I have heard this so many times. How many of you have said this just to be disapointed in the end. Going to a gym and signing up for a year membership and then only using three weeks or three months adn then having this membership that you can't get out of and just forget about after a while. If you are that type of person and just don't care anymore... then stop reading from this point. But if you are sick of being that person and want to know what really works read on.
In my research I have found out that most people just don't know how to create goals. Goals are what is going to get you to ultimatley were you want to be. I have heard so many people say that they just want to lose 20,30 50, 100 pounds and I politely tell them losing wieght is not a goal but a by-product of you achieving a goal. I would then ask them dream about something they have either done in the past ( high school or college) or would like to do in the future. Once that was established we would then put a program together to get them to the point where they can achieve those goals. Once those goals have been achieved then we need to improve on them and continue to get better. Oh yea, all this time they ( you ) have been losing weight.
Guys, don't let weight be your goal you will never achieve it. think out side of that and get with a trainer and let them help you get there. If they can't find someone or some group that can.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Stress and life
A man once told me that what doesn't break you makes you in this life. For the longest time I had a real problem understanding that concept up until recent times. What does that mean and how does it pretain to my life?
In our lives we go thru a series of ups and downs. In some cases it seems as thought we have more downs then ups but never the less ups and downs. Each experience good or bad is there to teach us a lesson in some way. Everything we do in this life has a purpose for a better good. Even in the bad times good lessons can come of them.
I have also learned that in each person we have two personalities. One that we show our friends and the public and then the second one is our true inner personality. In good times and less stressful times we can maintain our first personality pretty well. But the question is what happens when life really begins to suck and everything is and has gone wrong. Well, our try personality comes out.
If you are a very giving person when you are under a lot of pressure and stress you tend to give more. If you are a very selfish person you tend to become even more selfish. I have found in my own life that your inner core is magnafied ten times in times when out life gives us big problems. Cancer, seperation, divorce, death, economic, or any other issue will bring out the very best or worst in a person. This is were the lesson could lie for most people.
Who really are you and how has life really effected you?
In our lives we go thru a series of ups and downs. In some cases it seems as thought we have more downs then ups but never the less ups and downs. Each experience good or bad is there to teach us a lesson in some way. Everything we do in this life has a purpose for a better good. Even in the bad times good lessons can come of them.
I have also learned that in each person we have two personalities. One that we show our friends and the public and then the second one is our true inner personality. In good times and less stressful times we can maintain our first personality pretty well. But the question is what happens when life really begins to suck and everything is and has gone wrong. Well, our try personality comes out.
If you are a very giving person when you are under a lot of pressure and stress you tend to give more. If you are a very selfish person you tend to become even more selfish. I have found in my own life that your inner core is magnafied ten times in times when out life gives us big problems. Cancer, seperation, divorce, death, economic, or any other issue will bring out the very best or worst in a person. This is were the lesson could lie for most people.
Who really are you and how has life really effected you?
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Goals, Money and Fitness?
I have spoken with so many people over the last few weeks that I just need to write my thought out here. I know that this economy is not the best in the world. As a matter of fact more people are being laid off and most companies, besides those in the financial sector, are not giving year end bonuses. However please remember that YOUR HEALTH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO YOU.
I am just not saying it because I own a health club but because it is true. I know lot of people that have a lot of money and have neglected their health for years. Either they were smokers, drinkers, or just plane did not eat right and healthy and it is now really catching up with them. Yes, they still have all the money in the world but now what good is that when your doctor says that you have months to live or your not able to teach your kids how to ride a bike, or you are not able to partake in an activity that if you did you would have fun doing (dancing, etc).
Three summers ago I was faced with a situation where I wanted to teach my youngest daughter how to ride her bike without training wheels Age 4). For me it was a breeze. I held her seat and pushed her and ran right next to the bike and then at one point I let the seat go but kept running and she had know idea that I had let her go until she noticed both my hands were no longer on her bike. Less than 5 minutes she learned,so did my other kids.
