April 26, 2024

How to Increase your Happiness by Snowden McFall

Increase Your Happiness with Three Easy Steps

Many people believe that when you get to a certain level of income or achievement, that you will be truly happy. However, research at Harvard University shows just the opposite. You need to be happy first, and then the success and accomplishment will come.

Why is this important and how does it work?

Americans are extremely stressed. 80% say they are burnt-out and 50% need help managing their stress according to the American Psychological Association. Stress is the antithesis of happiness, and dramatically decreases your likelihood of being happy or successful.

The latest research on happiness is that the most successful people are happy first. Our brains are actually predisposed to work at maximum creativity, resilience and effectiveness when we are in a state of relaxation and joy.

Here are three quick techniques for increasing your happiness:

Celebrate your successes- large and small. Create a victory wall to post your achievements of any level- articles that have been published about you, goals achieved, races you’ve run, charity work you participated in, family achievements, etc.

Find something to look forward to. It might be a weekend away, an upcoming conference, a vacation, or special time with friends. In one study, people who just thought about watching their favorite movie had an increase of 27% in endorphins (the ‘feel good’ hormone)- just from thinking about it. Every time something stressful occurs, think about what you are looking forward to and shift your state of mind. It works!

Look for evidence that what you do makes a difference. Believe that your actions, either directly or indirectly improve the quality of people’s lives with your product or service, through the loving way you raise your family, or the kindness you extend at your charity work. People who have a sense of purpose about their lives are much happier.
 

Snowden McFall, professional speaker, trainer and author, is the owner of Fired Up Keynote Speaking. She has written 5 books, including Fired Up!, which has sold  63,000+ copies, and her new book Stress Express! 15 Instant Stress Relievers. An expert on stress and motivation, appeared on 320 radio shows, CNN Financial News, The Home Shopping Network, Bloomberg Television, Success Magazine, Investors Business Daily, and foxnews.com. She was named National Women in Business Advocate of the Year by the Small Business Administration and was honored at the White House and Congress. She can be reached at www.firedupnow.com

 

Ask a Pro by Tera Busker

Question: What exactly is a fitness-plateau and what’s the best way to get off a fitness plateau? –Dan, Baltimore.

Answer: A fitness plateau happens when your body no longer continues to progress. It is a stall you experience in your weight loss, endurance or strength goal. A plateau can be very frustrating! It is more or less a way of your body saying “I’m bored with this routine.”

The best way to “jump” off a fitness plateau is to shake things up! It’s time to take your workouts to the next level. It’s time to try a new style of strength training or cardiovascular exercise, as well as to review your food intake.

To shake up your strength training routine: try circuit training during which you move from one exercise to the next without rest, or by adding in cardio intervals in between each strength training set. Using tabatas is also an effective method to jump start results again. Consider working in some heavy lifting to your routine. Also consider trying different body splits into your strength routine, for example upper body/lower body or working muscles according to their function, for example push/pull.

To freshen up your cardio: Try doing HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) or schedule one new fitness class each week like spin or dance class. Learning a new sport is also a great way to get off a fitness plateau. In addition to learning a new sport skill-set, you’ll meet new training partners. Doing so, allows you to feed off others energy and push yourself harder than you would when working out alone.

Don’t forget about your diet! Fitness is only one part of being healthy. To continue to make strides towards your goals, make sure your nutrition isn’t stalling as well. Eating the same thing everyday slows your metabolism and can also keep you from progressing. Try a recipe exchange with friends, host a cooking party to exchange meal ideas or sign up for a cooking class at your local community center. Go to your local farmers market to find foods that are “in season” and choose produce from all colors of the rainbow.

Tera Busker is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Fitness To Go, an exclusive In Home & Private Studio Personal Training Service based out of Roberts, WI. www.fitnesstogo.net

Kick-Off Summer with Encouraging Words that Stick!

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Encouraging Words that Stick!

Kick off your summer by learning from Twitter leaders and fellow fitness enthusiasts as they offer their “the Best Health/Fitness Advice I ever received…” It’s funny how certain words someone shares with you stick. Why do they stick? Because they are true! Treasure the truth and advice that you’ve been given, which have stood the test of time in your life. And better yet pass the advice on to others that are struggling to find a way to add health and fitness into their daily life. Summer time brings with it the ideal opportunity to get healthy, together!

@SmashFit “EAT to get fit. I grew up when it was all about calories and restricting what you eat. Now I know you have to eat the right balance of nutrients to have the body you want. Food is the key to it all.”

@AnnTran_ “Take time to get outdoors and simply walk with nature, enjoying escape from the daily pressures of life.”

