08.15.08
Posted in Exercise at 6:46 pm by Administrator
The much anticipated 2008 Beijing Olympic games are now in full swing. I find it inspiring to watch athletes perform at the top of their game, don’t you?
It’s amazing to see what the human body is capable of when it’s trained for a particular event.
Every athlete in the Olympics has trained for thousands of hours in a very specific way for their sport. These athletes know precisely what they want their bodies to do and they train in a focused manner to be the best. You can bet that they see a gold medal every time they close their eyes. Now that’s focus.
What about you? What do you train for?
You see, whether you realize it or not, you too are training for a specific reason. Maybe your goals are more in line with losing 15 pounds rather than winning a gold medal, but your training needs to be just as specific in order to achieve your desired results.
Do you know why you exercise? Is it to lose weight? Is it to lower your blood pressure? Is it to shrink your waist? Is it to pick up a bag of groceries with more ease?
The first step toward getting the body of your dreams is to set a goal. This simple act, when done correctly, will instantly calm your frustrations and fill you with hope.
Here’s how to make your goals SMART.
Specific: Ask yourself questions like: How many inches do I want to lose? What pant size do I want to be? Be painstakingly specific with yourself. It has been proven that the more specific your goal is the more likely you are to achieve it.
Measurable: You’ve got to be able to measure your results. It could be in pounds or body fat percentage or inches. It could even be fitting into a particular pair of pants that you haven’t worn in years. The key is that you need to be able to physically measure your progress.
Attainable: If you have fifty pounds to lose it won’t all come off in one month. Setting unattainable goals simply sets you up for failure. If you have a major fat loss goal then break it down into small attainable goals. As you achieve each smaller goal you will reinforce your progress and ultimately can attain any desired goal.
Realistic: This step is all about knowing yourself. What type of program would you realistically stick with? If you despise running then don’t base your weight loss program on 6am jogs. Look honestly at your abilities, but don’t underestimate yourself either. You’ll need to push yourself to achieve your goal.
Timely: Every great goal is set on a timeline. Keeping the above steps in mind, give yourself an exact date and time that your goal needs to be accomplished by.
Now it’s time to get to work. Write down your SMART goal and place it somewhere that you see often then tell three people of importance in your life about your goal.
Have the focus and the drive to pursue your SMART goal, just like the Olympians, and go make yourself proud!
Cherry Hill Personal Training Studio
Fit-4-Life, Inc.
856-751-0033
www.Fitlifeinc.com
Kevin Hensel, Owner
Permalink
08.02.08
Posted in Motivation at 12:18 pm by Administrator
In recent weeks a female Olympic swimmer has been making headlines and she doesn’t even hold the fastest time in her events. So what makes her so amazing?
She’s swimming with women half her age.
Dara Torres, 41, and is headed to her fifth Olympic games. Oh, and did I mention that she also has a two year old daughter? While other women her age are whining about pregnancy pounds and being ‘over the hill’, Dara looks like the 20 year olds she competes with.
What makes her different from other 41 year old moms?
“I love to exercise,” Dara says. “I love how it makes me feel. I love how it makes me look.”
Here’s the fountain of youth part:
Because of exercise, Dara’s body is actually younger on a molecular level than her out-of-shape counterparts, according to a recent study led by Tim D. Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College in London as reported by the Washington Post.
The results were astounding. They found that exercise appears to slow the shriveling of the protective tips on bundles of genes inside cells (called telomeres), which means a slowing of the aging process.
“These data suggest that the act of exercising may actually protect the body against the aging process,” said Spector.
Here’s the study in a nutshell:
Telomeres cap the ends of chromosomes and every time a cell divides, the telomeres get shorter.
Once a telomere gets too short, that cell can no longer divide.
Aging occurs as more and more cells reach the end of their telomeres and die. This results in weakened muscles, skin wrinkles, loss of eyesight and hearing, organ failure and slowed metal functioning.
The study analyzed the telomeres from the white bloods cells of twins over a 10-year period. Telomere length was used as a marker for the rate of biological aging.
It was found that the length of telomeres was directly related to that twin’s activity level. “There was a gradient,” Spector said. “As the amount of exercise increased, the telomere length increased.”
People who did 100 minutes of weekly exercise had telomeres that looked like those from someone about 5-6 years younger than those who did 16 minutes of exercise each week.
People who did 3 hours of vigorous exercise each week had telomeres that looked like those from someone about 9 years younger.
What does this mean to you?
The fountain of youth is literally at your fingertips!
Add to that the previously proven benefits of exercise (such as a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer and other diseases) and it’s no wonder that exercise lovers look and feel as great as they do.
Do you want to start an exercise program or get back on one?
Whether it’s been months, years or even a lifetime since your last workout, remember that it’s never too late to start looking and feeling your best.
Call the number above or just reply to this email to set up your first workout.
And while you may not share Dara’s passion for swimming, you can share her secret for staying young and looking your best.
Permalink