My neighbor on the other hand, even with all the money in the world had to get me to help his kids learn to ride. I saw him out there trying and not succeeding. He was stooped over with his hands on his knees gasping for air while his child after falling down laid there thinking that they would never learn. After watching for a few minutes I went out to help him and within a period of time his kids learned. He was very embarrassed and promised that he would never put himself in that situation again and would get himself in shape. He never did his job was just too important to him and he had every excuse in the world why he could not get himself started. He has never come out and said it but he is lazy.
I heard of a lady that sued the school system because her daughter got a letter from the school stating that her daughter was at risk for things such as high blood pressure and diabetes. When her daughter read the letter she was devastated and her mother got very upset. Now instead of doing something about it she decided to blame the school system for her own issues. When the news showed them side by side, the daughter looked just like the mother. I don't think the mother was upset because of the letter as much as she was upset that because she did not do anything about it for herself it has now hit her daughter. She was embarrassed, period. When asked why she did not anything about it she sited money...
Guy,s have you noticed that in most poor areas of the country, there are a lot of fast food restaurants, movie theatres, Walgreen's(just had to throw that last one in for laughs). Have you also noticed that most poor individual are very over weight. It is well known that where you find poverty you will find obesity. Only if they focused their money on instead of Fast food,.... Fitness. I guarantee they would feel better about themselves.
Guys, don't let money stop you from getting in much better shape. Yes money can pay the bills but it cannot but you good health. I will have more to say on this soon.
I am just not saying it because I own a health club but because it is true. I know lot of people that have a lot of money and have neglected their health for years. Either they were smokers, drinkers, or just plane did not eat right and healthy and it is now really catching up with them. Yes, they still have all the money in the world but now what good is that when your doctor says that you have months to live or your not able to teach your kids how to ride a bike, or you are not able to partake in an activity that if you did you would have fun doing (dancing, etc).
Three summers ago I was faced with a situation where I wanted to teach my youngest daughter how to ride her bike without training wheels Age 4). For me it was a breeze. I held her seat and pushed her and ran right next to the bike and then at one point I let the seat go but kept running and she had know idea that I had let her go until she noticed both my hands were no longer on her bike. Less than 5 minutes she learned,so did my other kids.
My neighbor on the other hand, even with all the money in the world had to get me to help his kids learn to ride. I saw him out there trying and not succeeding. He was stooped over with his hands on his knees gasping for air while his child after falling down laid there thinking that they would never learn. After watching for a few minutes I went out to help him and within a period of time his kids learned. He was very embarrassed and promised that he would never put himself in that situation again and would get himself in shape. He never did his job was just too important to him and he had every excuse in the world why he could not get himself started. He has never come out and said it but he is lazy.
I heard of a lady that sued the school system because her daughter got a letter from the school stating that her daughter was at risk for things such as high blood pressure and diabetes. When her daughter read the letter she was devastated and her mother got very upset. Now instead of doing something about it she decided to blame the school system for her own issues. When the news showed them side by side, the daughter looked just like the mother. I don't think the mother was upset because of the letter as much as she was upset that because she did not do anything about it for herself it has now hit her daughter. She was embarrassed, period. When asked why she did not anything about it she sited money...
Guy,s have you noticed that in most poor areas of the country, there are a lot of fast food restaurants, movie theatres, Walgreen's(just had to throw that last one in for laughs). Have you also noticed that most poor individual are very over weight. It is well known that where you find poverty you will find obesity. Only if they focused their money on instead of Fast food,.... Fitness. I guarantee they would feel better about themselves.
Guys, don't let money stop you from getting in much better shape. Yes money can pay the bills but it cannot but you good health. I will have more to say on this soon.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Why is it so hard?
Well, lets just get to the problem at this or any other time of the year. People don't set goals or the goals they set are not realistic. I was watching the "Biggest Loser where are they now" and a few things popped up at me.
