Two Deep Breaths and Belief

Two Deep Breaths and Belief

Do you believe?

Some people believe in magic, some in God, some in ghosts. Some believe this is the year their team will win the Super Bowl. Some people believe this is the week they’ll win the lottery.

But that’s not what I’m talking about.

I want to know if you believe in yourself.

After 5 years as a personal trainer I can tell you that many people don’t believe in themselves. They begin a lot of sentences like this….

“I can’t…”

I can’t lose weight.
I can’t find time to workout.
I can’t jog.

This may be you. This may be someone you know.

As a trainer it is my job to get the most out of my client’s potential. The best way to do this is to make them BELIEVE in themselves. The process can be slow.

Some people think they “can’t do pushups.” We give them a version of a pushup they can do. Some people think they “can’t walk briskly for 10 minutes.” We get them to walk for 11 minutes, then 12, then 15. Some people think they “can’t lift a 10 lb dumbbell” because “Jillian only has me use 3 lb weights on her DVD.” Then we have them pick up 5 lb dumbbells, then 8, then 10, etc.

Why don’t they believe in themselves? They don’t believe because they’ve never tried it before or they tried it once and failed. So how do you begin to believe?

The first step is TAKE TWO DEEP BREATHS. Really, this works. Breathing can help you calm down, clear your head, and refocus on what you need to do.

If you are ready to start minute 11 of your walk and you are tired and think you can’t go on, stop and take two deep breaths and continue.

Two weekends ago a group of 8 of my boot campers did a 5K Mud Run. The run was over a hilly course and featured 8 obstacles including scaling a 5 foot wall, climbing over an 8 foot high cargo net and Army crawling through several deep mud pits.

Before the event I heard…

“I can’t run 5k.”
“I can’t scale that wall.”
“I can’t trudge through the mud.”

Yet every one of us tried. Every one of us finished. And most of us are ready to do another one.

Every one of us knew it would be tough but with two deep breaths and a belief that we could do it we finished. Now all of the sudden “I can’t” is replaced with “I did.”

I’m Going Paleo – What, Why and How?

Your reaction to me saying “I’m going paleo” probably falls into one of four categories.

“Really, that’s interesting, tell me more.”

“Why would you want to do that?”

“What or where is a paleo?”

“Who cares?”

This series of blog posts are aimed at all of you. The “who cares” contingent probably won’t read for long but might learn something when they do read. The rest are likely to have your questions answered while you learn about the how’s and whys of choosing to eat paleo.

I will be learning along with you, in real time, while experiencing what if any impact it has on my health, strength, mood, endurance, stress, speed, outlook on life and many other factors. My intent is to share with you what it means to eat paleo, from shopping to cooking to the inevitable 'cheating'. I hope you enjoy the read and, if it is right for you, join me.

Let’s get the first question out of the way. What is paleo?

It is a way of eating that mimics our hunter-gatherer ancestors based on the notion that humans have, over the millenia, genetically adapted to eating meats, fish, vegetables and fruits. Our modern diet, just a blip on the historical timeline, based primarily on grains, legumes, dairy products, processed foods and refined sugars predispose us to sickness. Basically, our bodies are used to us eating like a caveman/cavewoman so we should do so.

Why am I choosing to go paleo?

In February I will be going to the C.R.A.S.H. B World Indoor Rowing Championships in Boston. My goal is a top 100 finish in the Open category and a top 10 in the Masters Division.

Primarily paleo is an experiment for me. Some of the fittest people I know are strict paleo followers. They choose it to stay lean and fit but they probably would be that way anyway given the amount of effort they put into their workouts. More importantly to me, eating paleo improves their results. Whether it is strength, cardio capacity, or race times…by most measures they get better, stronger and faster.

I believe eating paleo will give me greater capacity to go faster and finish better at the event. As a by-product, I want to see and feel the health benefits of paleo eating.

In upcoming posts I'll discuss my pre-paleo nutrition and let you know how I got started. This isn't the first attempt, just the first serious attempt at "going paleo". Wish me luck.

The Push Away Diet

The Dukan Diet

The Atkins Diet

South Beach

Nutrisystem

The Zone

and now....The Push Away Diet

What's the difference between them. It's simple. The last one works for everyone and lasts a lifetime. The secret...before you feel full push yourself away from the table.

You can't buy a book about the Push Away Diet. You can't download an app for it. The diet is just a way of being.

I read this approach from Mike Boyle, one of the foremost authorities on strength training and nutrition in the industry. Here's how you do it (borrowing liberally from a blog by my colleagues Chris and Kara Mohr):

1. Get out of the habit of cleaning your plate. Always leave some food on it.

2. When you eat out, ask for half of your meal to be put in a doggy bag BEFORE they serve the meal to you.

3. At a party or social gathering, don't stand around at the buffet, grill, or kitchen.

Three simple steps. Start today.

Do you need motivtation? Accountability? Some one to nudge you? Claim your complimentary fitness consultation and evaluation (an $87 value) today. Visit our website to sign up.

Be well,

Paul

Paul Dziewisz
Active Personal Fitness
www.ActivePersonal Fitness.com
267.626.7478
"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."