The Healthy Lifestyle Way

For most of my adult life I had an interest, maybe even a fascination with personal development. As I’ve already said I read many a fantastic book, and a few pretty pathetic ones too if I’m honest. 

My car was a library on wheels. More often than not, every journey I took, I would listen to personal development audios. Anthony Robbins ‘Get the Edge’, ‘The Secret’ were the two that I think had the biggest impact.   

The most memorable seminar event I went to was Anthony Robbins Unleash the power within in London 2001. That’s where I completed the fire walk. All of this taught me something, instlilling in me a bit more positivity, motivation, excitement. But how long did it last. For someone that had absorbed all that knowledge could I say that I was leading the perfect life … the very honest answer is no, not at all the time.  

Life will always be a learning curve. The most important thing to learn, for us all, is knowledge isn’t enough. Hey, for now, until I’m a best selling author, don’t just take my word for it. Read what a few others have to say on the subject:  

The great aim of education is not knowledge but action. ~ Herbert Spencer  

The knowledge that we consider knowledge proves itself in action. What we now mean by knowledge is information in action, information focused on results. ~ Peter F. Drucker   

Imagination is more important than knowledge, for knowledge is limited while imagination embraces the entire world. ~ Albert Einstein   

The truth is that even in the information age, information is not enough. if all we needed were ideas and positive thinking, then we all would have had all the toys in the world when we were kids and we would all be living our “dream life” now. Action is what unites every great success. Action is what produces results.

Knowledge is only potential power until it comes into the hands of someone who knows how to get himself to take effective action. In fact, the literal definition of the word “power” is “the ability to act.” ~ Tony Robbins. Power is the ability to act.  The key to life, the key to making a success is taking ACTION! I’m not saying, that there’s no point in picking up a book or listening to an audio cd. I want you to take in as much good information as you can. But from this knowledge, i want you to follow through, immediately put into action what you’ve learned. 

Our Healthy Lifestyle plan starts with the steps to creating a successful day right from the start of each and every brand new day. I am sure we all want to be more productive and achieve success, and set out every morning to make the best of the day ahead. But isn’t it also true that sometimes we find it difficult to motivate ourselves to take action–especially first thing in the morning.  

Getting started on something like a healthy lifestyle plan has less to do with whether you have the energy and more to do with your desire and willingness to make the changes. So how is it that some people can get started on the healthy lifestyle plan and others don’t. Well the ones who do, dig in, make the start and soon begin to see results, and then they become more motivated to continue. The difference is they took action.  

“A thousand mile journey begins with the first step.” – Chinese Proverb.

In everything in life, if you want to achieve something, take the initiative and do it now! The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll get where you want to go. BECOME A PERSON OF ACTION.  Only through doing will you accomplish! 

One of the biggest weaknesses of human behaviour is procrastination. Each time you procrastinate or avoid taking action, you reinforce a negative and demonstrate to yourself that you don’t follow through. The longer you procrastinate about something, the more likely that you never will get started.. Procrastinating for many is a life habit.   But, like all habits, it can be broken.

To do so, you must establish and reinforce a new, get up and go action response to replace your habit of “putting it off.” This is your call to action.  In time, this drive to take action will become your norm. And, you’ll then find yourself making personal life progress beyond what you may have ever thought possible!  

So what’s going to get you to start taking action? Firstly find what excites and drives you in life? What are you passionate about? It is these things that drive you in life that will compel you to take action, to make a difference, or to follow through.

You can achieve anything, you can create, have, do, share, become, anything you want, once you start to take action. So what is it that will keep you up late at night and get you up early in the morning?   What results are you committed to? What are the results you must achieve? What is it that you really want – personally or professionally (health, finances, relationships, emotions, material possessions, experiences, etc.) ?

Now if you truly want these things, you know you have to step up and make them happen. They won’t land in your lap while you sit and procrastinate. You have to get up, get going, take action. 

‘In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently’.  Tony Robbins  

How do you get started?

Develop a plan of attack– a “massive action plan”. List every outcome you want and any possible action you can take that may help you achieve your goal.

Brainstorm.

Even if the idea sounds crazy, write it down. Then just do it.  In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill says the surest way to grow rich is to have faith. But, he says, faith by itself will yield nothing. The secret is to have “…faith backed by action. Action, action, action.”    

Every Journey Begins with a Single Step So just take action. Don’t be one of those people that make up excuses, or give excellent reasons of why sitting around and doing nothing is the right thing to do. Things seldom happen when nothing is done. Rarely has somebody achieved anything by sitting around pitying themselves, because nothing is happening, so, feel free, to take action now. Massive action = powerful results. 

