Don't Quit - Prioritize!

I recently got an email from a workshop participant regarding quitting smoking and how tough it is. No doubt about it--it is the most addictive thing not only chemically, but since it is so available, the temptation is always there. I smoked for 10 years and I did try several times to quit, but it never stuck. Currently I am tobacco-free for over 2 years, and am having no issues. It is not because I did anything different physically--I used the gum to calm cravings, but it is only when my philosophy changed that I was able to do it for good. Here is the exerpt directly from my email response. Hope it helps you or someone you know with any addiction--yes unhealthy eating is one of the most deadly addictions here in America!!

Thanks for your response! Listen, I used to smoke ½-1 pack/day for 10 years, and I do know it is hard to quit. It is equally hard to abandon an unhealthy diet and stick to a fitness program, etc. There is a reason you started going to Chiro One and there is a reason you are still there. Whatever the case may be, you have prioritized your health and well-being and that allowed you to make a few sacrifices to continue and be consistent with care. In the same regard, instead of focusing on discontinuing the activity of smoking, I urge you to use your same philosophy regarding health. Since you care about yourself and your health, realize that smoking is inhibiting your pursuit of health. Understand that it cannot be part of your long-term health equation. Also, you are used to the activity and are triggered by certain things even if you don’t necessarily have a craving. It’s about identifying those times and triggers, and when they occur, focus on your clear picture and vision of health to get you through. You’re hanging on to smoking for whatever reason and deep down feel that you never want to give it up. There needs to be a proverbial funeral of sorts where in your mind you actually accept that you must make a change. It doesn’t matter what modality you try (patch, gum, hypnosis, etc); it is only when YOU change your philosophy and “grow out of” your current mindset that you will be able to do it. It is hard now, but trust me, when you truly commit to your health, truly quitting smoking will not be a problem. I’ve been through that, and I’ve been through thoughts of not giving up foods I was used to, etc, and it’s all the same. Addiction to anything is tough, but you must keep an open mind and be willing to change your habits and thought processes in order to accept and welcome your new self.

Thanks for reading, everyone, and smile--it's a great day to be healthy!

Vitamin M

What Vitamin don't most Americans get enough of and as a result is leading to sedentary lifestyles, poor posture, obesity, and premature death among other things? Vitamin M--MOVEMENT!! Okay so that was a trick question, but it is an awesome way to look at it. Dr. Kevin, my chiropractor at Chiro One in Old Town came up with that one. If you don't know much about chiropractic then I urge you to look into a Chiro One near you, and if you are near me, click on the title to this blog to see the place where I go! Anyway, chiropractic, like fitness/training and nutrition, is about wellness and health so it is not about being ill or having an ailment but rather about preventing that ailment. And promoting movement and physical activity ties right in. I don't have to explain the jobs and lifestyles that most Americans find themselves in, especially as we up the technology and have higher demand for office workers. There are not many jobs more detrimental to your health than ones that require you to sit for long periods of time. Trust me--it's what keeps me in business! So get out there and get active! Here are some ideas how:

1. Workout! Home, outside, or in a gym, getting in a 30-60 minute workout 4-6 times per week is optimal for building and maintaining lean muscle mass, reducing bodyfat, and promoting joint mobility, flexibility, and overall wellness.
2. Step Up! Taking the stairs when available instead of the elevator is a good way to add some extra strength and endurance to your legs and keeps the joints moving!
3. Take Breaks! Every hour or so at your desk, take a break, stand up, stretch out, use the washroom, get water, or even do a quick circuit of pushups and squats to improve posture, blood flow, metabolic rate, and to keep your sanity!
4. Clean Up! Regular household errands such as laundry, dusting, cleaning floors and furniture, raking leaves, gardening, etc are great ways to include functional fitness and to maintain your home. It's good for you, too!
5. Challenge Yourself! If your workouts are getting boring or too routine, change it up and learn new exercises and skills. This will force you to utilize different movements, keep your brain active, stay motivated, and have fun!

