Follow Me to Fitness

I recently reached a pinnacle of life; my 50th birthday. But another pinnacle has been conquered. I can proudly say that I have not only given birth to 8 children, I survived 30 years of parenting them. My oldest turned 30 today. He said to me on the phone, "I guess I'm at the top of the hill now."

I chuckled, replying, "No son, I am and at 50, you KNOW you're heading down!"

His woeful, yet humorous response was, "As out-of-shape as I am, I'm going to be a wreck when I'm 50."

I reminded him, as any good trainer/mom should, "Don't worry son, you have an entire 20 years to shape up before the descent."

Since I am officially heading "downhill", I've decided to start the trip off right. I'm embarking on a new personal challenge. Once again, I'll be logging it here on FeelBetterFit Blog. It will be mingled with my trainer's knowledge, supported by professional references and delivered in faith because that's what I'm about. Use my entries to inspire and guide you to make positive changes toward a more healthful lifestyle.

Healthful Living has two components: Change & Maintenance

My plan is two fold.
1. Change
Set a goal and log my workouts and diet. I will utilize assessments to provide measurable results, working toward a specific goal of changing my current fitness level.

2. Maintain
Rather than stop upon reaching a desired outcome, I will share personally how I maintain good health by logging my maintenance plan: healthful living that is a way of life, not just training.

Why am I doing this?

Sharing the way I view life, health, exercise, diet and even temptation, I can arm others with tools to live life more "abundantly!" I learn always; change always; grow in grace always. I am not the person I was thirty, twenty, ten years ago. In fact, I'm not the person I was one year ago or even yesterday!

In life, as I approach obstacles, I tend to view them in a trainer's mindset. Physical training, spiritual training and even intellectual training have many similarities and shared elements. I believe that "practicing" overcoming obstacles in any area can help fit us for the others. In my entries about forming a habit, the concepts of the strengthening of will power and the scientific data backing it are explored. Take a look at these posts, if you haven't done so yet. Training in general, in any area of life will increase our capabilities and make us more useful while also changing who we are and how we think, act and preform everyday tasks. As we "practice" any behavior, it becomes a habit and requires much less effort. Life gets better! We have improved!

All training can be broken down into a series of choices. A student chooses to take a course; show up for class; listen to the professor, study the material, take the exam and hence receive the reward of understanding new concepts and possibly earning a certificate or degree. A child chooses to listen to a parent's instruction; follow it to their best ability; ask questions; take suggestions and eventually they become capable of preforming everyday duties with ease. If we make choices to push through any new activity everyday, it gets easier and we get better at the task. We receive the reward of growing and changing in positive ways. The process of training, although sometimes difficult is almost always rewarding and builds our confidence in our ability to improve who and what we are.

Each day circumstances present themselves and we are changed by them. The outcome of that change is a result of the choices we make. Those choices become stepping stones, or gravestones. Some we build monuments with. Others we mount as jewels. We may lay new paths, create havens, inspire with beautiful mosaics and design bridges that carry us over obstacles. Hopefully we never use them to cast at others. If we step back a bit and view the choices of our lives as stones, we will see an ever changing landscape we are building; a city with many gates and gardens.

In any "city" that a life of choices has built, there are many crooked paths, broken walls and poorly erected edifices. Mine is no different. I easily get discouraged when I see them but I have to focus on the repairs and new construction, and acknowledge that even my mistakes and failures are all a part of what has made me who and what I am. So, should you "Follow Me to Fitness", take the advice I gave my son, and start repairing things with a positive "Moving Forward" attitude. Refuse to give in to self-defeating thoughts. People change and you will be different next year than you are today. If good choices are included between now and then, what can you expect? Change is inevitable. The nature of that change is not!

Use the principles and examples I give to improve your fitness, your will power, your confidence and your spiritual life. Make your experience, one of personal growth, viewing your own life's "city" of choices and don't get too reliant on me, but develop yourself, always looking up!

The Science Of Forming A Habit

How are habits formed? How long does it take to establish them? It takes only three weeks to train the body into a new habit or thought pattern. That’s right! Repeating a behavior for twenty one days will establish a new “habit”. After that, the body will not have to make a concentrated effort to follow through. Hence the name for this blog - 21 days

Here's the scientific basis of the 21 day theory:

From the Aristotle blog:

"Dr Maxwell Maltz wrote the bestseller Psycho-Cybernetics.
Originally a Plastic Surgeon, Maltz noticed that it took
21 days for amputees to cease feeling phantom sensations
in the amputated limb. From further observations he found
it took 21 days to create a new habit. Since then the '21
Day Habit Theory' has become an accepted part of self-help
programs.

Brain circuits take engrams (memory traces), and produce
neuroconnections and neuropathways only if they are
bombarded for 21 days in a row. This means that our brain
does not accept 'new' data for a change of habit unless
it is repeated each day for 21 days (without missing a day)."