1) The ones that have been semi successful have stuck to a program and made life changing decisions
2) The ones that have not been successful have not developed a plan for after the show and just took it as a game and not something that they could or wanted to do after. I my eyes they were just in it to be on TV.
3) Those that were successful truly changed their life, literally. When they got back from being on the ranch they even changed occupations.
4) Those that didn't, never made the life changing jump.
I have found out that in life when we want to do something, we let nothing stop us from accomplishing whatever that task may be. When you have questions or when you are just not sure, we tend not to consider it a priority so we tend to lose interest very quickly. I have also noticed that those with short term and then long term goals tend to stick to the task much longer than those that are "just throwing something up against the wall to see if anything sticks". I see that mentality does not work at all. Not even "good intentions" work well. You need to have a passion for it so that it will work for the long run.
I think that there is a lesson we can learn from one of the winners of the show and that is without a consistent program and proper goal setting, it will not work. Guys, here is a dose of reality, you never make it to a point were you don't have to do something to keep fit. This is why goals are so important. We need them in life so we must need them in our fitness journey.
Ask your self this question, why do you work for a living? What is the point? Well when you really think about it, it is so that you can reach your life goals. A new home, a good retirement, a new boat, a new car, etc. For you to be able to get these things and then maintain them you must work to make the money to get them. Think if you could just go to a store and just get what you wanted and you did not have to pay for it and money did not exist. Would you work? I think not. Look at your lottery winners. They said that they would not stop working but then when they got that money that job they had just doesn't seem to have that same luster it had just a week before and they end up quitting. Why did they quit? Lose of meaning and drive.
Let's remember that in our fitness journey. Create goals and then go after them and remember losing weight is not a goal but a bi-product of you creating and achieving the goals you set. If you follow this advise, one day you will thank me for it. If you have any questions about this or anything else I have written please call me at 262-567-0362.
1) The ones that have been semi successful have stuck to a program and made life changing decisions
2) The ones that have not been successful have not developed a plan for after the show and just took it as a game and not something that they could or wanted to do after. I my eyes they were just in it to be on TV.
3) Those that were successful truly changed their life, literally. When they got back from being on the ranch they even changed occupations.
4) Those that didn't, never made the life changing jump.
I have found out that in life when we want to do something, we let nothing stop us from accomplishing whatever that task may be. When you have questions or when you are just not sure, we tend not to consider it a priority so we tend to lose interest very quickly. I have also noticed that those with short term and then long term goals tend to stick to the task much longer than those that are "just throwing something up against the wall to see if anything sticks". I see that mentality does not work at all. Not even "good intentions" work well. You need to have a passion for it so that it will work for the long run.
I think that there is a lesson we can learn from one of the winners of the show and that is without a consistent program and proper goal setting, it will not work. Guys, here is a dose of reality, you never make it to a point were you don't have to do something to keep fit. This is why goals are so important. We need them in life so we must need them in our fitness journey.
Ask your self this question, why do you work for a living? What is the point? Well when you really think about it, it is so that you can reach your life goals. A new home, a good retirement, a new boat, a new car, etc. For you to be able to get these things and then maintain them you must work to make the money to get them. Think if you could just go to a store and just get what you wanted and you did not have to pay for it and money did not exist. Would you work? I think not. Look at your lottery winners. They said that they would not stop working but then when they got that money that job they had just doesn't seem to have that same luster it had just a week before and they end up quitting. Why did they quit? Lose of meaning and drive.
Let's remember that in our fitness journey. Create goals and then go after them and remember losing weight is not a goal but a bi-product of you creating and achieving the goals you set. If you follow this advise, one day you will thank me for it. If you have any questions about this or anything else I have written please call me at 262-567-0362.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Born to be Big
I just read an article from Newsweek that I want to bring to your attention. Here is the issue according to this article: Is early exposure to common chemicals the problem on why our kids (4 months and younger)are getting fat or being born fat.
