Motivational Quotes for January

Before and After: Proof that you can do it.

If you look like the girl on the left remember that she eventually became the girl on the right. If she can do it, why not you?


"Life is exercise. We do it every day without thinking about it. The challenge is for people to get outside and do it more for fun instead of focusing on how difficult and painful life can sometimes be."
- Charles Moffat

"Even when the going gets rough, you can keep going. After all, you've been doing it all your life."
 - Ralph Marston

"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one."
- Elbert Hubbard

"I failed my way to success."
- Thomas Edison

"Go back a little to leap further."
- John Clarke

"Every failure brings with it the seed of an equivalent success."
- Napoleon Hill

"We learn wisdom from failure much more than success. We often discover what we will do, by finding out what we will not do."
- Samuel Smiles

"Keep going, and allow your efforts to build upon one another. Keep going, and transform the disappointments into achievements."
- Ralph Marston

Exercise Motivational Quotes for the New Years

Happy New Years!

Here is some great quotes to help get you motivated to exercise in 2013!

"When you set yourself a goal and decide to do it, make certain you also make a plan. Think of it like a Mission Impossible episode and plan out every detail and then follow that plan. Know what you want to be doing in terms of exercise. Know how many calories you want you to be eating. Keep a journal of everything. Before you know it you're making progress and are already half way to finishing your goal."
- Charles Moffat

"Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity."
- John F. Kennedy

"There’s no easy way out. If there were, I would have bought it. And believe me, it would be one of my favorite things!"
- Oprah Winfrey

"Early to bed and early to rise, makes a person healthy wealthy and wise."
- Benjamin Franklin

"The body is like a piano, and happiness is like music. It is needful to have the instrument in good order."
- Henry Ward Beecher

"You must begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be."
- David Viscott

"You suppose you are the trouble, but you are the cure. You suppose that you are the lock on the door, but you are the key that opens it. It’s too bad that you want to be someone else, you don’t see your own face, your own beauty, yet, no face is more beautiful than yours."
- Rumi

"To lose confidence in one’s body is to lose confidence in oneself."
- Simone de Beauvoir

"Is ‘fat’ really the worst thing a human being can be? Is ‘fat’ worse than ‘vindictive’, ‘jealous’, ‘shallow’, ‘vain’, ‘boring’ or ‘cruel’? Not to me."
- J.K. Rowling

"Even the models we see in magazines wish they could look like their own images."
- Cheri K. Erdman

"You are not your buttocks."
- Kaz Cooke

Winning an Uphill Battle

Losing weight and/or building muscle can sometimes feel like you are trying to fight an uphill battle.

That doesn't mean you will automatically lose just because you sometimes suffer setbacks.

Common setbacks include:

Sports injuries.

Not eating properly.

Not exercising enough or keeping to your scheduled routine.

Illness.

Getting distracted by work or family concerns.

Slacking off due to lack of motivation.

But just because you encounter a setback doesn't mean you should just give up and let things spiral out of control. You have to realize ahead of time that there will be setbacks and you have to learn to embrace the challenges given to you.

Nobody is going to blame you if something happens (eg. a funeral for a family member or friend) and then you slack off a bit. That type of thing just happens and is part of life. You take the necessary break and then you get right back to your routine as soon as you feel ready.

Many people on a weight loss regimen have slipped up / slacked off from time to time. Even the professional bodybuilders, athletes, etc sometimes fall behind on their schedule. Unfortunately sometimes due to lack of willpower it can quickly spiral out of control. Say for example you have one snack outside of your meal plan, it may be easy to say, "Well I already messed up today, so what's another?" This can turn into a truly self-defeating cycle and before you know it you're binging on doughnuts and have completely stopped exercising. That one day can turn into the whole weekend, and weekends turn into weeks. And you might not stop the cycle for months.

But if you realize ahead of time that you will make small mistakes then you can make those mistakes and keep on pushing forward despite the small setbacks.

The only way out of this is to get it together mentally and not allow little mistakes to chip away at your determination to make changes in your life. One, two or even ten bad days are nothing compared to the days in the year and beyond.

