Our President, The New Face of Fitness

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The majority of us Americans have not-so-fond memories of the Presidential Fitness test. In our youth, some may have asked, “Who wrote these tests?” Even Junior Seau jokes about how he dreads doing pull-ups, on Insider Training with Gabby Reece, because they remind him of those days of old. Now, we have a President who sets a fantastic example of healthy and fit living.

However, I have read that our President has been accused of being workout obsessed because he spent two hours working out, one day during his campaign. Exercise has been proven to alleviate one’s stress. President Obama is going into the White House with a healthy, low blood pressure level, healthy BMI, and body composition, with one of the most stressful jobs in the world today. I tip my imaginary hat to the man for keeping up his daily fitness routine, so that he can remain our healthy Commander-in-Chief for the term of his presidency. In fact, 2/3 of the American population (yes, that’s how many Americans do not get the recommended amount of physical activity) have lost the excuse that “I am too busy/too stressed to exercise.” If the President can do it, yes, you can you, too! “Yes we can.” (Sorry, that is not getting old for me anytime soon.)

I was going to finish this post here, but I am sure that single parents are saying that they don’t have help at home with their kids, thus restricting exercise options. My solution: visit your local YMCA or Boys & Girls Club (if necessary, they also offer financial assitance for families who qualify), parents can workout while the kids get to participate in various programs. Some locations even offer childcare for the kids who are not yet old enough to participate in the art and fitness classes that they provide. For those of us in California, where there isn’t snow or sleet, take your kids out on a walk with you. Getting/staying fit is easy, if you let it be.

In addition to the above suggestion, the next one applies to each and everyone of us: Make a daily appointment with yourself to exercise, and keep it. Your date can be with the well-lit stairwell at your office for 15 minutes per day.

If you would like more guidance, feel free to contact me offline, comment, our visit my website~www.balancedstrength.com. Also, register for a V4 Fitness account for free through January 31, 2009. It is an online health club, complete with daily exercises, fitness tips, and interaction with our total fitness coaching staff of nutritionists, personal trainers, and life coaches.

It’s Time For Change; Yes, You Can!

Our new President, Barack Obama, said it in his inaugural speech yesterday. I, too, was inspired by his speech, so I’m dedicating the next few blog posts to the themes and values that our new President is asking us to pay attention to. In this post I’m asking you to think about what you want to change in your life or what it is that you’ve been putting off.

We all have it within ourselves to incite change and make things happen. However, the thought of change is very overwhelming for most of us. I am sure many of us will put it off until tomorrow. Then tomorrow comes, and we discover, we don’t have to until tomorrow. Thus, the cycle continues.

People, that cycle is called procrastination! We all suffer from this syndrome every now and again, so there is no need to feel any guilt over it. In fact, a study reported in Psychological Science reports that despite extrinsic motivators (money), one group still put off completing their tasks. This was the group that was given given their task without any “how-tos” or instructions to follow. The group that had the details broken down and instructions to follow actually completed their task early, without a second thought.

Here is your how-to:

1. Identify your goal/what you want to change. (Example 1-Lose 50 pounds; Example 2-Volunteer 5 hours per month to charity)

2. Set a date for accomplishing that change. (Ex. 1-December 31; Ex. 2-May 1)

3. Break it down into manageable chunks. (Ex. 1-Lose 15 pounds by March 31, 10 pounds by June 30, and so on; Ex. 2-Commit to 1 hour every other week in your first 1-2 months, 1 hour per week by month 2-3)

4. Assign yourself tasks for each week or month. (Ex. 1-Week 1-find activities you enjoy, Week 2-find workout buddies, Week 3-Exercise at least, two times per week, etc; Ex. 2-Week 1-Write down all social issues you feel passionate about, Week 2-Identify local charities that are in line with your passion (try asking neighbors, friends, or check the internet), Week 3-Call the local offices to see when and where you might be able to volunteer your time.)

5. Schedule it. Write those tasks into your calendar, as if they were that doctor’s appointment you couldn’t miss.

Try it out and procrastinate, no more. If you need a little extra guidance feel free to contact me by posting below or sending me an email at chriskfit@yahoo.com. You can also find help with your health and fitness goals at http://www.balancedstrength.com/v4fitness/register/. Sign up by February 1, 2009 for a free one-month membership.