@TeamKnightFit “No matter how hard you workout/train, you can never ever out-train a poor diet.”

@CarrieWilkerson “Replace all beverages with water and go to bed 30 minutes earlier.”

@HealthHabits “Treat my body like a science experiment- test, evaluate and re-test.”

@LisaBraithwaite “You don’t have to push to extremes to get a good workout.”

@LeadToday “Eat less, move more!”

@DabneyPorte “Eat mini meals throughout the day to rev up metabolism.”

@tvfitcoach “Fitness improvements should be defined by the journey and positive life experiences you obtain by choosing to engage in exercise, and not by inches and pounds lost.”

@HPSelf “Take responsibility for my own health.”

@MargoDeGange “Modify.”

@themorningfresh “Trust my strength as a climber, and push myself as far as I can.”

@LifeCoachMary “Make every calorie count.”

@FitnessToGo “Always stay a little bit out of your comfort zone. The best results are made when you push your limits.”

@LoudFitness “Eat for performance. If YOU don’t eat to fuel, and recover properly you won’t have 100% success.”

@BobChoat “Focus on health and fitness, and then take consistent action towards it.”

@ZacharyFiorido “Remember that awesome feeling you get when you finish a workout.”

@MamaBritt “If having a hard time getting motivated to workout, hire a trainer or find an accountability partner.”

@CarlaYoung “Wear a pedometer because it serves as a constant reminder to do something every day.”

@Stretchfit “No one ever died in a pool of their own sweat. In other words, don’t be afraid to work hard.”

@MolliePT “Treat each moment as an opportunity to improve your situation, be it fitness (running for the bus), health (taking the stairs), or nutrition (using a free evening to make homemade dinner with leftovers for lunch.)

@bonniepfiester “Don’t eat in one sitting more than you are willing to burn off in one day.”

@RoyaleScuderi “Your body is like a fine-tooled machine, take care of it well, use it frequently and push it to the limit, but not so far that it will break.”

@LoriShemek “Just go do it!”

@endurancejer “The goal is to be the best you possible. The “why” is because you are grateful.”

@Gia “Always keep “spa water” in the refrigerator! (Thinly sliced cucumbers, lemon and oranges.)

@URHealthURChoic “Find an activity that you love! Something you are excited to do. You’ll give more effort and want to be there.”

@YourCoachNicole “Eat food that my body will recognize as FOOD.”

Being Healthy Outdoors:Get Out of that Gym! By Steve W. Weiss

When people fail to reach their fitness goals, they always blame themselves when maybe what they should be blaming is their definition of  “workout.”  Being flexible with your definition of what a “workout” means, allows new experiences to enter your health and fitness world. Consider adding a non-workout, workout every once in awhile! Mixing up your approach to fitness will keep motivation fresh and your healthy living inspired!

I have never been more motivated in my life to be active.  There are reasons for this:

I don’t have any “fitness” goals.
Goal setting is crucial for anyone to succeed but let’s be honest; some goals are much more fun to reach than others. Instead of pushing my body to bench 255lbs, squatting 400lbs, run a mile in a certain amount of time on a treadmill or stay at a certain weight for example, I now set goals that sound more like, trying to finish a 5.12 rated rock climb (easiest is a 5.1 hardest is a 5.15a), V8 boulder problem (easiest is a V0 hardest is V15), hike in the backcountry & snowboard difficult chutes, or push through difficult road biking or mountain biking climbs. 

My goals have a physical purpose.
Having the general goal of staying healthy is challenging to reach because health is determined by perspective. Whereas, a hiking goal to hike every 14’er (a peak that is 14000ft) has a definitive beginning and end and being healthy, does not. Specific goals serve a purpose, they’re measurable.

It’s not just physical, it’s mental too.
Being healthy is not just about the physical. Being mentally healthy is just as important. How often do you see someone working out in a gym who looks like they’re in almost a brain-dead state, zoned out and just mind-numbingly bored? Instead of pushing your body but not your mind, why not do both! For example, rock climbing is a great way to push both your physical and mental limits. Rock climbing takes lots of physical strength and endurance, but it takes just as much mental strength to figure out the problems/routes. Think of the rock or climbing wall as a big puzzle.

Travel is my #1 motivator.
Travel is a great motivator to expanding your fitness. Because I climb, snowboard, bike, hike, etc I always am looking ahead to the next trip to do those things. I want to stay in shape so I can perform my best when traveling. Also, travel and new experiences brighten our lives, and gives us a good story to brag about to our friends.