Body for Life by Bill Philips 

Bill Phillips has studied the transformations of tens of thousands of people, and it’s clear that he knows what works. Bill Phillips’ Body for Life programme is one of the most popular diets on the market today. 

The Book 

Bill Phillips’ Body for Life is an inspiring book that outlines a comprehensive diet and fitness programme. The Body-for-LIFE book is a simple and easy to understand step-by-step fitness guide. The principles are easy to understand, but powerfully insightful. If you’re looking for life changing results it’s certainly worth reading, and following.   Success stories designed to motivate and encourage people can be found in the book. It is intended to be a lifestyle change, the key to achieving and maintaining the perfect body. 

Body For Life Basics 

Body for Life is an intense exercise and nutrition programme based on the goal to achieve quick results in order to keep you motivated to continue in the long-term. The programme lasts 12 weeks. It involves weight training for 3 days/week and aerobic exercise for 3 days/week. The diet consists of six small meals/day, six days/week, consuming foods such as vegetables, brown rice, poultry, and fish. You may eat as you like and do no exercise on the last day.

It offers an intense 12-week diet and exercise programme  incorporating weight training exercises and aerobic exercises to people’s regular schedules.

It teaches you to eat healthier while eating smaller portions of food throughout the day.  5-6 meals per day. A fist sized portion size is emphasized A typical meal might consist of one portion of protein, and one portion of carbohydrate. You add a vegetable to two of the meals.

For one day each week you are allowed to ‘cheat’ and eat your favorite foods.  

Aerobic Exercise 20 minutes 3 times per week Lift weight 3 times a week (45 minutes per session).Weight training can elevate the metabolism for up to 48 hours post workout — a benefit not provided by cardio.You must be willing to exercise regularly in order to use the Body For Life plan. When people diet without exercising, their bodies burn muscle in addition to fat. This results in a lower metabolism, which is exactly what you want to avoid if you are having difficulty with your weight.  

The Programme

There are two keys to the Body-for-LIFE programme:  1. Daily, brief, progressive workouts. Alternating 20 minute aerobic workouts using intervals, and 45 minute weight training workouts using a “high-point” technique. They are designed in a way that periodically drives you to reach higher highs.  The 20-minute aerobics workout is a  “High Intensity Interval Training” (HIIT). You start with two minutes of warm up at a level 5, then move to level 6 for a minute, then 7. This portion of your workout is aerobic. You should be able to carry on a broken conversation, breathing deeply but not out of breath. Your level 8 should have more effort and drive to it, taking you slightly out of your comfort range. Your level 9 effort is a “high point” and should be somewhat anaerobic. After your level 9, you drop back down to a level 6 aiming for active recovery. Then you repeat the cycle again. The fourth time through this cycle, you add a “high point” - a level 10, after your 9. After your 10, you’ll get the most benefit from your 10 if you get your breath back to a fully conversational level before stopping.

Your weight training workouts are also geared to achieve the same kind of high point. The 45-minute weight-training workouts focus on hitting intense high points.  The first set of 12 reps is an essential stretch and warm-up. You then move to a higher weight for 10 repetitions, higher again for 8 reps, maximal weight for 6 reps, then dropping to lower weight for a “compound set” - 12 reps followed immediately by another 12 reps using a different exercise for the same part. The last couple of reps in your final 12 should require everything you’ve got.  

2. Frequent, limited, high-quality meals: Six meals a day, consisting of a portion of protein, and a portion of carbohydrates, and since you’ll be building muscle and burning fat, about a gallon of water daily to support these metabolic processes. You judge your portion size by the size of your open palm or closed fist. Add  water containing vegetables such as spinach, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, celery, green beans and cucumbers, among others, are excellent, and have very low caloric content. One day a week you take a Free Day, an opportunity to choose “unauthorized” foods. The free day may help counter the risk that your body senses a fasting state, you’re trying to convince your body that it doesn’t have to lower its metabolism, shed muscle, or defend its fat stores in response to the change in its “environment”. 

Conclusion

I think that Body For life is an excellent programme for people who want to lose weight, or people who are already at their ideal weight but want to lead a healthier lifestyle. The diet is remarkably sensible compared to most other diets on the market today. The workouts are effective and do not take excessive amounts of time. If you’re interested in this book find it here …http://www.amazon.co.uk/Body-Life-Mental-Physical-Strength/dp/0007149670/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262091290&sr=1-1

The Greatest Salesman in the World by  Og Mandino

The Greatest Salesman in the World was one of the first personal development books I read and it will always be one of the catalysts to my growth. So there is no better place for me to begin a regular book review section of my blog to include those  books that inspired me in all the areas of personal development that I have studied.

