|
|
|
Newsletters>
The Freedom of (Self-Imposed) Chains
September 1, 2009
The Freedom of (Self-Imposed) Chains
Most of us are under the misconception that fit people work hard and spend most of their lives deprived in order to achieve their amazing bodies.
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
I'll let you in on a little secret...It's not hard to get and stay fit. It's not about hard work and deprivation.
It's all about boundaries.
Let me explain...
When you were a child your parents set boundaries around you. They were the authority on what was or wasn't acceptable behavior. You had to complete your chores before dinner. You had to finish your homework before going out to play. You had to eat all your vegetables before dessert.
If you failed to comply with these boundaries then you knew that there would be consequences.
As an adult you, and only you, are the authority on what is or isn't acceptable behavior. You are in the position to set boundaries around yourself. These boundaries serve as a framework of order around you - a rock of support in an otherwise chaotic world.
With self-imposed boundaries you can assure your success in anything...specifically with weight loss.
Your fitness boundaries have to be self-imposed—no one is going to do it for you. Don't look at this as a bad thing! Self-imposed boundaries are self-empowering.
Let's face it, you've been living life without fitness boundaries.
You eat whatever you want, whenever you want it.
You use any excuse to avoid exercise.
You indulge whenever it feels good.
Your Fitness Boundaries
It's time to introduce boundaries back into your life. These boundaries are the key to unleashing your ideal fit and healthy body.
1. Fitness Boundary One: What you eat
If you were to be perfectly honest with me, you could list off the foods that are unhealthy and fattening. So why are you still eating them? You know that refined, fried, processed and sugary foods are not good for you.
Place boundaries around what you will allow yourself to eat. Acceptable food items include whole foods, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats.
2. Fitness Boundary Two: How you exercise
I know that you're not an Olympic athlete, but that doesn't mean that you can simply pass on exercise. By now you are well aware of the host of benefits that exercise provides. With regular exercise you'll look great, feel amazing and have more energy than ever.
Place boundaries around how often you must exercise. Choose exercise that is challenging and fun - don't be afraid to try new activities that improve your strength and endurance.
3. Fitness Boundary Three: When you indulge
Let's face it, we live in a world where indulging has become the norm, rather than the exception. When you live life without fitness boundaries, everyday is an opportunity to indulge. These indulgences all add up quickly, causing your clothes to become tight and your energy levels to drop.
Place boundaries around when you can indulge. You'll find that by limiting your indulgences you'll end up enjoying them even more.
Putting It In Action
Sit down and take a long, hard look at your lifestyle. Are you eating as healthy as you could be? Are you exercising 3-5 times each week? Are you indulging too often? Answer the following questions:
What 3 food items can I eliminate from my daily diet? (These should be nutritionally void items like high-calories beverages, fast food, packaged snacks, high-fat food, candy or desserts.)
When can I schedule exercise into my week? (Pick 3-5 days, and select a specific timeframe. Example: I'm going to exercise on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 5am-6am.)
When will I allow myself to indulge? (Don't go overboard here, especially if you need to lose weight. Enjoy a treat a couple times each month, and do so guilt-free knowing that you've maintained healthy food boundaries the rest of the time.
Remember that self-imposed boundaries are self-empowering.
Fitness boundaries put your fitness results on autopilot. If you know what constitutes an acceptable meal, then choosing what to eat just got a whole lot easier. If you're committed to exercising 3 times a week, soon it becomes second nature.
Need help setting up your fitness boundaries? I am here to help - call or email me now!
Confidence Booster
Have you ever wished that you had more confidence? People who set fitness boundaries report experiencing a boost of confidence. Think about it: when you set a higher standard for yourself confidence grows naturally. As you lose weight and feel better than ever your confidence will sky rocket.
_________________________________________________
Fresh Vegetable Tacos
There is no question that these veggie stuffed tacos are both healthy and delicious. Fresh asparagus, sweet peppers, corn, onion, pinto beans and cilantro create a tasty blend of flavors. To increase your protein intake feel free to throw in strips of lean chicken breast. Serve with sliced avocado and a side of salsa. Servings: 6
Here's what you need...
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup sweet peppers, chopped (red, yellow, orange or all three!)
3 ears of corn, kernels shaved off
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 chopped cilantro
6 whole wheat tortillas
1 avocado, sliced
Salsa
Place the olive oil and garlic in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for about three minutes or until the onions begin to soften.