So get active outside of the gym every once in awhile, get dirty, and get ready to be motivated and inspired!

Steve W. Weiss is an avid road tripper, adrenaline sport junkie, and social media nut based out of Utah. When he is not out climbing or snowboarding, he is blogging on his websites: TheMostEpicTrip.com, MountainEnthusiast.com, and SteveWWeiss.com. He also co-runs a twitter chat specifically for rock climbing called #ClimbChat every Tuesday at 7pm(MST). His main goals in life revolve around traveling the world for rock climbing and snowboarding, while doing other outdoor sports as well. It might just be easier to connect with him on twitter at @SteveWWeiss.

Creating a Positive Exercise Experience by Zachary Fiorido

How often do you say to yourself “I’m too tired to finish this sprint” or “I don’t feel like doing that exercise” Chances are you have. We are only human. So, how do we get past those days when during your workout you just don’t want to do that extra rep or mile?

Here are 3 ways to creative positivity in your workout:

Become aware of your thought patterns. Are you even aware of when you begin the negative thought patterns that zap your energy and motivation during exercise? Stay present and learn your self-talk patterns to control your mental focus. Changing negative thoughts into positive actions is essential to a healthier lifestyle. Thinking positively changes your whole body. You walk taller, smile bigger and elude confidence you never thought you had. Positive thoughts create positive actions that help you live a positive lifestyle.

Change your words. Change your internal dialogue from “I don’t want to work out” to “I want to work out because it makes me feel good.” Or “I want to work out because it decreases my stress.” Adding a reason why you want to (not why you should be) forces your mind to focus on the benefits, what you’ll gain from working out. Benefits are positive. Allow yourself to say yes to a workout, and to better health!

Block Negativity. Block out all that negativity that comes to your mind when exercising. When the negative thoughts begin, have a mantra in place to repeat over and over again, until your negativity pattern is broken. For example, “You can do this!” Or “this is the last sprint, no problem.” Or “I’m not tired” also works. Blocking out negative thoughts is a way to push yourself to reach your goals.

Zachary Fiorido is a Fitness Expert, Film/TV Actor, Personal Trainer, Group X Instructor. Connect with Zachary via Facebook:  Facebook.com/ZacharyJFiorido

Boost your Child’s Brain Power with Nutrition by Maggie Ayre

Consuming a full range of vitamins, minerals and nutrients is key to improving everyone’s learning capabilities, including children. Through the evolutionary process our bodies have been designed to consume fresh fruit and vegetables and these should form the majority of food we consume every day. We evolved as foragers, eating whatever was ripe and in season at any particular time and we should therefore aim to eat as wide a range of different fruit and vegetables as we possibly can.

Every different fruit and vegetable has a different ratio of vitamins, minerals and water and together they form the diet that enables our bodies and minds to operate at their best.

When trying to eat a range of fruit and vegetables aim to eat as many different colours and textures as you can – they all benefit us in different ways. Include crunchy orange carrot, squidgy yellow mango, leafy green kale and so on.

5 brain boosting foods to have available for your child during exam-prep:

Oily Fish - Oily fish like trout, salmon and mackerel contain omega 3 fatty acids which are essential for good brain health.  In the absence of omega 3 fatty acids our brains will make use of omega 6 fatty acids from vegetable fats but this imbalance between omega 3 and omega 6 has been linked to ADHD, depression and dementia.

Eggs - Eggs are a fantastic source of protein. Whilst our brains aren’t made of protein they need this macronutrient to enable neurons in the brain to communicate with each other.

Avocados - Rich in monounsaturated fats avocados are packed full of brain goodness and also contain and good range of vitamins and carotenoid lutein for excellent eye health.

Blueberries - Not only do blueberries help with memory but they also enable us to recall facts just when we need them.  They are packed with antioxidants and vitamin C.

Dark Chocolate - Eating dark chocolate could boost brain power for several hours. The flavanols in dark chocolate boost blood flow to the brain leading to better performance and a boost in general alertness.

Maggie Ayre is the UKs leading Fitness Coach for Young People.  She has just released her latest book; “Nutrition for Exam Success – A Parent’s Guide” which is available on Kindle from Amazon or can be downloaded as an ebook (along with several of Maggie’s free reports) from www.maggieayre.com/maggies-books.html.

 

Parents Guide to Summer Survival by Juli Shulem

As another school year comes to a close,  summer months bring changes in schedules. For a smooth transition to summer, begin your planning now. Even though kids are on vacation from school, life and responsibilities of parents don’t enjoy a vacation. Achieve a balance of fun and work by planning early and implementing four actions now!

