Banish Fear and Start Getting in Shape for Summer.

Do you ever find yourself wondering if you can do it? Questioning that goal you've set for yourself. "Can I ever lose these last few pounds?"

"Will I ever get back in even decent physical shape again?"

You're not alone. Banish fear from your vocabulary and keep moving. Action is the key. Don't let fear get in the way of your better health and fitness.

Over one hundred years ago, A wise man put to words the following piece of timeless wisdom:

"In civilized life it has at last become possible for large numbers of people to pass from the cradle to the grave without ever having had a pang of genuine fear. Many of us need an attack of mental disease to teach us the meaning of the word."—William James.

We have all heard the seemingly discriminating remarks that fear is normal and abnormal, and that normal fear is to be regarded as a friend, while abnormal fear should be destroyed as an enemy.

The fact is that no so—called normal fear can be named which has not been clearly absent in some people who have had every cause therefor. If you will run over human history in your mind, or look about yea in the present life, you will find here and there persons who, in situations or before objects which ought, as any fearful soul will insist, to inspire the feeling of at least normal self-protecting fear, are nevertheless wholly without the feeling. They possess every feeling and thought demanded except fear. The idea of self-preservation is as strongly present as with the most abjectly timid or terrified, but fear they do not know.

This FEARLESS awareness of fear—suggesting conditions may be due to several causes. It may result from constitutional make-up, or from long—continued training or habituation, or from religious ecstasy, or from a perfectly calm sense of spiritual selfhood which is unhurtable, or from the action of very exalted reason. Whatever the explanation, the fact remains: the very causes which excite fear in most of us, merely appeal, with such people, if at all. to the instinct of self-preservation and to reason, the thought-element of the soul which makes for personal peace and wholeness.

BANISH ALL FEAR.

It is on such considerations that I have come to hold that all real fear-FEELING should and may be banished from our life, and that what we call "normal fear" should be substituted in our language by "instinct" or by "reason," the element of fear being dropped altogether.

"Everyone can testify that the psychical state called fear consists of mental representations of certain painful results" (James). The mental representations may be very faint as such, but the idea of hurt to self is surely present. If, then, it can be profoundly believed that the real self cannot be hurt; if the reason can be brought to consider vividly and believingly all quieting considerations;  fear itself must be removed "as far as the east is from the west."

   You can achieve your fitness goals. Summer is just around the corner. Enjoy Spring, get rid of those unwarranted fears and useless worry. Start getting in shape for your best Summer ever!

Lose Weight and Avoid Cancer too?

United States soft drink makers have been the target of critics lately  who contend the sugary drinks we've all grown up to love are a major contributor to childhood obesity in the US.

The state of California and the city of Philadelphia have introduced legislation to tax soft drinks, while both the New York Governor David Paterson and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg are also pushing for such a tax. "In these tough economic times, easy fixes to our problems are hard to come by," said Mayor Bloomberg. "But the soda tax is a fix that just makes sense, it would cut rising health costs."

And - in a surprise move - the soft drink makers are objecting!!  They contend their products are not to blame for the fattening of America.

The facts remain - the sweetener used to make our beloved soda so tasty contains practically no nutritional value. And it helps contribute to ever expanding waistlines.

So many of us have resorted to drinking  lower  calorie versions of our favorite sodas. And guess what ? Even switching to no-calorie soft drinks is NOT doing the trick. Obesity continues to be a problem - especially amongst our youth.

Tell the soda makers to just keep their unhealthy drinks. And the packaging they use.

Decades ago glass containers were the norm. Today you would be hard pressed to find any soft-drinks in traditional glass bottles. ( There are some delicious exceptions - check out those fancy root beers in the glass bottles! )

Instead our soft drink industry has opted for less expensive, lighter weight plastic and cans. Unfortunately these lighter weight packages often contain a mix of dreaded and potentially dangerous chemical compounds. 

Way back in 2008, Canada became the first country in the world to ban the import and sale of polycarbonate baby bottles containing bisphenol A. ( BPA )

Bisphenol A is a chemical compound found in some hard, clear, lightweight plastics and resins. The materials are used in the production of various types of food and drink containers and to line some metal cans, including soft drink cans.

Critics of this potentially dangerous chemical say BPA is active in very small amounts.

"The chemical is known to cause significant biological effects at incredibly low levels," Rick Smith, executive director of Canada's Environmental Defence, told a Canadian News Station. "And this is not the only source of this chemical in our daily lives."

The answer is simple - if you want to live longer, and stay skinny or even lose some weight - Don't Drink Soda Pop! Or, enjoy your favorite soft drink in extreme moderation. Stick with nature's drink - good old refreshing water!

Losing weight - and keeping those extra pounds off is a simple matter of daily exercise and eating healthy foods!

Get Skinny - Live Better!

