Holiday Recovery

What a weekend. I hope you all took advantage of some lovely summer weather; I know Jasmine and I sure did. We got out to the dog beach on Saturday for a couple hours, then yesterday we went to the park early and chilled out with friends at Foster Beach in the afternoon. Well, we weren't really on the beach, but we were at a park on the other side of Lake Shore. The beach was absolutely packed! I'm sure there were people there since the morning and quite possibly some since the night before. There was definitely no kind of parking, and I was real happy we decided to take the bus. All in all, we got our share of sun, and we may have gotten more of our share of brew and drinks. I guess we got into "party mode" and did a bit of celebrating on a couple days. So much so that Jasmine came back from a bathroom break with a couple of abrasions. I'm glad she wasn't seriously hurt, but this morning she realized that those were evidence that we got a bit carried away. She created a mandatory punishment for herself:

"I won't drink again until these scars are healed." 

This will serve as a lesson learned, and I am also going to abstain from drinking until her scars are healed too. I don't mind, and actually, I enjoy taking on challenges with others. It offers them additional support, and I am able to challenge myself with a criteria that I haven't set, which takes any cheating I might be prone to do out of the equation. Try it out. If someone you know is struggling with a goal or states they are trying something new such as a diet, training for a competition, or simply a period of abstinence from drinking or other guilty pleasure, take on the challenge with them! Have a great day everyone, and thanks for reading!

Day of Opportunity...Happy Fourth!

Good day yesterday. Spent some time with my wife and doggie at the dog beach, then came home, had a few MGD 64's and grilled up some veg burgers and kicked it on the deck. Beautiful weather, and today will be nice and hot too. The fourth of July reminds me of what I think of whenever the National Anthem is played at games and events: how I am here, and what a blessing it is that we are able to do the things we want to when we want to. I am reminded of how my mom overcame obstacles in her home country of Pakistan to get here so that she could start a life free of persecution and full of opportunity. The opportunity that she took to marry a crazy Wisconsin native named Denis Nickles and by doing so joining a crazy German family. The result of such a marriage is a life full of experiences and opportunities including raising two wild sons into responsible men. Sure there were a lot of difficulties, but the difference in America is that along with the difficulties we are offered unlimited opportunities. It is we who are citizens that have the choice to take advantage of these opportunities. So I'll make this brief and end here because there's a lot of celebrating and opportunities for this day to take advantage of. God Bless America! Happy Fourth everyone, and thanks for reading!

Have Faith

Every day we face new challenges, and also it seems month-to-month we find ourselves in different financial situations. It's been hard for my family to keep up at times with bills and so on, but I know that soon we will be headed back up the hill. I know that if I keep my focus on staying healthy and helping others get healthy, I will reach my financial goals as well as my fitness goals. Even so, at times it is hard not to get stressed out, and surely many of you share this feeling. I will tell you like I tell myself, "have faith". There was a verse that I was reminded of that I can't remember exactly, but in doing some searching found a different but relevant one I'd like to share.

"For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised." -Hebrews 10:36

Wow. I actually looked up "need" on bibleresources.org and this use of the word is not the same as the verse I had in mind. Nonetheless, it seems to apply to my situation, and I'm sure it will apply in many of yours. Also, apply this principle in smaller situations for your goals, and it is simple to understand, but so true. Perseverance and patience is required for us to do the work needed to achieve the results we want. Zig Ziglar says it this way, "We must be before we can do, and we must do before we can have." In relation to health and fitness, admittedly it is hard to keep going when you are not seeing immediate results. But you need to keep doing the right things not only to get the visible results, but also to establish and maintain proper health and wellness. And when you are focused on that, you will be able to do what is necessary to have the healthy life you deserve and desire. Think about it. What are some other areas that you can apply this principle? Please share your thoughts. Otherwise, have faith, and keep up the good work! Thanks for reading everyone!

Comfy While Wet

I was given the day off today since I work at a loop location restaurant and it would surely be slow. It was cool with me since I always have plenty to do outside of work. I dropped Jasmine off at work and headed for the gym. I decided to get in some much needed swim practice, and sure enough, the place was dead. Perfect! I started with some basic drills with fins, and also this time I had my goggles, earplugs, and nose clip, so I must have looked funny, but all in all it worked out better for me. The drill that I found helped me the most was a simple breathing drill. I grabbed onto the edge of the pool with my arms outstretched while still standing up, and I just practiced exhaling into the water while looking at the bottom of the pool and my head in neutral spine position, and rotated my upper body to bring my mouth out to take a breath. I did it for a while, and found a comfortable cadence and also got used to the feeling of pushing air out underwater. I worked to relax, and this helped me when I started doing the actual swimming because I was able to relax, slow down, and move through the water smoothly. Hey--swimming is fun when you're not panicking! Lol!

All in all, I made much more progress today from the last time, but I must keep practicing to improve, and if any of you are struggling with swimming, just work to get comfortable first and go from there. You may want to pick up swim classes at a gym or with a team, especially if training. I am "my own coach" for now and I have been using some great instructional books for technique. If you want to learn more about those, please contact me. Last thing is this--if you are training to swim in open water, you've got to get to the beach! My neighbor and friend Jeannine has been reminding me of this, and I plan to get out there soon...also...it's summer so we should be fighting to get there anyway, right?! Have some fun in the sun this summer, folks, and have a great weekend! Thanks for reading!

Influence and Support

Yesterday was a great day overall. I had my second interview, and it went well. I found myself using a couple quotes from Zig Ziglar, which I want to share because they will surely be some that will help you.

"It is not your aptitude but your attitude that determines your outcome."

"Your input determines (your outlook, and your outlook determines) your output."

I also was asked the question, "Who are two people that helped influence you in this (fitness) industry?" Although my wife is my partner, my biggest supporter, and my best friend, and there are also so many other people I could have easily named, I answered with my mom and Tony Horton. My mom has seen great improvements in her health because of what I have been able to do, and the guidance I have been able to give her. Add to the fact she is a cancer survivor among overcoming so many other physical, emotional, and life obstacles. She is the most successful survivor I know, and it motivates me to witness her outlook and passion for life. And I couldn't have done any of this without working out with Tony Horton every day for a long time. P90X is the program that changed my life, and ultimately what has helped me get this far. If you told me two years ago that come July 2010 I would be a personal trainer at a premier U.S. fitness club, I would have choked on the wings I was eating at the time! That said, I also realize that these programs are like taking classes, and personal training is also important for the proper one-on-one personal instruction to maintain safety, appropriateness, and extra support. Please contact me if you are thinking of working with a trainer, want more info on P90X or other Beachbody products, both, and for support! Thank all of you once again for your support and motivation, and thanks for reading!