Get YOUR chores done before school is out. Take advantage of the last few weeks of the school year to get things done for yourself that are best done without having children in tow. Make a list of those items that are easier to do sooner versus later and those which can be done with your family around.

Confirm your summer daily schedule before summer begins. Plan the activities your children and family will be participating in: camps, get-aways, at-home activities. How will your children be occupied? They don’t necessarily have to participate in scheduled activities every waking moment of every day – yet there should be some structure to the days. Before summer officially begins, call a family meeting. Ask all family members to sit down and share what they would like to do with their days. Perhaps new life skills can be developed, for example the children could learn about cooking dinners, since they won’t have homework to contend with. Follow through with a written and posted schedule, so all family members are aware of who is doing what, where and when.

Plan non-planned time. Be sure to allow for adequate “down time” as students work hard over the course of the school year and most will enjoy sleeping in for a change. If a family vacation is in the plan, try not to make it an endurance run – take everyone’s needs into concern. Ask each family member what they would like to do and aim to accommodate each request as best as possible.

Post a written list of activities. For example, heading to the local farmers market, attending a festival in your local park or participating in an activity at your library. Make a chart of “things you can do this summer” for the children and place it within view so when they come to you after a week whining “I’m bored” you can direct them toward the chart to pick an activity.

Planning ahead for the summer, will make the time spent more rewarding and less stressful for all family members!

Contributed by Juli Shulem (jshulem@gmail.com/805-964-2389), Efficiency/ ADHD Coach. www.julishulem.com, Efficiency Expert since 1984, and author of the eBook, Order! A Logical Approach to an Organized Way of Life, www.getordernow.com

 

Adventure for Every Fitness Level by John Taylor

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Adventure for Every Fitness Level by John Taylor

Mud runs offer adventure activities for every fitness level
 

In April of 2011, I asked my students to participate in an activity they had never been exposed to before…a mud run. I believed that they could all complete a military-style obstacle course where they had to climb over 12-foot high walls, propel their bodies across rope swings, crawl underneath razor sharp barbed wire, and dive into mud pits that were 3-feet deep.

Many of my students were scared about signing up for the event, and were even more apprehensive about going to the starting line once we actually got to the race. However, due to the encouragement from teachers and peers, every one of my learners completed the 3.1 mile obstacle course.

Imagine that…my students came to me at the beginning of the school year with obese BMI scores, and they have now conquered an event that many Americans would be too timid to even sign-up for.

The reason my students and I love mud run events is because teams can go at their own pace to complete the race, each member of the team can help one another overcome every obstacle, and in cases when a person is unable to complete a certain task, they can simply go around the impediment and continue their journey.

Of course every mud runner would benefit from physically preparing for the event through an ideal training regimen, but finishing in the top 3 in your age group is not what a mud run is about. Events like the Warrior Dash, Spartan Race, Rugged Maniac, and Primal Run are meant to help friends and colleagues work together to complete a common goal and have fun.

If you are looking to physically prepare for one of these events, here are a few tips to help you train for a mud run competition:

Work on your upper body strength. In many mud runs, you’ll have to go across monkey bars and crawl through some pretty thick mud. Strengthening your shoulders, triceps, and lats will really help your efforts

Build up your cardiovascular endurance. Most people only think of the obstacles when mud runs come to mind, but there is a lot of running in-between these obstacles. Make your training more realistic to the actual event by doing trail and hill sprints and jogs.

Bring sympathy, understanding, and encouragement when you compete in a mud run. Remember, you may be able to get through every obstacle with ease, but your teammate who has just begun working out may struggle. If you are demanding that they “try harder,” do you think they’ll want to compete in one of these events again? The goal is to provide support and encouragement for fellow athletes!

By John Taylor, MS. Star of Emmy-nominated reality television series, “Too Fat for 15: Fighting Back” Follow John on Twitter: @tvfitcoach. Find John on  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Coach-John-T/151964238255488?ref=tn_tnmn or reach him via email, jtaylor@wellbalance

The Buddy System by Mary Miriani

Remember the buddy system? It is a system critical to survival should something go wrong. As it turns out, it is also an effective system to implement when beginning an exercise program. A workout buddy can keep exercise both motivating and interesting. The advantages of exercising with a friend, as well as choosing the right buddy often make or break success efforts.

Working up a sweat with a friend is a great thing, especially if you hate to exercise.  Having a buddy keeps you accountable. It is much harder to skip your daily exercise if you know there is somebody counting on you to show up. Exercise is more enjoyable when shared with others. It fulfills the human need to socialize.