    Wouldn't it be nice if we could all stay as skinny as we were in our younger years? Do you ever wonder where those extra pounds came from? How did this happen? It's almost like you wake up one beautiful morning and when you look in the mirror you see yourself carrying a few extra inches around the old waistline? ( Or more than just a few in my case! )

Don't despair - you're not alone. Years of  working at a desk and spending too much time on the couch can - and often does - result in those unsightly extra pounds. You know what i mean? Those extra inches in your stomach area that year after year seem to grow just a bit.  That pot-belly of a stomach that used to be slim and trim!

 The goods news is - you can correct this unfortunate situation with just a few hours of focused effort every week! Alter your diet and start a daily program of cardio exercise. Doesn't have to be anything fancy - start with a nice, quick paced walk if you like. As you start feeling more comfortable with walking a few blocks - pick up the pace and go a little farther each day.

Wherever you find yourself today - know that you can make gradual improvements in just a matter of weeks! The keys are nothing new. Enjoy eating healthy foods and exercise daily. Countless healthy people have discovered the simple steps to better health and more energy!  Want to lose a few inches around your belly? The best way to lose belly fat is exercise. Get plenty of heart pumping aerobic exercise and you can lose those extra pounds!

It may not be easy - at first. And you'll soon find that those few minutes of exercise each day are amongst your most important. You'll look forward to your daily walk or run. You'll find yourself locking in that half hour or so as non-negotiable. Go ahead - be a little selfish with your time. You deserve to spend some quality time just for you!

Yes, you really can exercise and lose weight - fast! The more you exercise the quicker your results will follow. Keep eating healthy foods , and start getting in better shape. You'll thank yourself!

Live Better - Get in Your Best Shape Ever!

Do you ever feel like you could use more energy? Maybe find yourself wishing Would you like to enjoy life more?

Do you ever wish you could have more fun and maybe a whole lot less stress?

The Good News is you can enjoy life more. You really can have more fun and energy. And way less stress! Just a few simple changes in your daily routine can lead to a much better life.

A life filled with more fun and tons of youthful energy! The pundits have written for decades about the benefits of better health and fitness. Ask the happiest people you know what their secret is and chances are over half will mention good health! Staying healthy is one of the keys to enjoying life more.

Plus - if you start getting in shape soon you can start enjoying a life filled with greater vitality - and loads more fun! The sooner you start the better your results will be. Start getting in better shape and you too can have a tighter stomach - and look great at the beach this summer!

Weight loss experts have known the secret to sustained weight loss for centuries. Unfortunately the secret is not found in miracle pills or supplements. The quickest way to lose weight has been around for hundreds of years. Work hard and eat healthy. Since so many of us have office jobs - requiring extended periods of sitting - the hard work must come in the form of exercise.

Any kind of exercise you enjoy will work! Choose several fun activities where you can burn a bunch of calories and really work your heart and lungs. Get your heart pounding and feel yourself breathing hard! Work your muscles too. Muscles burn calories and help you shed those extra pounds of body fat!

Want to tighten up those abs? The best way to lose belly fat is burn it off! Burn those extra calories and do some abs exercises to help build your core muscles. Getting rid of belly fat is never easy. You'll have to put in the time - running, walking, swimming, or even rowing.

If you really want to kick up the pace of your fitness program and get a great whole body workout - you might enjoy the Concept2 Model E Indoor Rowing Machine

Get Ready for Summer

Summer will be here before we know it. Days at the beach or the lake. Outdoor barbecues and picnics. Less clothes for everyone! Are you getting ready for looking good at the pool or the beach this Summer?

Many of us "battle the bulge" at some point. Whatever your goals are for this year and beyond, take advantage of the important role exercise plays in keeping your weight under control.

Carrying around too much body fat is a major nuisance. Yet excess body fat is common in modern-day living. Few of today's occupations require vigorous physical activity. Far too much of our leisure time is spent in front of video games , the tv or other sedentary pursuits.

Recent estimates indicate that well over 30 million adults are considered obese. Obese is considered 20 percent above your desirable weight. Even more potentially disturbing - is the increase in body fat levels in children and youth over the past 20 years. After infancy and early childhood, the earlier the onset of obesity, the greater the likelihood of remaining obese.

Excess body fat has been linked to such health problems as coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis and certain forms of cancer. Some evidence now exists showing that obesity has a negative effect on both health and longevity.

Exercise is crucial to the loss of body fat in both obese and normal weight persons. A regular program of exercise is an important component of any plan to help individuals lose, gain or maintain their weight.

A certain amount of body fat is healthy, even necessary for everyone. Experts say that percent body fat for women should be about 20 percent, 15 percent for men. Women with more than 30 percent fat and men with more than 25 percent fat are considered obese.

Try this simple self-test:
Pinch the thickness of the fat folds at your waist and abdomen. If you can pinch an inch or more of fat (make sure no muscle is included) chances are you have too much body fat.

Exercise will increase your lean body mass while decreasing your overall fat level. Depending on the amount of fat loss, this can result in a loss of inches without a loss of weight, since muscle weighs more than fat. Its for real - the best way to lose excess belly fat is with the proper combination of diet and exercise!