Project 141: HEALTH

Don't worry, I'm not going to give you a routine of exercise and a diet to follow in this blog article. Hopefully, you have already discovered that in my approach to expanding "Project 141" to these areas of your life. It's not about HOW MUCH you are doing but, simply, getting into the habit of doing SOMETHING in these areas each and every day for the course of a year. 

Some may feel that I need to put "health" at the top of the list but, again, I put them in the order that I have for a reason. It really doesn't matter how physically fit you are or how good of health you are in if you are missing out on your connection in your spiritual life and if you are not working on your personal development. Oh, I know it makes a difference as far as how long you MIGHT live. But you still won't be living the life that you COULD live, friend.

I'm not a dietician and I struggle with my weight. I've had success in the past, even losing 100 pounds over a 13 month period but, like many, about half of that slowly came back on me. Hey folks, I LIKE TO EAT! And, on top of that, the kind of stuff I like to eat tends to be your "southern-type" foods...fried chicken, mashed potatoes, fried catfish, fried, fried fried. 

I also have diabetes and high blood pressure as a result of eating this way for most of my life. I am doing better than I have done in the past but I still have to really focus on improving what I'm doing with and for my health each and every day. 

The #1 "New Year's Resolution" has to do with weight loss and maybe you are one of those people that have hopped on that same bandwagon year after year after year with little to no success. Truth be told, most of the time you never really put a lot of effort and/or determination into the process, right?

I do know this for a fact: What you put into your body and how much you "work" your body (exercise) makes a BIG impact on how you think and feel. Again, that is a fact!

I suggest you make a decision to do ONE thing in the area of exercise per day and ONE thing in the area of "making a better choice" when it comes to your diet. Nothing major, nothing difficult....just one thing.

Let me prepare you with this right up front...CHANGE IS NOT EASY!

Here are a few suggestions and I'd love to hear YOUR suggestions as well...

     In the area of exercise: If you are able to park your car further away from the door at work, do it. If you can, park further away from the main entrance at any store, the post office and basically, anywhere and everywhere that you must park. It's really a simple task but, friend, let me tell you, the "old you" is going to keep telling you that you don't really want to make that extra effort. But, come on...you gotta' get started with something!                                                                                                                            Also, if you do have some exercise equipment that you've turned into a place to drape your clothes, clean that sucker off and start using it! You don't have to "go crazy" on it but just start doing a little bit of time on it...do SOMETHING! For example, I have a "Total Gym" that I bought several years ago and was really doing good using until I hurt my back one day and had to stay off of it for a while. But, I didn't need to stay off of it for as long as I did. It was hard for me to convince myself that I needed to actually DO something instead of just telling myself that I "needed to". When I was working out on it before, I would spend about 30 minutes on it and, to be honest, now with a different job, I really didn't want to get up 30 minutes early to do that and I sure didn't want to come home after a day of work to do my workout. So I decided to reduce the amount that I had done before and simply get up 15 minutes earlier for my workout. The main thing is that I am forcing myself into getting into the habit of doing the exercise and, on top of just getting into the habit, I know it is doing me some good physically.  There are all kinds of things that you can do just to get into the habit (that's the key, do not let this be a 1 or 2 week effort) of doing something once a day over the next year. Just get up and walk around your office during the day. Yes, take the stairs instead of the escalator even though your "old you" will tell you not to do so. Hey, you CAN do this and it WILL make a difference!

   In the area of making smarter food choices: Again, remember, I struggle with this BIG time! Like I've already said, this does not have to be something dramatic that causes you to get stressed out but it does need to be something. For example, popcorn is not that big of a deal but I was eating at least one bag - and sometimes two - every night. I stopped that a long time ago. Interestingly, I did have a bag a couple of weeks ago and, guess what? After I finished it, I really wished I hadn't eaten it. It didn't taste that good to me and I actually felt "blah" when I was done.                                                                        I like sweets! I haven't restricted myself completely from that but I am trying to do better with that (remember, I am a diabetic) than I have in the past. A few years ago I had my wife cut her cake recipes in half so that I wouldn't be tempted to eat so much cake when I asked her fix me something sweet. And now, I've even gotten to where when I ask her to do that, I will eat some on the first night and end up asking her to take it to her mom and dad. I don't want it any more.  

