bites and enjoy the moment. The more slowly and thoroughly you chew your food when you eat, the faster you’ll feel satisfied and full. If you still feel like seconds, use the “10 minute rule.” Wait ten minutes. The feeling will probably pass.
10. Establish a time-out routine. Take a time out half-way through your meal. Sit back and just breathe for a few moments. Here’s a trick: put a pot of water on the stove to boil. It will take about ten minutes. When it does, get up, fix a cup of herbal tea. When you get back to the table, you probably won’t feel like eating much more.
Lord bless you,
Steve
Saturday, February 10, 2007
10 Nutrition Tips to Ensure Your Success in Losing Body Fat
1. Eat breakfast. Your mom was right. Breakfast is critically important to your success. A properly proportioned breakfast will help you to regulate your blood sugar levels, help you to control and balance your energy level, and help you to manage those afternoon and evening cravings for processed junk, like chips and sweets.
2. Eat small meals and snacks throughout the day. By eating small meals and snacks throughout the day you avoid the typical spikes and dips in energy levels that may lead to “quick fix” eating, which is usually junk, just to get something in you. This type of plan also helps you to avoid eating that giant meal in the evening.
3. Start with protein. Too many of us eat too little protein during the day and then try to make up for it in the evening with a 16 ounce T-bone. Build your meals around a healthy portion of a protein source and your body and overall health will thank you.
4. Load your plate with color. Fruits and veggies. Grow up and eat them. A lot.
5. Make fat your friend. If what you want to purchase has the term “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” as one of the contents, put it back on the shelf. Healthy fats, like those that come from avocados, olives, eggs, salmon, lean beef and such are very good for you and will actually assist you in losing excess fat.
6. Eat it like God made it. We need vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, enzymes and more from our food. The best sources, bar none, come from naturally occurring foods that are fresh from the ground, off the vine, plucked from the tree, right out of the air, water or on the hoof. As close to their natural state as possible, just like God made it. Why would the flour in breads need to be enriched from its original version?
7. Yumm, fiber! Cheeto’s don’t have it. Neither do Twinkies. You need it. It comes from whole food sources (See #4 and #6) so get it in you. The effect of too little? Well, let’s say it makes sitting in the smallest room in the house very uncomfortable.
8. Post workout nutrition is smart. Progress from your workout sessions takes place during recovery. In order to recover you must replenish what is lost during the workout. A protein/carb combo shake or meal is a great place to start and will boost your way to success and transformation.
9. Plan your meal, eat your plan. Every diver knows this mantra: “Plan your dive and dive your plan.” Our days and meals should be as well thought out. Plan your meals ahead of time and then stick to the plan. When you plan ahead, your grocery shopping experience can become an opportunity to break bad nutritional choices.
10. Smarter snacks. Most pre-processed and packaged snacks contain all sorts of horrid fillers and such, of which one of the worst is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). If you’re serious about losing fat, avoid this stuff like the plague. How? If it comes in a box, bag, sack, container or has had the “hand of man” process or prepare it in any way, don’t put it in your mouth. This goes for liquids as well. There’s a reason God made rivers of flowing water and not soda.
Thanks and Lord bless,
Steve
www.firestormfitness.com
2. Eat small meals and snacks throughout the day. By eating small meals and snacks throughout the day you avoid the typical spikes and dips in energy levels that may lead to “quick fix” eating, which is usually junk, just to get something in you. This type of plan also helps you to avoid eating that giant meal in the evening.
3. Start with protein. Too many of us eat too little protein during the day and then try to make up for it in the evening with a 16 ounce T-bone. Build your meals around a healthy portion of a protein source and your body and overall health will thank you.
4. Load your plate with color. Fruits and veggies. Grow up and eat them. A lot.
5. Make fat your friend. If what you want to purchase has the term “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” as one of the contents, put it back on the shelf. Healthy fats, like those that come from avocados, olives, eggs, salmon, lean beef and such are very good for you and will actually assist you in losing excess fat.
6. Eat it like God made it. We need vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, enzymes and more from our food. The best sources, bar none, come from naturally occurring foods that are fresh from the ground, off the vine, plucked from the tree, right out of the air, water or on the hoof. As close to their natural state as possible, just like God made it. Why would the flour in breads need to be enriched from its original version?
7. Yumm, fiber! Cheeto’s don’t have it. Neither do Twinkies. You need it. It comes from whole food sources (See #4 and #6) so get it in you. The effect of too little? Well, let’s say it makes sitting in the smallest room in the house very uncomfortable.
8. Post workout nutrition is smart. Progress from your workout sessions takes place during recovery. In order to recover you must replenish what is lost during the workout. A protein/carb combo shake or meal is a great place to start and will boost your way to success and transformation.
9. Plan your meal, eat your plan. Every diver knows this mantra: “Plan your dive and dive your plan.” Our days and meals should be as well thought out. Plan your meals ahead of time and then stick to the plan. When you plan ahead, your grocery shopping experience can become an opportunity to break bad nutritional choices.