This quote is referenced from a blog that is no longer online - http://www.aristotle.co.nz/library/series.aspx?seriesId=61

However, Maxwell Maltz book is available from Amazon. I found this quote on the blog entitled A Secret of Transformation:
"the 21 day concept comes from Maxwell Maltz MD, who wrote a mega-successful book in 1960 called ‘Psycho-Cybernetics.’ This book was a pivotal influence on many self-help gurus, and one reviewer on amazon says: “This book effectively condenses the entirety of the self-help field.”" Italics added
http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:rmNR9ymQ_m0J:astrologyforthesoul.com/newssecrettrans1.html+maxwell+maltz+aristotle+blog&cd=13&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

21 Days Update - The Start of Something Much Bigger

My 21 Day challenge and this blog began on Valentine's Day, February 14th, 2010. It's been 4 1/2 weeks, 32 days. Although I expected to start a good habit, I had no idea the magnitude of positive impact it would have on me. Every area of my life seems to have started an overhaul of spring cleaning! My work, my relationships, my home, my health, my emotions and my spirituality have been super charged with confidence and energy.

I didn't realize this at first. Truth be told, I was a little worried because my original "habit" started to change and transform but the transformation was for the better! As I added the strength training, it was with an attitude of "slow and easy". Surprisingly, I've done much better than I expected and have not only kept jogging while adding the strength training, but have raised the bar a bit.

The fire was lit. Many things were changing for the good but the most important change and the one that empowered all the others was a sense of confidence and determination to "Better My Life" by taking care of me! When we commit to making our needs a priority, we find other areas of our life begin to transform for the better. It requires a little bit of "selfishness" or so it seems, but ultimately what we do for ourselves, if reasonable, starts a fire that warms others. We begin to see the potential of a future harvest for the seeds of personal growth we have sown.

For me it started a few days before the 21 Days Jog/Blog started. I sat up in bed one day and said, "I want to feel alive again!" "I've been struggling with too many things for too long." So I thought back to a time when I felt better and I seriously considered what elements had changed in my life. I realized that I had not been making my choices with strength and power as I had in the past. My fire had gone out and my confidence was under attack continually. In my pathetic state, the "strong me" inside was trying to get out and the "scared me" was getting in the way! I HAD to do something. I wasn't going to give up until I felt "Alive" again! So, calling on my spirituality, I stepped out in faith and with much prayer and determination, set out to uncover and "spring clean" areas in my life that were out of sync.

My health and fitness were formerly at the top of the priority list and that's where they have been returned to! The biggest factor in all this is my faith that if I am doing what I should be, everything will work out right. "Right" isn't necessarily what we expect, but if we change our perspective to one of "watch and wonder" what will happen next then God's grace will be sufficient!

A few days after this decision to "get back my old fire", I visited my daughter who suggested that I start writing a fitness blog. As she pointed out, "Mom, you can only help a small number of people, as a personal trainer, but think about how many people you can reach online with your knowledge and experience!" And so began this venture.

Listen to the "still small voice" within you. It takes some effort! It may require delving into areas you would prefer to avoid. It may require saying "no" to some things and saying "yes" to some others. It will not necessarily be all good and fun. Will power must be enlisted for positive change to take place. Put up the fight against discouragement. Take a stand to be a better you! Stand in the confidence that your determination will pay off not only for you personally but for everyone in your path!

Nothing worth having comes without an effort!

Improve Your Will Power Management!

Will Power is like a muscle, in that, exerting it reduces capacity for use temporarily. On psychologytoday.com, Timothy A. Pychyl, Ph.D. Associate professor of psychology at Carleton University, reports that multiple tests show participants ability to utilize willpower diminishes after a trying task.

Is it possible that the brain, like a muscle requires a period of recovery? What does this mean in practical application? How does this affect our ability to improve our diet or stick to an exercise regimen?

Establishing a habit requires will power. Much like physical energy output, the degree of the effort one can muster may be limited, especially if other areas in life are requiring self regulatory effort simultaneously. When making healthful living changes, the best choice is to keep them simple and realistic.

Small changes require less will power allowing us to see them through until they become mindless habits. Once established, willpower is no longer required and we can focus on the task of developing a new healthful change. More difficult tasks, like adhering to a new exercise regimen can be accomplished by utilizing all available resources. Limit your necessary output of self regulation by joining a group or hiring a trainer. Until the habit is firmly established, reduce outside stressors that may zap your will power supply.

Dr Pychyl also reports that will power like a muscle, may actually strengthen with use!

"Studies provided evidence that physical exercise programs led to decreased smoking, alcohol, caffeine and junk food consumption, and even reduced impulsive spending, watching television and the tendency to leave dishes dirty in the sink!" http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-delay/200902/self-regulation-failure-part-2-willpower-is-muscle

Gradually striving toward better activities and more healthful diet choices, you can confidently look forward to a more fit future, a stronger will power and a healthier, happier tomorrow!

