Archive for year: 2014

When your journey toward improved health and wellness leads you down a pathway which takes an abrupt and cruel turn, there is a powerful temptation to think, “Why me?”  While you are striving to reach a perfectly reasonable goal, it appears that all of the forces in the entire universe have combined to work against your efforts. I’m sure that you may think it’s strange that others who have been engaged in the same personal battle have appeared to emerge not only unscathed but also reborn. Your focus may waver. You might temporarily forget to count your many blessings. Instead, you count how many things have gone wrong with your plan and multiply that by the numerous times  you’ve  been inflicted with the deadly disease of doubt. “Why me?” you scream from the rooftops. You wish you could trade in your body for an improved version. If only you could order that new body online, then almost no one would know that you gave up on yourself and were seduced by a “quick fix”. You have become fixated on your flaws, perceived shortcomings, and the negatives in your life. You are, however, quite wrong about yourself and others for that matter. “If we were all to bring our misfortunes into a common store, so that each person should receive an equal share in the distribution, the majority would be glad to take up their own and depart.”-Socrates  A common practice, even among seasoned exercise participants, is that of self-incrimination. This, in spite of the fact, that in some instances you have had little or no control over the physical, mental, or emotional difficulty you now face.  Certainly, you cannot discern the light at the end of the long, torturous tunnel through which your journey has entered. Seeing with a bright lens of eternal optimism through that mist of darkness which you travel would seem to you to be pointless, even ludicrous. Unfortunately, your desperate response, the “why me syndrome”, has made your predicament even worse. Your natural inclination is to view your individual adversity through the cloudy, distorted prism called pessimism.  With you rides an unwanted companion, the extra pounds that trouble you to your very core. Their heavy burden is dragging you through that tunnel and forcing you to haul the disappointment of shattered dreams, unrealized expectations, the despair of vanished hopes, and even the pain of a broken heart.  The weight of your trouble seems as if it will last forever. To add to your grief, you may even face ridicule and seemingly unbearable criticism from others. Perhaps, your body just seems worn out or broken down. You are simply sick and tired of being sick and tired!

My dear friend, do you think that it is unfair that you must go through the challenges you currently face? Well, it is my desire that you should not let these things trouble you any longer. It is my desire that your journey lead you to a more abundant life where no tears, no fears, and no sorrow remain. I wish you to focus on the rescuing rays of each new day’s sunrise. The darkness will end. Quitting is not an option for you. Do not consider it for a moment. “You must become the rock the river cannot wash away.”-Unknown author  I am going to be honest with you. You may very well have to sweat out this particular challenge for a while yet. There might even be more repetitions required, as painful as that sounds. “You are stronger than you realize. You are more capable than you can imagine. Your destiny is not determined by the number of times you stumble, but by the number of times you stand up, dust yourself off, and stride forward.”-Dieter F. Uchtdorf  Despite the forecast of a potential reappearance, you can make it through the tests you face in that tunnel of personal misfortune, and reappear in the light of happiness and your true potential. The glorious feeling of attaining your goals is not only possible but probable! A healthier, stronger, fitter you is right before your very eyes. How is this attainable? You need only have the courage to believe in the promise. The promise to you is that the pieces of your life that have been lost or missing will be filled with peace. The promise is that you will not only cross your own personal finish line, but you will be filled with a new found desire to continue running. The promise to you is that your reward, the result of your steadfastness, your diligence, your determination, your hard work, will be worth any amount of despair, frustration, and disappointment you have been laden with.