10. Smarter snacks. Most pre-processed and packaged snacks contain all sorts of horrid fillers and such, of which one of the worst is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). If you’re serious about losing fat, avoid this stuff like the plague. How? If it comes in a box, bag, sack, container or has had the “hand of man” process or prepare it in any way, don’t put it in your mouth. This goes for liquids as well. There’s a reason God made rivers of flowing water and not soda.
Thanks and Lord bless,
Steve
www.firestormfitness.com
Monday, February 5, 2007
10 Mental Tips to Ensure Your Success in Losing Body Fat
1. Figure out where you want to be. We do this by establishing specific, definite goals with deadlines for their attainment. We’ve all heard the phrase, “If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there?” By specifically determining what you want to look like and what you want to accomplish in the coming months you increase your likelihood of success. However, this is not the end of the process. You must work backwards from your deadline and conclude what you must to do this month, this week, and especially today to reach your long-term goals. Use daily goals like stepping stones en route to your long-term goals. The more specific the better. Clarity creates clear vision.
2. Create a strong enough “why.” In order to be successful in losing body fat you need to establish why you MUST achieve success. This goes deeper than decision making and action. It is the real reason, the absolute “why” you are going for it and sticking with it. “I want to lose weight” is a rationale. “I want to lose 40 pounds of body fat so that I don’t die at an early age like my father and so that my children have a positive role model for their lives” is a reason with a powerful “why.”
3. Develop your sense of self-awareness. In order to achieve success and satisfaction in any endeavor a noteworthy first step is to improve ones self-awareness, regardless of the skill, goal or endeavor wanted. The requirement to better understand yourself and how you tend to act, respond, think, and feel in response to various stimuli will enable you to enhance or improve yourself and your eventual performance and outcome. Make every effort to become more fully aware of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally so that adjustments in your attitude and approach to situations can be anticipated and adapted readily.
4. Be kind to yourself. As our minds progress throughout our day, it is estimated that we think roughly 70,000 thoughts. Of those, it is predicted that almost 75% of them are negative in nature. Taking responsibility and control over our “self-talk” enables us direct the path in which our conscious minds lead our powerful sub-conscious mind. Negative self-talk and “limiting belief systems” do us no justice and lead us to nowhere. Talk to yourself in an encouraging, uplifting manner in every situation. How would you talk to your best friend? That’s how you should talk to yourself.
5. The power of “Now.” Plan for the future, but be here now. Life happens one moment at a time, so work toward your goals on what you can do now. It is quite easy to become embroiled in the past, to relive past mistakes. The land of “shoulda, woulda, coulda” does not exist, except in our minds. It’s a place I do not recommend visiting. There is no changing the past; learn the lessons from it and move on. It is also easy to be distracted by what might be. “If I lose this weight; what if I cannot reach my goal; will they accept me?” There is no crystal ball for predicting the future. What you can control is your attitude and actions right now. Your thoughts, attitude, behavior and actions are what you have control and authority over right now. Therefore, point your physical and mental energy in that direction.
6. Practice the “as if” principle. If you expect to be 20 pounds leaner then begin to act as if you are there already. How differently will you walk when you reach your goal? How will you talk? Breathe? How will you dress? If you expect to reach your fat loss goal then acting “as if” creates an expectant attitude and gives your subconscious mind a pattern of behavior to follow. If you expect to train in the gym with focus and intensity, you need to practice with focus and intensity while there. If you are going to expect yourself to overcome obstacles to your progress, practice overcoming obstacles. If you are going to expect yourself to deal with mistakes in reaching for your goals, use practice to figure out how to physically and mentally deal with mistakes. I’m sure you follow the thought pattern. Therefore, train the mind and body as they both work in unity as you strive to attain your goals.
7. Never cease the learning process. Frequently evaluate and learn from your experiences on a regular basis. It can be after each meal, training session, end of the day or week. It doesn’t really matter as long as you are consistent as well as persistent. The goal here is to identify what you are doing well and then continuing to do it. Learn from strong performances, not so strong performances and from bad performances and then apply these lessons to future endeavors.
8. Be aware of the price of your goals. Setting goals properly is relatively simple compared to measuring the cost of their attainment. Everything has a price tag; whether it is measured in time, money, a change in relationships, behavior or lifestyle. Weighing the cost of attaining a particular goal is crucial to following through to the end the necessary steps to its achievement. What is the cost of your goal? Honestly answer that question and you can decide before you embark on the journey to reach it whether the cost is too high, if another goal is in order or if you need to re-evaluate the importance of the goal.