Good Habits / Bad Habits

Man is a creature of habit. The inherent need to establish routines in life is inescapable. Habits create structure. Structure creates a sense of well being. Having a degree of structure in life gives you the security of having something you can rely on. In a grounded environment; one with certain non-variable elements, you are suited to face the unstable, yet inevitable challenges of daily life with confidence and strength.

Anchoring behaviors can be building blocks for positive living.
Regular mealtimes
Work schedules
Group of family scheduled recurring activities
Private reading/sports/hobbies

Or During stressful times of uncertainty, they may be crippling crutches!
Comfort eating
Substance abuse
Impulse spending

Cherished, yet possibly injurious to our health and happiness we subconsciously depend on the feelings of familiarity associated with these crippling crutches. We may even find ourselves helplessly at the mercy of our “vices” when facing stress. Many times our circumstances plunge us into a life of uncertainty or instability. During those times, habits (which are very reliable and secure to us) may be our only security and comfort, regardless of whether they are good or bad.

It is vital to recognize bad habits and not dismiss them with an attitude of "well I'm just that way". As we start to understand why we do some of the things that are less attractive, we can begin to work toward recovery from the grip they have on us.

If you have struggled with gripping habits and desire to be freed from them, there are several things to do.

1. Adopt an atitude of awareness that you can escape the things that grip you.
2. Begin to develop good habits to replace bad ones.
3. Remove as many triggers to the bad behaviors as possible.
4. Get outside support to assist you.
5. Utilize faith in a higher power!

Determine to keep getting back up and trying again every time you fail. Look at each "fall" as a learning opportunity. The difference between success and failure is often a matter of perspective.

Failure says, "I can not."
Success says, "How will I do this? Why did I fall? What shall I try next?"

Habits Create Stability In Our Unstable World

Have you ever used an exercise ball? When you first sat down, were you eyeing for an anchor to grab hold of? With hands on the ball, a few bounces will suddenly give you confidence. Your brain will find your body's center of gravity and your muscles will quickly, easily stabilize on this unstable surface.

We use our muscles and the ground beneath us to maintain our center of gravity and keep from falling when standing, walking or even jogging. We learned to center our gravity at a very early age and depend on it effortlessly most of the time.

Finding your center of gravity takes no thought. It is a successfully acquired habit!

hab·it1   /ˈhæbɪt/ Show Spelled[hab-it]
–noun
1.an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary (definition from dictionary.com)

When establishing a new habit, there is a time of learning and falling, much like a baby taking its first steps. Determination to get moving keeps the child trying and once the skill is mastered, a whole new world is available. The child has learned a "habit" of finding its center of gravity and now can do it without much thought. It's time to focus on bigger and better things!

Eventually, behaviors repeated require no effort and become "comfortable". We mindlessly "fall into habits" when our conditions are unstable, unreliable or requiring extra self regulation from us (see Will Power blog entries). An example would be "giving up on the new diet" (returning to familiar eating patterns) when other demands tax us. When we are stressed or focusing intently in any area, we will search for an anchor of one type or another. Our old established eating habits mindlessly comfort while we focus on a trying task.

Once enough effort is placed into developing healthful eating habits, they no longer require thought and we naturally maintain them while exerting energy in other areas. This doesn't mean we will never go back to bad eating habits. A trigger such as family holiday feasting may shift us back into the old eating style, however with a little will power and focus, we can easily return to our "better eating habits" again!

It's best to keep diet or exercise changes simple, possibly one small change at a time until it has become mindless. If we gradually add new habits guarding them until they are firmly established, we will ultimately reshape our lifestyle and like the baby who has mastered walking, each new habit will open up for us bigger and better things!

Adopt a child-like determination in your quest for developing good habits, with the surety that once created, they will be anchors for you in an ever-shifting world of uncontrollable circumstances!

Day 21 - Finally Completed The Challenge!

What NOW???

I have made it for 21 days and I feel very accomplished, but I have to admit, I feel a little bit like I'm done. I know that's not a good thing.

Here's my advice to anyone using a 21 day cycle to establish a new habit:

1. Make sure you have a maintenance plan in place.

2. To make this a beginning, rather than an end, start counting another 21 Day cycle.

3. Raise the bar by adding to your original challenge in a related way.

You should increase your existing challenge to avoid losing your barely established habit or add a related challenge. This will keep you engaged and interested.

To add to my challenge, I am going to start a new weight lifting program, while continuing to jog (with or without Jasper - probably a little of both)

Keep reading and learn more about how to change your life through changing your habits.

Future Posts Sneak Peak

Kathryn's Favorite Exercises
More About Habits - Good & Bad And How They To Manage Them For Success
Helpful Training Tips
Training Myths Dispelled
Helpful Links
Debi's Delicious Nutritious Meals
And Much MORE!!!