New Year's fitness resolutions can transform your body and change your life or like most American’s it could be depressing, frustrating and a total failure. Most people make their New Years Resolutions in December or early January, yet very few make a real commitment to accomplish them. February is the month that most people give up and revert to their pre-New Year's Resolution lifestyle. By Valentines Day they are back to eating un-healthy dinners and chocolates with their loved ones. Have you given up on your fitness goals yet or maybe you never got around to starting them? Then why don’t you show real love for yourself and continue with or start a functional fitness program that will finally let you succeed with your fitness resolutions. As I tell my students “Winners Never Quit and Quitters Never Win!” Can you imagine our world today if Thomas Edison, Henry Ford or the Wright Brothers gave up on their vision or listen to the negative people that always have excuses or tried to discouraged them?
You can give me all the excuses you want, I’m a single parent, I’m stressed out due to the economy’s down fall, I’m not 20 years old anymore, Miami is the Fattest City in America, if rich, successful, focus and driven Oprah failed what can you expect from me? The truth of the matter is that all the above is true yet not a legitimate excuse. Let me break each excuse down. Being a single parent is hard yet you must be the example of health and fitness to your children. Being fit will give you the energy to go that extra mile for yourself and your children.
Instead of eating and being depressed due to the economy you should now more than ever start a fitness routine to keep your mind occupied with positive thoughts and relieve stress. You might not be able to control the state of the economy yet you are able to transform your body and regain your health.
Yes, it’s a fact the older you get your metabolism slows down, you lose endurance, strength and you start losing flexibility. Yet, the truth of the matter is as we age is when we need to train harder yet smarter to counter the aging process. From 2007 to three quarters of 2008 I went from one injury and illness to another, yet I never quit working out or gave up. As soon as the doctor gave me the OK I started training by working around the injuries. Today almost reaching my 52 birthday I’m in better shape then I’ve been in years.
Yes, unfortunately Miami was voted the fattiest city in America by Men’s Fitness magazine. To make it more embarrassing Salt Lake City, Utah, home of the 2002 Winter Olympics was the fittest. Three other cold weather cities Colorado Spring, Minneapolis and Denver made the top four cities. How ironic sunny Miami where we can have fun in the sun and exercise outdoors all year long is the fattest and the winter wonderland of Salt Lake City is the fittest. It should be the opposite. Well, the good news is that South Beach is known world wide for its beautiful and fit people. So we have no excuse. As fitness professional my goal as well as my peers is to make Miami not just the funnest but the fittest city.
Oprah has been yo-yo dieting for years. She’s been fat and in great shape. Part of her failure has been that fitness falls out of her priority list. I’m not knocking her or giving excuses for her yet with all the riches, influence and fame also comes responsibilities, stress and critics. So, she felt completed defeated and gave up. Yet now that she has hit rock bottom she is making a decision to make her health a priority in her life. Don’t wait to hit rock bottom to make your decision to live a fit and healthy lifestyle.
Make your decision today to live fit and fearless. Here are 4 tips to help you succeed and have lasting change:
1. Make a Commitment:
You must take a stand and make sure that you are feed up with the way you feel and look. Make a commitment that you will and must change it.
2. Make Fitness a Priority: Make a radical change in your eating habits and make a commitment to exercise daily. Health and Fitness must become a priority in your life.
3. Make a Lifestyle Change: Condition yourself for change and reinforce it until it is conditioned. It usually takes 3 weeks to create a new habit and change your taste buds. To succeed you must link pleasure to your new choice and link pain to going back to the old habits. Have no doubts in your mind that you will succeed. Believe in yourself and don’t give up.
4. Think Positive and Surround yourself with Positive People: Stay away from negative people. Surround yourself with successful people. You are the sum of the people that are around you. Keep negative thoughts out of your mind. I teach my Kung Fu Kids class through Zig Zigglers I-CAN program to be like the bumblebee that flies when aerodynamically it is not suppose to fly and not have stinking thinking or garbage dump thinking. I stay positive by keeping strong to my faith and listening to Anthony Robbins motivational tapes.
So now, you have no excuses get in the best shape of your life!
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