“Life is full of twists and unexpected bumps, but the rough patches are meant to help us grow. When life is hard, remember, we are not the first to say, ‘Is there no other way?’.-Jeffrey R. Holland  To my students in the gym, I teach the principle of overload. This is the application of more resistance during an exercise than a particular muscle or group of muscles is used to. The purpose is simple: stimulating the development of strength. One definition of strength is the ability to exert muscle force against resistance force. It is most often measured as it relates to the amount of resistance that is overcome. For my students to notice any positive change in their bodies during training, their muscles must reach the point of complete exhaustion or momentary muscle fatigue. Notice that I used the term momentary. This type of fatigue is literally the point at which one can no longer perform even one more repetition of any exercise movement without compromising the good form that is necessary for safety. When you wake up tomorrow and are faced with opposition or resistance, understand that you are just like your muscles which must withstand some degree of pain in order that they might grow stronger. You desire change in your body shape and in your life in general. Well, there is a necessary requirement for your progress to be made manifest and your strength to be measured. By now, you know what it is. Your journey absolutely must take you through those tunnels wherein extremely intense struggles will occur. So intense must they be, that you will feel alone, abandoned in the darkness. So painful must your experiences be, that you will feel there will be no end to the pain and fatigue. But, alas, it too is only momentary! Your muscles recover from their trial and so will you.

“When things go wrong as they sometimes will; when the road you’re trudging seems all uphill; when the funds are low and the debts are high; and you want to smile but you have to sigh; when care is pressing you down a bit; rest if you must, but don’t you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns, as everyone of us sometimes learns; and many a failure turns about; when you might have won had you stuck it out. Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow. You may succeed with another blow. Success is failure turned inside out; the silver tint of the clouds of doubt. And you never can tell how close you are; it may be near when it seems so far. So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit. It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.”-Edgar A. Guest

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“I just don’t have time to eat.” “I am really not hungry anyway.” “I’m not permitted to eat that type of food.” “I can’t eat after 7 O’ Clock.” “I am looking forward to Saturday because that’s my cheat day.” “Seriously, I can go several days without needing to eat anything.” “Remember, I’m on a diet.”

Forgive me. I forgot. I assumed that everyone is on a diet. I seem to recall that none other than the stalwart Webster’s Dictionary set forth a relatively easy concept to understand regarding this deceptive word. From its Greek and Latin 13th to 14th century origins, diaita or diaeta, we find clear advice. The word literally means one’s daily regimen and manner of living or more succinctly, food and drink regularly provided or consumed. Interestingly, one can find additional, illuminating revelation from the Greek derivative, diaitasthai, whose translation directly counsels “to lead one’s life”. Thus, I concur with the ancients who saw merit in both an appropriate daily and long term perspective concerning one’s eating habits. Yes, of course, we can find early historical references to “dieting”. They, indeed, indicate that men and women have been fascinated with this weight loss craze for many centuries. Used as a verb, the word’s beginnings set forth a noticeable pattern for us today–“to cause to eat and drink sparingly or according to prescribed rules.” I wonder what those strict rules may have been for some of the earliest dieters. Where they more sensible than the majority of the suggested approaches today? Could they have been more healthy and productive than what we are offered today? Unlikely. We don’t have to go back centuries to discover that most of the fad weight loss plans of the day are simply recycled versions of an old model. Anything which focuses on the immediate or short term is rather ill suited for success.