People are social animals, and thrive on the feeling of being “in this together.”  Exercise buddies both motivate you to keep your exercise commitment, and celebrate your victories, such as pounds lost or miles walked. They encourage you when the scale is not budging, and keep you focused. That is, if you have chosen the right partner.

Here are the essential qualities to consider when choosing an appropriate exercise buddy:

They keep it positive. The person you choose to exercise with needs to possess a positive attitude.  Negativity is the enemy of long term success. Exercise is supposed to make you feel good. How can you feel good when your focus is on what is ineffective? Patience and persistence are good attributes in a workout buddy, especially if you are not. Impatience undermines the most well intentioned exercise plans, because, despite being bombarded by get-fit-quick messages, it takes at least twice as long to get fit than to become unfit.

They possess a stick-with-it quality. You don’t want a partner who easily gives up when it gets tough. And let’s face it, getting fit is tough.

You share similar capabilities and exercise experiences. Look for friends who have similar goals and fitness levels as you. If your buddy is too advanced or too far below your fitness level, you or they will be likely to quit due to difficulty or lack of results. 

Their personality is a match for yours. Most important, you need to enjoy the company of the person you workout with and the activity you choose. No one sticks long-term with something or someone they dislike, regardless of activity results or progress.

Set a goal to find a workout buddy, and then commit to an activity you both enjoy. You will survive your exercise program and reap the benefits of better health. 

By Mary Miriani. BA Exercise Science; ACSM Health/Fitness Specialist.
Reality Fitness, Inc.; Naperville, IL. Contact her via email, mary@miriani.com.

Essentials of Running your First Marathon by Jim Lynch

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Five Essentials of Running your First Marathon by Jim Lynch
 

So, you’ve finally decided to run a full marathon. Congratulations!  First and foremost, you will need to train a minimum of six months before your marathon.

Here are 5 essentials to successfully completing your first marathon:

Believe.  A marathon is 26.2 miles, no more, no less. If you get in your car and drive 26.2 miles you will think to yourself, how in the world will I ever be able to run this far?  Guess what…you can! Many have done a marathon that thought they never could. It’s a very self-rewarding accomplishment. Just believe you can do it and you will be 50% of the way there.

The Proper Running Shoe. There are many theories on running shoes. Most wear them, some don’t.  Since you are running your first marathon, get yourself a good pair of running shoes. Don’t try to save a few bucks; your running shoes are vital to overall successful running and especially running a successful first marathon. If you have a local running store in your community, they will hook you up with the best pair based on your personal running form.

Train, Train and Train. Take your training serious and be consistent. If you have a local running group, join it.  You’ll meet professional coaches, as well as like-minded runners who will help you develop a training plan. Training with others makes the process an enjoyable experience. Stop by your local running store for running group recommendations.

Once you have your plan laid-out, follow it as if your life depended on it. You will slowly build up your mileage and reach benchmarks along the way. Eventually you will build up to 20-mile plus training runs. Logging miles into on-line programs such as Runkeeper, MapMyRun, Daily Mile or LogYourRun is also helpful and will boost motivation as you see the miles compound.

There are many components to marathon training such as nutrition, fluid intake, performance gels, hill work and speed work. By belonging to a running group or reading on-line articles, running blogs or running magazines, you will get acclimated quickly and understand what these mean, and how important they are to a successful marathon.

Target Your Marathon. Choose your first marathon to be a well-established race that has a proven positive track record. Go to www.marathonguide.com for a list of all marathons and read comments from people to get a feel for their experience. Marathons are popular these days and fill up fast when registration opens, so once you find one you believe you’d like, register early! 

Some first-timer marathons worth consideration are Chicago, Twin-Cities, Houston, Disney and Phoenix. The Rock N’ Roll series also have some great well-run marathons.

Preparation. When you finally register for your first marathon, book your flight and hotel right away. Having these details confirmed in advance, will allow you to focus on your training with no worries before race day.

Finally, to really understand what a marathon is like, pick up the DVD, “Spirit of the Marathon.”  It will speak to you.

 Crossing the finish line of your first marathon will change you forever!

Jim Lynch is a Runner and author of One Foot in Front of the Other – expected to be released in fall of 2012!  Jim has completed 87 marathons and is certified for completing a marathon in all 50 States plus DC. Jim Lynch may be reached via @authorjimlynch on Twitter and http://www.facebook.com/authorjimlynch  If you sign up for updates at Jim’s website at http://www.authorjimlynch.com you will receive free the first chapter of his upcoming book. You may also read Jim’s blog published twice weekly at http://www.authorjimlynch.com/blog