Archives for posts with tag: fitness

Imperfect Conclusions

December 31, 2015 //
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Ok so if we tally up your resolutions from last year you should:

  • Have the body of your dreams
  • Be financially independent
  • Do charity work 3 times a week
  • Have written that novel

No? Me either. But that’s ok. I’ll be honest, I’m going to add those resolutions right back on my list again this year. I’m not upset that things didn’t turn out perfectly last year. My ideal plan didn’t work out the way I thought it would. But why would I let an imperfect conclusion make me feel like a failure?

I worked at each of my resolutions. And any action is better than no action at all. I may have not come as far as other people, but I also know I have done more than others. But regardless of how other compare, I was writing my own story.  

Life is always a work in progress. Even if you do achieve your ideal body, will you maintain it? I fluctuate, because I like beer and wings, and football Sundays. I don’t beat myself up about it. I enjoy it, then I use my other time to lace up my running shoes and hit the streets. I am not a financial savant. I enjoy traveling, going to restaurants, and building on my hobbies. It’s ok!

Life happens. You are never “there.” You don’t reach any certain point and just stop. You should be always working at something, trying to improve, and be setting new goals. But it’s ok to pause momentarily (a day, a weekend, sometimes even a couple months), assess and regroup, then react. That’s not a major setback. Football teams huddle and regroup, race cars have to enter the pits and refuel, people need a day of rest.

So don’t kick yourself and tell yourself that last year was horrible. And don’t think that it was all be fixed in 2016. 2015 may have had its imperfect conclusions, but so will next year, and the year after that. Keep fighting, keep regrouping, keep using each year as one step to the next. 5, 10, maybe 20 years from now you will look back and see how far you have come.

Cheers to the next step!  

Happy New Years to all!

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Categories mindset, Values

PUMP! YOU! UP!

March 20, 2014 //
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Alright guys let’s talk. Tis the season… The weather is warming up, the New Year is wearing off but now it’s time for those of us who are serious to get into the gym. ( ok not to serious but we’re trying) . But before you jump back in there let’s learn some gym etiquette. What? Me? I don’t need that… Yeah .. Read on. If it’s truly not you, then pass it one to someone you know.

– We have seen every athlete in them. We got some new ones over the holidays. And we all have goals to look better and make them look good. HOWEVER… Very few of us can really pull off spandex UnderArmour shirts. Trust me, even on your best day, mine included, it doesn’t look good. Stick to a simple t-shirt and shorts.

– Keep the mirror flexing for home. Yea yea we all look and want to see what we got. But trust me we are all watching you. And even if you do have it, you just lost a lot of street cred doing the mirror flex.

– Replace the weights. Sure the next guy really really wants to know what you just lifted, I’m sure. But it takes time of of his schedule to clean up after you. And half of his workout shouldn’t be replacing your weights.

– Wipe down the seats and grips when you’re done. I get that the seat will forever be dirty and germ filled, and I don’t plan on licking it. But I also don’t want to lay down in your puddle.

– Do your exercises and move on. But just know, if you decide to go take a bathroom break or walk away from “you” machine for more than a few seconds. There is a good chance someone is going to take it. I understand that you’d like to complete your entire Men’s Health circuit without having people get in your way, but it’s a public gym. No dirty looks needed.

Any other ones out there that I missed? I just don’t want you to be that guy that ends up being the joke of the next dinner conversation.

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Categories health, social, sports

Iron mind

May 22, 2013 //
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I’ve always been somewhat of a fitness guy. But I have also also been fortunate to be naturally lean. Most of my fitness pertains to my job and my personal desire to do active things like hiking and bike riding for personal enjoyment.

But I have to admit, I have my lot phases. Sometime I get more interested in my DVR and relaxing on my couch. And age doesn’t help! I used to be able to take all the time off I wanted and jump back into the gym and bounce back into shape in about a week. But age hasn’t helped that!

But this past weekend I had a chance to watch an ironman competition and cheer on a friend. For anyone who doesn’t know, the ironman is a race that consists of a 2.5 mile swim, 112 miles bike ride and then a 26.2 mile run… Yea.. Not for the faint of heart.

But to my surprise the competitors were not all ultra athletes. Many had the body shape the appeared they hadn’t been to the gym in a while. And amazingly, there about 10 participants that were over the age of 70!

So standing on the side lines cheering these people on made me wonder why the heck I think I can’t complete a race like that?! Oh, I know I would need massive training. And I’d have to break through the mental barriers and trust that I can do it. But will I?

I’m a long way from an ironman but I have started to kick myself in the butt to get motivated and push myself more.

But more importantly, the entire experience made me wonder: if I set up mental barriers in my fitness, what other mental barriers have I let myself put up?

What have you talked yourself out of throughout your life? And what will you do to break free and excel?

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Categories health, mindset, sports