So, those common “dieting” remarks which you might be well acquainted with need to be slightly altered so as to reflect the correct perspective. “I can’t afford not to eat.” You derive energy from food. The last time I checked, you are not a plant. Oh, if only you could go outside and absorb some rays from Mr. Sun then you wouldn’t need any solid sustenance. Of course, if you were a plant, you’d also thrive on rainy days. Yes, you’d look and smell great, particularly if you were a flower. But, alas, you need to replenish your energy and download your nutritional requirements from food. You need to make time to eat properly. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living. I have heard people say repeatedly that they just cannot eat healthy or at all while on the job. Nonsense! Where there is a will, there is a way. “I am really not hungry, now.” If you are observing healthy eating habits, you might find yourself turning down an appetizer or lunch run on occasion. Please, do not let others dictate what you do. When someone tells you that your goal of modifying your habits is impossible, ignore that person. “Impossible is just an opinion.”-Paulo Coelho “I choose not to eat that particular food for a specific reason.” You don’t necessarily have to explain your newly formed habits to everyone you meet, however, it would probably be wise to inform your inner circle. This way you unequivocally establish your personal standards. They should respect your desire to adhere to these standards, and you never know, you may find that you positively influence a work associate. I am not promising any converts, so just focus on being a good example. “Late in the day, I am careful not to consume fatty, calorie dense foods.” Who started this incredibly foolish notion that anything you eat past 7 P.M. will be stored as fat on your body? What if you eat at 6:59 P.M., are you in the clear? Your body does not in any way shape or form go into total hibernation mode while you are sleeping. No, I am not giving you permission to have a seven course meal at 10 O’ Clock tonight. “I am looking forward to Saturday because I have fun plans with my family.” I don’t believe in cheat days. Unless you have already developed tremendous discipline, one cheat food item turns into two and one cheat meal into an all day event full of binge eating. Certainly, it then becomes even easier for one such day to become another, then once again, yet another day of dishonest eating. Let’s face it, nobody likes a cheater! You are lying to yourself if you think this is an effective dietary strategy. “The choices you make will make all of the difference in what you want to achieve.”-L. Tom Perry “Seriously, why would I want to go on a hunger strike?” No, you should never go several days without eating! However, fasting once a month is good for the body, mind, and spirit in many ways. “Remember, I am on a D.I.E.T.”

I highly recommend adopting a new recipe for your daily consumption of food, the D.I.E.T. method. This is an acronym which you may not be familiar with, Don’t Ignore Eating Time. The groundwork for this concept was developed by a brilliant woman named Michelle Collins Detrick.  It is much more than simply not skipping meals. At the core of this practice, is knowing and understanding how your body functions as it relates to eating. Let’s face it, who knows your body better than you? No one. You can become in tune to the sweet music your body is playing. Listen to it closely. Commit it to memory. Sing along with it. Hum if you must, but the melody beckons to you. It calls you to eat when YOU need to. This means eating on your personal timetable. It has been said that your metabolism is as unique to you as are your fingerprints. Weighing this along with other such factors as age, physical activity level, caloric requirements, and specific nutritional needs and personal goals, does it not become clear that you must disregard old style traditions pertaining to food consumption? You were programmed to accept these traditions since your childhood. Gee, thanks Mom. Although your approach has been adjusted throughout your life, it has not been because you have seized control of your D.I.E.T., but rather due to acceptable societal practices. High school schedules, college eating habits, (Wow, remember those days!), workplace ebb and flow, meals on wheels, (the habitual consuming of food on the run in one’s vehicle), the current manner in which you eat at home, and the strange obsession you have with the food table at social gatherings all have brought two common elements into your D.I.E.T., inconsistency and confusion. Why are you so willing to accept the status quo? It hasn’t worked for you or for many at all. Your relationship with food is quite a peculiar thing to say the least. What you think you love so much often causes you to hate yourself. “We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.”-Carlos Castenada

I believe that you can become very strong in your conviction to change your world be altering your D.I.E.T. You are going to be required to do some work. There will be a measure of experimentation daily. This is not an approach that one figures out completely in a single over-night crash course. You will be eating more frequently throughout the day, which will include healthy “snacks”. You will be consuming food to fuel your body for your active lifestyle and to regulate your blood sugar levels. You will not simply be on the prowl to satisfy your cravings. So, preparation will be a key ingredient to your success. Vegetables? Absolutely! Should you “go organic” and avoid dangerous GMOs? Of course, as much as possible! Will this be expensive? It does not have to be. Always keep in mind that this is for the long haul, the remainder of your life’s journey. This is partly why you will never be able to find your personal D.I.E.T. written down for you in a magazine. You will be its author. That’s the beauty of it. Exciting, isn’t it?

It is an on going process. Yes, I am aware that you dislike that word, but nevertheless, it is a wonderful process of fine tuning your listening skills. Be patient! Be confident! You have the ability to grasp absolute control over what, where, when, how much, and why you eat. That in a nutshell is what a D.I.E.T. is all about. For more details, stay tuned. Meanwhile start D.I.E.T.ing.

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