This very lengthy article goes on to say that "the prevalence of obesity in infants under 6 months has risen 73 percent since 1980." It then goes onto says according to Robert Lustig of the University of California that "it (infant obesity) poses a problem for conventional explanations of the fattening of America. Since they're eating only formula or breast milk, and never exactly got a lot of exercise, the obvious explanations for obesity doesn't work for babies, You have to look beyond the obvious."
This article goes on to site other well learned scientist and there thoughts on this subject. Reth Newbold of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in North Carolina states, "Exposure to environmental chemicals during development may be contributing to the obesity epidemic." Her argument was that "you eat no more than your skinny friend, and exercise no less, yet you are still unable to shed pounds."
There are many other arguments that are given for chemicals being the culprit to our obesity problem but here are my thoughts.
Whereas I can believe that chemicals do and have an impact on our health I don't believe that it is the only culprit. The bottom line here is that we are lazy Americans. We eat the wrong foods at the wrong time for the wrong reasons and then don't exercise. We use excuses like our work-life, or a sick relative (immediate family), or we mentally use our own physical issues from doing something to get our bodies moving.
Now don't get me wrong I am not saying that everyone needs to go out a run 5 miles a day and eat rabbit food washed down with 8oz water. But what I am saying is that we as adults have settled for second best in our lives and where it is showing ultimately is in our children. We are fatter thus they become fatter. Did you know that if you are a smoker that the likelihood of your children experimenting with it is 100%? Did you know that the alcohol you drink will someday also be drunk by your lovely children? Who do we blame then? Yes, they may be old enough to make their own decisions, but what example did we give them to follow? Yes, "the sins of the father will visit the son".
I remember watching a program on TV where a mother was suing a school district because of a letter her daughter (who was in HS) got in reference to her daughter's health. You see the school was taking an initiative to help their obesity problem by spotting those children that need help in that area and trying to help them. When the girl received the letter of course before she got home she opened it and read it and then cried when she got home. The mother was upset at the school stating that her daughter had the potential of being Obese. The mother was outraged and went to sue the school system. What made this report funny to me was that when they showed pictures of the mother and daughter next to each other, SHE WAS A SPLITTING IMAGE OF HER MOTHER! The question you should ask was is the mother upset at the letter about her daughter or was she upset that the mirror was turned to her and she was embarrassed for the position she put her daughter in by their way of living. I don't know the answer to that question.
In summation whereas I do believe that chemicals have had an effect on our health but I don't believe that it is the "means to and end". We need to stop looking for excuses on our short comings and just get it done. Start eating right and stop using our busy lives as a crutch. Get out and exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Yes rain or shine. 30 minutes will not hurt you. Get out of your comfort zone (God bless America) and get it done. Look for opportunities to exercise instead of opportunities to sit on your butts and complain while eating cookies and ice cream. Trust me it will make a world of difference in our kids and articles like this one will not be written.
This very lengthy article goes on to say that "the prevalence of obesity in infants under 6 months has risen 73 percent since 1980." It then goes onto says according to Robert Lustig of the University of California that "it (infant obesity) poses a problem for conventional explanations of the fattening of America. Since they're eating only formula or breast milk, and never exactly got a lot of exercise, the obvious explanations for obesity doesn't work for babies, You have to look beyond the obvious."
This article goes on to site other well learned scientist and there thoughts on this subject. Reth Newbold of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in North Carolina states, "Exposure to environmental chemicals during development may be contributing to the obesity epidemic." Her argument was that "you eat no more than your skinny friend, and exercise no less, yet you are still unable to shed pounds."
There are many other arguments that are given for chemicals being the culprit to our obesity problem but here are my thoughts.