9. You must be willing to pay the price. Having a goal and daring to reach for it are commendable in and of themselves. But they are not enough to obtain one. In order to do that, this rule walks side by side with the previously mentioned rule. Knowing the price of a goal, and being one of the few willing to pay for it are two distinctly different matters. I believe it is why most books are never completely read, many marriages never succeed, contracts are broken and goals are not reached. Daily, sometimes hourly, consistent action taken toward the obtainment of the goal is what will see you through to its fruition. This mentality is akin to renting a home verses buying a home; the only way to build equity and receive a return on your investment is to pay the price to the end. Vince Lombardi’s goal was to build the best team in the NFL. He did so several times with a lifetime coaching record of 105 wins and just 35 losses. He put it this way, “You’ve got to pay the price.”
10. Have fun. I don’t really need to elaborate on this one, do I?
Until next time, God bless,
Steve
www.firestormfitness.com
2. Create a strong enough “why.” In order to be successful in losing body fat you need to establish why you MUST achieve success. This goes deeper than decision making and action. It is the real reason, the absolute “why” you are going for it and sticking with it. “I want to lose weight” is a rationale. “I want to lose 40 pounds of body fat so that I don’t die at an early age like my father and so that my children have a positive role model for their lives” is a reason with a powerful “why.”
3. Develop your sense of self-awareness. In order to achieve success and satisfaction in any endeavor a noteworthy first step is to improve ones self-awareness, regardless of the skill, goal or endeavor wanted. The requirement to better understand yourself and how you tend to act, respond, think, and feel in response to various stimuli will enable you to enhance or improve yourself and your eventual performance and outcome. Make every effort to become more fully aware of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally so that adjustments in your attitude and approach to situations can be anticipated and adapted readily.
4. Be kind to yourself. As our minds progress throughout our day, it is estimated that we think roughly 70,000 thoughts. Of those, it is predicted that almost 75% of them are negative in nature. Taking responsibility and control over our “self-talk” enables us direct the path in which our conscious minds lead our powerful sub-conscious mind. Negative self-talk and “limiting belief systems” do us no justice and lead us to nowhere. Talk to yourself in an encouraging, uplifting manner in every situation. How would you talk to your best friend? That’s how you should talk to yourself.
5. The power of “Now.” Plan for the future, but be here now. Life happens one moment at a time, so work toward your goals on what you can do now. It is quite easy to become embroiled in the past, to relive past mistakes. The land of “shoulda, woulda, coulda” does not exist, except in our minds. It’s a place I do not recommend visiting. There is no changing the past; learn the lessons from it and move on. It is also easy to be distracted by what might be. “If I lose this weight; what if I cannot reach my goal; will they accept me?” There is no crystal ball for predicting the future. What you can control is your attitude and actions right now. Your thoughts, attitude, behavior and actions are what you have control and authority over right now. Therefore, point your physical and mental energy in that direction.
6. Practice the “as if” principle. If you expect to be 20 pounds leaner then begin to act as if you are there already. How differently will you walk when you reach your goal? How will you talk? Breathe? How will you dress? If you expect to reach your fat loss goal then acting “as if” creates an expectant attitude and gives your subconscious mind a pattern of behavior to follow. If you expect to train in the gym with focus and intensity, you need to practice with focus and intensity while there. If you are going to expect yourself to overcome obstacles to your progress, practice overcoming obstacles. If you are going to expect yourself to deal with mistakes in reaching for your goals, use practice to figure out how to physically and mentally deal with mistakes. I’m sure you follow the thought pattern. Therefore, train the mind and body as they both work in unity as you strive to attain your goals.
7. Never cease the learning process. Frequently evaluate and learn from your experiences on a regular basis. It can be after each meal, training session, end of the day or week. It doesn’t really matter as long as you are consistent as well as persistent. The goal here is to identify what you are doing well and then continuing to do it. Learn from strong performances, not so strong performances and from bad performances and then apply these lessons to future endeavors.
8. Be aware of the price of your goals. Setting goals properly is relatively simple compared to measuring the cost of their attainment. Everything has a price tag; whether it is measured in time, money, a change in relationships, behavior or lifestyle. Weighing the cost of attaining a particular goal is crucial to following through to the end the necessary steps to its achievement. What is the cost of your goal? Honestly answer that question and you can decide before you embark on the journey to reach it whether the cost is too high, if another goal is in order or if you need to re-evaluate the importance of the goal.
9. You must be willing to pay the price. Having a goal and daring to reach for it are commendable in and of themselves. But they are not enough to obtain one. In order to do that, this rule walks side by side with the previously mentioned rule. Knowing the price of a goal, and being one of the few willing to pay for it are two distinctly different matters. I believe it is why most books are never completely read, many marriages never succeed, contracts are broken and goals are not reached. Daily, sometimes hourly, consistent action taken toward the obtainment of the goal is what will see you through to its fruition. This mentality is akin to renting a home verses buying a home; the only way to build equity and receive a return on your investment is to pay the price to the end. Vince Lombardi’s goal was to build the best team in the NFL. He did so several times with a lifetime coaching record of 105 wins and just 35 losses. He put it this way, “You’ve got to pay the price.”
10. Have fun. I don’t really need to elaborate on this one, do I?
Until next time, God bless,
Steve
www.firestormfitness.com
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