Add the asparagus and continue to sauté , stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
Add the peppers and continue to sauté , stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
Add the corn, beans and cilantro and sauté for 5 more minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. *Note: Make sure you don't overcook the vegetables. You want them to be tender but not too soft.*
Remove from heat. Place a scoop of the veggie mixture in each tortilla and top with sliced avocado. Serve with your favorite salsa.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 308 calories, 8g fat, 46g carbohydrate, 13g fiber, and 12g protein.
_________________________________________________
Motivate your friends, family and co-workers! Use the "refer a friend" link below to forward this newsletter and subscribe your friends.
Forward This Newsletter
Rob and Sandy
Soul Personal Training
20981-A E. Smoky Hill Road 80015
303-669-3748
_____________________________________________________
Quotes, Quips, and Testimonials
My family's become a lot closer and we've all improved in so many areas because of personal training sessions and participating in True American Boot Camps. Thanks Soul Personal Training!
Jerry
I recently had major surgery and my doctor said because of my training with Sandy at Soul Personal Training my recovery time was minimal compared to life before working out. Thanks for your support in reaching all my goals and for strengthening my total body. Truely it's been from the inside out!
Pat
I can't live without Soul Personal Training. I've permanently budgeted for it. Thank you so much for all the toning, strength and muscle I've achieved so far. Looking forward to even more progress.
Paddi
____________________________________________________
Real Pain Relief-$20 For 20 Minutes!
Here's what you get!
a hands on assessment by a Physical Therapist
expert opinion regarding source of pain
recommended treatment plan
All for just twenty bucks?! Miraculous!
____________________________________________________
Sign Up NOW for the Next True American Boot Camp!
Is True American Boot Camp good, hard, fun? YES SIR! Challenging? YES SIR! Competitive? YES SIR! A walk in the park? H@$% NO SIR! Cool combat songs? YES SIR!
Are TA Boot campers getting phenomenal results? YES SIR?
Is it time to hit the web site and sign up NOW? YES SIR!
The registration page is available at
www.soulpersonaltraining.com.
This camp is filling up so don't get caught sleeping in; fall in right away!
NEW Evening classes starting __________________________________________________
Jill Parker's Soul of Running
A New Beginning
I have just returned from my third hard
race in as many weeks: Georgetown half marathon,
Pikes Peak Ascent and Park City Marathon.
Though PP is not a full 26 mile marathon,
“they” say the energy output to run that monster
is greater than that of running a regular marathon.
My 4:36 time to crawl up that thing can certainly
attest to this claim. Regardless of whatever number
we want to use, the fact is: I am tired.
Physically,mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
I am not tired of running; I don’t think that is
something I will ever exhaust; I am tired of the
anxiety I cannot seem to mitigate whenever I have a key
marathon approaching. The Portland marathon in a mere
5 weeks – and guess what? Yep, I’ve landed right back in
that place of high pre-race anxiety. A place I’ve fought so
long to abate but just cannot seem to. A couple weeks ago
I was at the pool swimming laps and I started to think a
lot about the fact the Colorado Outward Bound Relay
(Sept 11-12) and the Portland Marathon (Oct 4),
my next two big races, are soon going to be finished
and where I wanted to go next. It is customary for
me to start planning what’s next on my race agenda
when I can see the finish line of the current race I’m
training for. I have, in the past, come home from key
races I have finished and I have nothing on my plate
to train for and have been utterly unable to function;
there’s a legitimate hormonal let-down when we’ve
trained so hard for something and then wham…
it’s suddenly over. You’ve lost something that’s been
part of you for a very long time - a part you love.
Nothing like staring at bottom of the pool tiles lap after
lap to get the brain circulating ideas, goals, and options.
I always run better with a purpose fueling my running;
now was time to start prepping for the next round.
Here’s the ritual: What marathon is next on the list of
those I want to accomplish:Tucson? Austin?
Sacramento? Big Sur (again)? Nike Women’s in
San Francisco? Somewhere out east, perhaps?
All of them I want to do sooner or later, but which
one should I focus on? Which one would give me
the most time to train efficiently to land me that
next personal best? Nothing specific jumped out
at me and said, "Pick me! Go here!" Personal Best…
those two words weren’t sitting well. What was
feeling good, though, was my swim; I love how it
stretches my achy running muscles and makes me
refreshed and energized again, drowning out the toxins
in my sinuses and my mind; I have not make the time
this year to swim nearly as much as I wanted.