Whereas I can believe that chemicals do and have an impact on our health I don't believe that it is the only culprit. The bottom line here is that we are lazy Americans. We eat the wrong foods at the wrong time for the wrong reasons and then don't exercise. We use excuses like our work-life, or a sick relative (immediate family), or we mentally use our own physical issues from doing something to get our bodies moving.
Now don't get me wrong I am not saying that everyone needs to go out a run 5 miles a day and eat rabbit food washed down with 8oz water. But what I am saying is that we as adults have settled for second best in our lives and where it is showing ultimately is in our children. We are fatter thus they become fatter. Did you know that if you are a smoker that the likelihood of your children experimenting with it is 100%? Did you know that the alcohol you drink will someday also be drunk by your lovely children? Who do we blame then? Yes, they may be old enough to make their own decisions, but what example did we give them to follow? Yes, "the sins of the father will visit the son".
I remember watching a program on TV where a mother was suing a school district because of a letter her daughter (who was in HS) got in reference to her daughter's health. You see the school was taking an initiative to help their obesity problem by spotting those children that need help in that area and trying to help them. When the girl received the letter of course before she got home she opened it and read it and then cried when she got home. The mother was upset at the school stating that her daughter had the potential of being Obese. The mother was outraged and went to sue the school system. What made this report funny to me was that when they showed pictures of the mother and daughter next to each other, SHE WAS A SPLITTING IMAGE OF HER MOTHER! The question you should ask was is the mother upset at the letter about her daughter or was she upset that the mirror was turned to her and she was embarrassed for the position she put her daughter in by their way of living. I don't know the answer to that question.
In summation whereas I do believe that chemicals have had an effect on our health but I don't believe that it is the "means to and end". We need to stop looking for excuses on our short comings and just get it done. Start eating right and stop using our busy lives as a crutch. Get out and exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Yes rain or shine. 30 minutes will not hurt you. Get out of your comfort zone (God bless America) and get it done. Look for opportunities to exercise instead of opportunities to sit on your butts and complain while eating cookies and ice cream. Trust me it will make a world of difference in our kids and articles like this one will not be written.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Still doing it
I am very proud of Mary and Rick. After the challenge was over their biggest concern was not going backwards. They asked Sally and I many times what they needed to do to continue on the path of better and improved health and fitness. Well guys you are doing it. After the challenge was over it would have been easy to stop doing what got you to lose 115 pounds (rick) or 70 pounds (mary) but you didn't/ You kept it up and for that you are reaping the benefits of a healthier lifestyle. Keep it up.
For those that are reading this blog take their lives as an example of you ability to change. 9 months ago this would not have been possible. Trust me, it wasn't in the cards for them to do. But now they can and somewhat enjoy it. What we as people do is that we get ourselves to a point where we lose a lot of weight and then we go back to what we were doing before that got us to be so heavy and out of shape to begin with. Then you have to start again heavier than you were in the beginning. Once you begin the journey, DON'T STOP! Keep it up. Life will become much sweeter.
If you have any questions please e mail me at parkersplace1@sbcglobal.net or call me at 262-567-0263
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Obese people have 'severe brain degeneration'
I read this article about obesity. I DID NOT AUTHOR IT! So don't blame me. Read it and give me your opinion. There are a lot of truths in this article.
A new study finds obese people have 8 percent less brain tissue than normal-weight individuals. Their brains look 16 years older than the brains of lean individuals, researchers said today.
Those classified as overweight have 4 percent less brain tissue and their brains appear to have aged prematurely by 8 years.
The results, based on brain scans of 94 people in their 70s, represent "severe brain degeneration," said Paul Thompson, senior author of the study and a UCLA professor of neurology.
"That's a big loss of tissue and it depletes your cognitive reserves, putting you at much greater risk of Alzheimer's and other diseases that attack the brain," said Thompson. "But you can greatly reduce your risk for Alzheimer's, if you can eat healthily and keep your weight under control."
The findings are detailed in the online edition of the journal Human Brain Mapping.
