My new ebook is out! It is available for download via the internet or hardcopy purchase from lulu.com. I suggest you check it out if you need any assistance with your lifestyle, fitness or nutritional needs. I have spent most of this year writing it, a lot of time, thought, emotion and experience has gone into it. You can checkout a preview of the first chapter or so on lulu as well.
An Excerpt From:
The Optimal Balance Plan
A Book By: Jamison Hill CPT
“Can I climb Mount Everest?” Not many people likely ask this question unless they are seriously considering taking on the task. It’s a question that would bring doubt to even the most experienced climber. The uncertainty of a feat like reaching the summit of Mount Everest is universal, even to those who have accomplished it. There is no guarantee it will be done.
“Can I take the garbage out to the trash can?” This question is as simple to answer as the action itself. Excluding any injury or illness, there should be no question whether someone is physically able to take the trash out. The distinction between the aforementioned questions is made by someone’s confidence to answer them. The goal of this book is for you to exude enough confidence that the gravity of either task feels the same.
Motivation or lack-there-of often ends the quest for fitness before it even begins. My primary fear is that a client will go for their first workout and let one of the many potential obstacles get in their way. Hurdles like sore muscles or easy exhaustion commonly give exercisers a bad outlook on fitness. However, these are simply indications that a workout was successful and it’s time to rest up for the next one. Sore muscles and exhaustion are not bad; they are the body’s way of sending a message. Instead of sulking and eventually throwing in the towel out of unnecessary frustration, keep moving forward.
Getting discouraged with exercise is often a gateway to quitting. Everyone gets discouraged sooner or later. Those that are successful push through it. Non-existent results, poor performance or a loosing comparison to someone else in the gym will get anybody thinking twice. However, a shift of focus is best for coping. Instead of focusing on the unsatisfactory, focus on your progress made. Focus on everything positive about yourself. Think about how far you’ve come on your journey—this is the time to be selfish. I tell clients, “just do you, cause it’s the only thing you can control.” Using this reminder will allow the uncontrollable factors to fade away. This way your focus will be on the positive internal factors like how good you feel working out.
Focusing on how far you’ve come will make it so much easier to stay optimistic. You may be thinking, “I haven’t gone anywhere yet.” Not true! You have always come from somewhere to get to the point you are currently at. Even picking up this book and thinking about exercise is a step that otherwise would have been neglected. Just think about all the people that haven’t thought about exercising and are perfectly content eating burgers, pizza and cheesecake without any inhibitions. Those careless cravers are already in your rearview and the distance is only increasing.
Say you just bought a new pair of shoes. The first day you wear them they get a scuff, do you ever wear them again? Of course, you do. Maybe you polish or clean them before wearing them again, but they still have a lot of life left. One day, those shoes will be perfectly broken in and comfortable. An unconditioned body is the same way; it needs activity and maintenance before it is properly broken in.
When first starting out, stalling, sputtering or even stopping can happen. If it does, have piece of mind that you can always start over—just like a mulligan in golf or a do-over. Facing hurdles is very difficult, they are always bigger at the beginning, but they do get smaller. If necessary take some time—a day or so, regroup and start fresh once you’re confident again. Time may be continuous, but fitness can always restart and it will, likely many times. The more persistence is shown, especially in the beginning, the less failure becomes a possibility.
Stopping an exercise routine prematurely is a common occurrence for novice exercisers. Up to 65% of new exercisers give up within three to six months of starting a routine (Annesi & Unruh, 2007). The majority of which don’t make it past the first few weeks. The last thing anybody wants is to be apart of a statistic like that. To prevent a premature fitness evacuation, try this on: think of a track runner at the beginning of a race. She never sprints off the line, stops after 500 feet, walks away and is content. She always wants to finish a race, even if it’s in last place and if she drops out, the next race will be met with even more motivation and intensity. Try this mentality with exercise. Don’t just go hardcore in the first week, then stop content with what you have accomplished. FINISH THE RACE! Don’t worry about what place you finish compared to others. Just finish. Then, in retrospect you can say, “I’m so glad I didn’t stop way back there!”