Suddenly, I had one of those "Ahhhh-HA!" moments
where I can picture the cartoon light bulb in a bubble
over my head.My devotional theme suddenly became
a reflection on the importance of preparedness.
I don’t want to TRAIN for anything in particular, I want to
be ready. I have high marathon stress that comes when I have
pressure to produce a certain finish time; I have reasons behind this from a very emotional tragedy in my early life, and as much as I try, I can’t seem to mitigate the pressure to perform well.So now, I want to keep my health and fitness at a sufficient level to be able to make quick decisions if something does suddenly sound appealing or feasible instead of focusing for months on end on the dangling finish line clock.If my training is strong, I can decide to do a spontaneous half marathon, or even ramp things up quickly for a marathon or trail adventure, if that appeals to me.
I want to be ready….and I no longer want a marathon race goal
time to take over the things I have been missing.
It can be overwhelming in the face of all that needs to be done,
to consider what we really want to do. I'm talking about getting
back in touch with the desires of my heart. I’ve gotten so
wrapped up in race times and placements and PR’ing that
I haven’t taken the time to do the other things I love. That's
why instead of thinking about what I have to do, I am going
to try to shift my perspective and consider what I want to
explore more of. If I can figure out how to get my 'I am's' to
fuel my 'to-do's' instead of the other way around, I think it
could be a year of great growth. It’s going to make me a
stronger, better runner. If we aren't paying attention, the
way we fill our time defines who we are by default.
Post-Portland, I want to be in a perpetual state of preparation;
this will give both pleasure and purpose to my training.
Here’s a few of my ideas:
Yoga. I want to actually go (instead of talking about the
idea of going). I even bought a yoga mat at REI the other
night and my girlfriend did also; I didn’t even need to convince
her to go with me, she was all over it when I told her my idea.
Stretching. More than just the customary hamstring lean while
I click my car keys post-run.
Weights. A few times a week.I want to focus on strengthening
the area between my shoulder blades to improve my posture and
also on work on my core to make my running stronger. And I
want more muscle definition before it’s lost somewhere in the
wrinkles of time.
Triathlons: ‘Nuff said.
Swimming: Of course. I may even join the DU masters swim
team.
Food. I am going to be more intentional about choosing my
food instead of ending up with something.
Rest. I am going to protect my needed hours, beginning with
the hour before sleep, being mindful of what I read or think
about before my head hits the pillow (no more emails from
certain people after 8pm).
Running: Easy running, hard running, long running, hill running,
track running, solo running, friend running, trail running,
training, racing, 50K, interval running group, and most
importantly: fun –something that every last molecule in my
body leaks out whenever I have an important race.
I want to be fit and ready, for whatever seems fun or challenging.Oswald Chambers has the BEST quote for me:
"Preparation is not suddenly accomplished, it is a process
steadily maintained."
Isn't that just perfect? Was Oswald a runner?! Things of
passion are not something to be checked off a list.
You aren't "done." Health, fitness, balance, faith, the building
and nurturing of relationships, parenting...these things do not end.There is no star for completion. Even a task well done or a
milestone met is not a conclusion; it is simply a transition zone to a new beginning.
When we embrace this mindset and accept the mobility of
the unset finish line, we can begin to grow into people who
are manifested in the moment....people who equally relish
the process and the punctuation.
I’m already running better knowing my Portland PR is near and
I can look forward to being ready for whatever it is I want my
journey to take me next.
As I wake each day and summer’s stale air is evaporating into
crisp, cool mornings, I am reminded of the multitude of fall
races approaching. I get so excited this time of year reading
about all my “friends” race reports - I send good vibes your
racing way and don’t forget about the adventure that lies in
all our hearts – that’s what started our little journey after all.
That’s what I’m going to try to be thinking the next 5 weeks.
_________________________________________________
Everhart and Soul
Good humor. Laughter. Rest. Happiness. These replenish health and bring long life. The happy person has the gift to improve the environment wherever they live. "Good humor saves us from the hands of the doctor!" Happiness is health and therapy.
"Time is the most precious element of human existence. The successful person knows how to put energy into time and how to draw success from time." - Denis Waitley
For More Soul Inspiration from Carl visit Everhart and Soul at www.soulpersonaltraining.com
___________________________________________________
Email: robstraining@gmail.com
Phone: 303-669-3748
www.soulpersonaltraining.com
|
|