Obesity packs many negative health effects, including increased risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and some cancers. It's also been shown to reduce sexual activity.
More than 300 million worldwide are now classified as obese, according to the World Health Organization. Another billion are overweight. The main cause, experts say: bad diet, including an increased reliance on highly processed foods.
Obese people had lost brain tissue in the frontal and temporal lobes, areas of the brain critical for planning and memory, and in the anterior cingulate gyrus (attention and executive functions), hippocampus (long-term memory) and basal ganglia (movement), the researchers said in a statement today. Overweight people showed brain loss in the basal ganglia, the corona radiata, white matter comprised of axons, and the parietal lobe (sensory lobe).
"The brains of obese people looked 16 years older than the brains of those who were lean, and in overweight people looked 8 years older," Thompson said.
Obesity is measured by body mass index (BMI), defined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters. A BMI over 25 is defined as overweight, and a BMI of over 30 as obese.
The research was funded by the National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Center for Research Resources, and the American Heart Association.
• 10 Ways to Keep Your Mind Sharp
• Never Too Late: 5 Bad Habits You Should Still Quit
• More Obesity News & Information
• Original Story: Obese People Have 'Severe Brain Degeneration'
LiveScience.com chronicles the daily advances and innovations made in science and technology. We take on the misconceptions that often pop up around scientific discoveries and deliver short, provocative explanations with a certain wit and style. Check out our science videos, Trivia & Quizzes and Top 10s. Join our community to debate hot-button issues like stem cells, climate change and evolution. You can also sign up for free newsletters, register for RSS feeds and get cool gadgets at the LiveScience Store.
A new study finds obese people have 8 percent less brain tissue than normal-weight individuals. Their brains look 16 years older than the brains of lean individuals, researchers said today.
Those classified as overweight have 4 percent less brain tissue and their brains appear to have aged prematurely by 8 years.
The results, based on brain scans of 94 people in their 70s, represent "severe brain degeneration," said Paul Thompson, senior author of the study and a UCLA professor of neurology.
"That's a big loss of tissue and it depletes your cognitive reserves, putting you at much greater risk of Alzheimer's and other diseases that attack the brain," said Thompson. "But you can greatly reduce your risk for Alzheimer's, if you can eat healthily and keep your weight under control."
The findings are detailed in the online edition of the journal Human Brain Mapping.
Obesity packs many negative health effects, including increased risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and some cancers. It's also been shown to reduce sexual activity.
More than 300 million worldwide are now classified as obese, according to the World Health Organization. Another billion are overweight. The main cause, experts say: bad diet, including an increased reliance on highly processed foods.
Obese people had lost brain tissue in the frontal and temporal lobes, areas of the brain critical for planning and memory, and in the anterior cingulate gyrus (attention and executive functions), hippocampus (long-term memory) and basal ganglia (movement), the researchers said in a statement today. Overweight people showed brain loss in the basal ganglia, the corona radiata, white matter comprised of axons, and the parietal lobe (sensory lobe).
"The brains of obese people looked 16 years older than the brains of those who were lean, and in overweight people looked 8 years older," Thompson said.
Obesity is measured by body mass index (BMI), defined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters. A BMI over 25 is defined as overweight, and a BMI of over 30 as obese.
The research was funded by the National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Center for Research Resources, and the American Heart Association.
• 10 Ways to Keep Your Mind Sharp
• Never Too Late: 5 Bad Habits You Should Still Quit
• More Obesity News & Information
• Original Story: Obese People Have 'Severe Brain Degeneration'
LiveScience.com chronicles the daily advances and innovations made in science and technology. We take on the misconceptions that often pop up around scientific discoveries and deliver short, provocative explanations with a certain wit and style. Check out our science videos, Trivia & Quizzes and Top 10s. Join our community to debate hot-button issues like stem cells, climate change and evolution. You can also sign up for free newsletters, register for RSS feeds and get cool gadgets at the LiveScience Store.
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