There are other ways as well, and I encourage you to post your own comments regarding this. Don't forget to get regular chiropractic adjustments and do your therapies! Thanks for reading and have a lovely day!

Intention And Attention

Many of us, including myself, have an issue with our attention. It seems there are not enough hours in the day and not enough lines on a page to jot down and get done all we need to. Almost every day it seems I am in a proverbial game of tetris and my blocks are stacking up at the top, and I am frantically trying to play "catch-up" and eliminate more rows. The thing about real life, obviously, is that we can't reset the game. We must try to keep up with our responsibilities and stay focused. I've been visiting Chiro One regularly for general wellness and to improve my health, bodily functions, prevent illness, and also improve athletically as a result. During my visits, I receive handouts that include but are not limited to health articles, motivation, and even satirical comics. Today I got part 2 of a series titled "8 Steps To Use The Power of Intention to Change Your Life". A line really caught my eye, and it relates very well to myself and to (yours and) others' situations.

"...your intention is in the future and your attention is in the present..."

This refers to our goals and our focus. Going back to what I mentioned earlier about feeling overwhelmed, I thought about being in the moment and though I may think ahead to even tomorrow and the next, I must know that things will work out and my vision of the future will happen--if and only if I successfully execute the most important things today.

Many of my new clients are very eager to succeed but are hung up on so much trivia. "I'll be able to do this, right?"..."Do you think I can...?" etc. Listen, take a deep breath. Envision yourself how you will be and know you must be patient and follow a program. Similar to school and even development as humans, each encounter and experience is important and relates to the moment and context. These experiences build and though we may fail, we learn and grow and eventually succeed. We must trust that we are working towards something but it is now and today that matter most. So like the quote, we must intend to succeed and reach our goals but be attentive and focus on the present task and situation in order to get there. Please feel free to post comments and/or contact me. Also, please click on the title to this blog and/or sign up for the daily inspiration at chiroone.net and also check out the free daily podcast from Zig Ziglar at ziglar.com. Have a wonderful day and thank God for what you have! Thanks for reading!

Happy National Running Day!

Today is National Running Day, and although my right knee and ankle are a bit banged up I managed to squeeze 6 functional miles out. This week has been particularly light as far as appointments for me, so I've been getting in office time and though I really want to develop some Bosu workouts the weather has been lovely and I've got the fever for sure. Yesterday I was running errands in between training sessions and I had a few hours before I had to train my next client. I decided to take advantage of the new summer heat and stopped over at Diversey Park where the driving range is. I hooked up my TRX on the monkey bars in the empty playground and with a drawn-up high-metabolic full-body and core workout, I crushed it! The damp woodchip/dirt surface added an element, as did the monkey bars. Then I washed up briefly, hydrated, and headed back for a shower and to train my next client...which coincidentally was a planned total TRX workout.

Back to today though - A good friend happened upon some Cubs tickets and I had just finished my last session. It was and still is currently one of the loveliest days of the year so far. (I'm on my back porch right now!) However, I ended up deciding to give the tix to my friend and his girlfriend. I'm not much of a Cubs fan and I really wanted to get a run in for National Running Day and see how my joints felt in case I decided to put myself back in this Saturday's Half Marathon. The game had just about started and my buddy called me and asked him to meet him closer to Wrigley. No problem. I put the tix and my valuables in a ziploc bag and packed it in a mesh Under Armour duffel with a tank top, a water bottle, and a small towel. I laced up my Livestrongs and got to runnin! Ran about 3 miles exacty to where he was, gave him the tix, and on the run home stopped at CVS and got a few necessities. Functional fitness and I can report I was definitely not 100%, but it felt great to participate!

So when I just plugged the Nike+ I got this video...500 miles logged on Nike + today! I've come a long way, but there's so much further to go...endless challenges and programs...fitness is awesome...running is amazing...life is good...love is great. Thanks for reading everyone, and have a wonderful day! Run!