Things that you may consider small are really what I'm talking about here. Just like the exercise, it's all about getting in the habit and THINKING about what you are doing. Are you in the habit of going through that coffee shop drive-through in the morning and getting one of those "milkshakes-disguised-as-coffee" drinks? Maybe start off not doing that for even one day and then two and...eventually you will break the habit of that expensive (money and physical) habit. 

Here's another for you that may be hard for you at first because of how "addicted" you may be to it...cut out colas of any kind. Sure, you may need to do the gradual reduction thing like I mentioned in the previous paragraph but, at the same time, you may want to just drop it "cold turkey" and see how quickly you begin to feel better.  Again, you CAN do this and it WILL make a difference!

This expanded use of "Project 141" is designed to help all of us operate at the "best us" level that we can and doing better in this area is a vital part of that process.

I want to hear from you. What things can you help add to the list of "doing something once a day" that would help and maybe even inspire others? If you would, you can leave a comment here but I would prefer for you to go to my Facebook page and leave your comments there. 

Next, I will be discussing this approach with our relationships. I hope you will join me.

Until next time, always remember, YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

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What IS a "Resolution"?

Here we go again. Many (you are likely one of them) will be composing a list - even if it's just mental - of "New Year's Resolutions" that they plan to keep for the whole year of 2014. This list of "resolutions" usually consists of changes that require MAJOR discipline to make those changes which, also, are MAJOR.

 

Most of us also know that there are MAJOR problems in keeping these "resolutions". Many even joke about the fact that those "changes" (how can they be changes when nothing has changed?) won't last longer than a month or maybe even two, into the new year.

 

Gyms (work out facilities) will be swamped with new clients. One of my brothers started work for a company that had their own gym for their employees and he started right around the start of the year. He could hardly find machines available for his workout due to the crowded conditions. While talking to one of the workers at the gym the worker told him, "Don't worry. Give it about a month and you'll have access to any machine you want." And, he was right.

 

WHY?

 

Why do we do this? Why do we go through this yearly process only to fall extremely short each year?

 

Why do so many do nothing more than make a mental list of these changes that they say that they want to make?

 

Bottom line: we're not that serious about the whole thing! Oh, I can hear some of you almost yelling at me through the computer that you ARE serious and that there are just things that "get in the way" every year that prevents you from seeing your "resolution" through.

 

I also think that many are not serious because most do not understand what a "resolution" really is. We attempt these "resolutions" half-heartily (yes, I can still hear you) fully expecting that we won't stick to them for very long.

 

So, what IS a resolution?

 

Here is the definition of the word, resolve, from dictionary.com... "to come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine (to do something): I have resolved that I shall live to the full."

 

"Resolve" is the root-word for "resolution". Go ahead and look up the definition for the word "resolution" and you will find a similar definition somewhere in that list given.

 

So, with all of that being said, let me give a few suggestions on making these resolutions which should also help you actually have a little more success at the changes that you wish to make:

 

1. Come to a DEFINITE or EARNEST decision about whatever it is that you desire to change. This would suggest a "whatever it takes" mentality! Too many give up too early and never see success. HINT: Make sure that this goal is something that, even though it may "push" you, will be something that is actually reachable.

 

2. Make a list of only ONE or maybe TWO "resolutions" on your list.

Too often we make too big of a list and do not dedicate ourselves to any of them fully. For example, if you have a list of 10 New Year's Resolutions, how can you be "definite" and "earnest" in all 10 of these? Honestly, you can't! SHORTEN YOUR LIST! Decide what really IS most important to you. Decide what you HAVE arrived at a "whatever it takes" attitude towards and then attack it full force.