The Author

Og Mandino. wrote one of the most popular personal development books in publishing history: The Greatest Salesman in the World. The book was first published in 1968 and has sold over 13 million copies in the 30 years since.

The Book

When one hears the title of this book one feels that this must be just another book teaching you how to sell things. I too thought the same, until I read the book. In fact I think this book is a must read for anybody that is looking for inspiration.

The Story

The  story recounts the legend of Hafid, a camel boy who lived two thousand years ago and came into the possession of ten ancient scrolls that contain the wisdom for achieving all of his ambitions in life. He became a master salesman and a trader; a very wealthy man. He lives in an elegant palace equipped with every possible comfort. “All the success, happiness, love , peace of mind, and wealth that I have enjoyed is directly traceable to what is contained in these few scrolls. My debt to them, and to the wise one who entrusted them to my care, can never be repaid.” Hafid explains that each of the ten scrolls contains a principle, or law, that together will enable their possessor to accumulate all the wealth he desires.

The Scrolls

1. Today, I begin a new life. ( contains instructions for forming the habit that will lead to the successful adoption of the principles contained in the following scrolls)

2. I will greet this day with love in my heart.

3. I will persist until I succeed.

4. I am nature’s greatest miracle.

5. I will live this day as if it is my last.

6. Today, I will be the master of my emotions.

7. I will laugh at the world.

8. Today, I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

9. I will act now.

10. I will pray, but my cry for help is only a cry for guidance.

The book is written in a really interesting way. The story is captivating. You will read it in a matter of hours. These 10 scrolls when fully explained, will help you restart your life.

Conclusion

Repeating these scrolls  to yourself every day for 30 days is guaranteed to have some effect on your thinking, and thus your actions. If you really think you can change your life, and that your success depends on your habits and your attitudes, this book could start some very powerful changes. “I will not fail as the others, for in my hands I now hold the charts (the Ten Scrolls) which will guide me through perilous waters to shores which only yesterday seemed but a dream.”Mandino’s recognized that all successful people take on their own lives by “charting” or consciously choosing both the desired destination and the path to reach it. He encourages you to build good habits, to live according to the laws that govern abundance and to find a vigor and joy in life as we learn to stand at the helm of our ship charting its course into the safety of the harbor instead of just waiting for someone else to bring it in.If you’re interested in this book find it here …

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/055327757X/ref=sib_rdr_dp

Can you possibly imagine what it would be like if you were living at 100% of your potential all of the time? Do you want to jump out of bed in the morning full of energy, and excited about the day ahead, knowing you will be performing at your best throughout the day?  If you were already doing this right now, how different would your life be, your career, your health, your personal life and your relationships.? Where would you be right now if you had control of your life, not under the negative effects of stress, having a passion for everything that you do?  “If you ask what is the single most important key to longevity, I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress and tension. And if you didn’t ask me, I’d still have to say it.” George F. Burns quotes My interest in stress is very personal. This blog is part of my journey to bring the tools that I had once been taught to rescue me, to help others, and show them ways to manage stress in their life, as well as enabling them to create healthy lifestyles. I wanted to share this knowledge with everyone. Over my lifetime I have discovered information that when used will improve ones physical and mental condition. I really wanted to share this with others in a similar situation. I saw and heard of so many people in the same situation that I had been in - lacking the correct information, having no understanding of their situation, with no know-how of how to improve their mind, body or soul, just suffering to the debilitating effects of stress. The success of your life depends very much on how well you deal with stress. The beauty of this is that you once you learn how to deal better with stress things in all areas of your life can improve dramatically. Getting healthier and staying in control of stress is not rocket science! You can do things right now to help yourself. It comes from being given the right information that you can understand and apply for yourself. Do you have stress problems? How are you coping with stress in your life? Do you want to be free of stress once and for all? If the answer of all these questions is “Yes”, I intend creating a blog that can help you.  I enjoy teaching people about stress, healthy lifestyle living and personal development, through my speaking, coaching and writing. I want to help as many people cope with stress as I can. I have already helped many… may you now be one of them! Over time, I will be using this blog to share knowledge, experiences, reviews, quotes, links and reflections relating to stress management and healthy lifestyle living. You will find many tips and articles, which can help you overcome the stress in your life. Read inspiring quotes. Read success stories of others handling stress. You will discover many techniques and tools to help you deal with stress. If you have problems with stress at work, in your home, family or anywhere else, you will find information you can understand and use them for to help yourself.  Ultimately the information you find here will help you take back control of your health and your life. Thank you for taking the time to check out my blog. I hope you will find it of help in your quest to achieve and maintain a healthy, stress free life.