 

3. BE SPECIFIC!

"I want to lose weight" or "I want to make more money" is not specific enough. In order for you to determine IF  this goal is something that you CAN have the correct "whatever it takes" attitude about, you must get as specific as possible. One way to do that is to start with your end goal and work backwards. For example, if you want to lose 50 pounds over the next 12 months then break that down to how many pounds per month that would be (4.2 lbs. per month) and then even go further than that and break it down per week by either dividing the 50 lbs. by 52 weeks OR by taking your pounds per month and dividing that by 4 to get an idea. Watch this: if you divide it by the 52 weeks then it comes out to only .9 lbs per week and if you divide your monthly figure by 4 it only comes out to 1.05 lbs. per week. Doesn't that help you see this goal in a whole new, REACHABLE light?

Do the same thing with money. Again, if you want to increase your income by $20,000 over the next 12 months you will find that this comes out to $1,666 per month or (divided by 52 weeks) $384 per week more. If you are DEFINITE in your resolve you WILL find a way to make this happen!

 

4. Stay away from ALL negativity!

Do not share your resolutions with ANYONE that will not support your decision. Do NOT share your goals with anyone that will say to you with a grin on their face, "Biting off a bit more than you can chew, aren't you?" You may be surprised at who may actually say that to you so, if you get surprised this way, STAY AWAY from that person if at all possible.

Search on the web or the library for books, recordings, articles about how to successfully achieve what it is that you are trying to achieve. BE CAREFUL IN YOUR SEARCH! Yes, there are a lot of people that prey, specifically, on New Year's resolutions.

 

5. DO NOT GIVE UP!

If you have followed the first 4 steps listed, then you should have the mentality in place and the DEFINITE mindset to achieve what it is that you wish to achieve. Will it be easy? Change is NEVER easy but, I do believe that by following these steps it will be "easier" than it has been for you in the past.

 

KNOW THIS: You DO have what it takes to achieve great things in your life!

 

I'd love to hear your response to this article by either leaving comments below or on the Facebook fan page or even directly at mike@futureyouuniversity.com .

 

Until next time, be sure to...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

 

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ACTION Produces RESULTS

From www.Dictionary.com :

ac-tion  [ak-shuhn] noun

1. the process or state of acting or of being active: The machine is not in action now.

2. something done or performed; act; deed.

3. an act that one consciously wills and that may be characterized by physical or mental activity: a crisis that demands action instead of debate; hoping for constructive action by the landlord.

4. actions, habitual or usual acts; conduct: He is responsible for his actions.

5. energetic activity: a man of action.

Take a moment and look over these definitions of the word, "ACTION" and see how - or IF - it applies to your life.

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Many TALK about action but, honestly, FEW ACTUALLY ACT! Notice the part of definition #2 that says "something DONE or PERFORMED". It doesn't say, "something TALKED ABOUT or DREAMED ABOUT", does it?

Whether you are talking about health, diet, goals, business, relationships or whatever you want to talk about, ACTION BRINGS RESULTS.

That being true (and it is) then the OPPOSITE must also be true - Lack of action (or inactivity) will not bring the desired results. Oh, they'll bring results alright, but the OPPOSITE results that most would want to take place in their lives.

For example, if you want to improve your health and maybe even lose some weight then you KNOW that you will have to physically take ACTION and do some walking or other forms of exercise. This WILL bring results. But sitting on the couch and never doing anything physically active will also bring results. However, these results will actually be detrimental to your health.

So it is true with all other areas. If you have goals and dreams and you never take action to make those goals and dreams a reality then you are actually taking action (in a negative way) that says that you don't really want to achieve said goals an dreams after all.

You never stay in one place. You are never really idle. You are either moving forward (making progress) or you are sliding backwards (digressing) and losing ground.

As always, that is up to YOU, my friend.

So, what will it be? I encourage you to STEP UP and MOVE FORWARD because I can promise you that you will FEEL BETTER (in all areas) and you will be GLAD that you took action and made positive progression.

Well, what are you waiting for? GET MOVING!

And, as you do so, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike/ˈækʃən/ Show Spe