Yes, it can be upsetting to lose progress, especially when you have no control over it due to an illness or injury. We work so hard to achieve success, and then a loss of willpower or a lazy streak can really take away from the progress that we busted our butts for and our motivation will be sapped. Dwelling on the mistakes won't bring you six-pack abs however. The only way to feel better is to pick yourself up, and get started again as if nothing had even happened.

You are going to encounter speed bumps. Just run right over them and keep going!

Motivational Quotes

"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength."
-Arnold Schwarzenegger

"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential."
-Winston Churchill

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."
-Vince Lombardi

"We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot."
-Eleanor Roosevelt

"My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength."
-Michael Jordan

Great Tips for Maintaining Motivation

#1. Hire a personal trainer.

Why? Because nothing is more motivating than knowing you are spending $300 amount for 10 sessions with a trainer, and their sole job is to challenge you and keep you motivated.

#2. Cultivate a winning attitude by focusing on the times you've been successful.

A lot of people don't think they can change. They blame their genetics, fate, god, etc.

These people often believe / say things like "I can't" or "I'm not good enough" and think them being overweight is just reality and they need to accept it. It isn't. They're negativity is a handicap which causes them to give up easily every time they try. A negative person will look at others who are successful and happy and say, "They're just lucky." They're not just lucky. They've worked diligently for a long time to get where they are. They had a certain mentality that drove them to do what they did. You, too, can call upon that drive and you can change.

Learning to be positive and stay motivated is tricky. One way is to focus on times when you've been really successful at something. Recall the specific thoughts, feelings and images you had surrounding that success. Remember and use those sensory factors to drive yourself toward other successes. If you had a great time jogging, picture the route and other factors that made up your visual field. Take the time to visualize the route and the feeling of pride when you finished it.

Draw on any success in your life and remember those feelings of satisfaction, pride and self-worth. Think about how good it felt to succeed and use that feeling as a catalyst to stimulate the behaviour that brought you that success.

When people fail they end up getting negative feelings. They come back as memories and make it more difficult to find the COURAGE to do those same activities again. But if you focus on positive memories you will find it easier to find that necessary courage and determination.

#3. Replace unrealistic images with achievable goals.

Patience is a virtue. But it is also more realistic to be patient when seeking to succeed at goals.

If you're looking at an advertisement featuring a young, hard-bodied fitness model smiling and enjoying her workout and you're thinking, I'm going to do that and it will QUICKLY be the same for me, banish that notion. It isn't going to happen overnight. You have to be realistic about what it takes to get in shape. Working out is, well, work. And you have to do it over many months and sometimes years, not weeks.

Lets say for example someone weighs 300 lbs and they want to lose 120 lbs. If they lose 2 lbs per week it will take them 60 weeks - Approx 14 months to accomplish that goal.

But to do so this means healthy eating (1800 to 2000 calories per day), daily exercise, and they will want to be burning an extra 7,000 calories per week (3,500 calories = 1 lb of fat) in order to burn 2 lbs of fat per week. So 1,000 calories worth of exercise per day.

And to burn 1,000 calories in one hour you need to be doing some kind of really intense workout like swimming laps - But most people who weigh 300 lbs simply don't have the endurance to be doing that for an hour. So instead its more realistic to be doing a 2 hour workout of an activity that is less intense (500 calories per hour).

However that kind of heavy duty routine isn't for everyone. So if 2 lbs per week is too much set the more realistic goal of 1 lb per week (burning 500 calories per day). It will take twice as long to achieve your goal, but if you're patient then you will succeed.

Learning patience and self-control is tricky. But once you realize it is the realistic approach then you know you can do it.

#4. Determine and choose the workout that is best for you.

First decide what your goals are: Do you want to lose weight or tone and build muscle? Or both?

Once you know that then you can pick your workout(s) accordingly. Lose weight? Do cardio workouts. Add muscle? Weightlifting with targeted strength training.

If you want to become both stronger and trimmer, you should combine a cardiovascular routine, such as jogging, cycling or swimming, with targeted weight training.

Also you will need to pick workouts which are more FUN so you can stay motivated. My suggestion is that either find ways to make your workouts fun, or pick activities that are naturally fun (ie. archery, boxing, rock-climbing, sports, etc).

#5. Find a workout environment you like that caters to your needs.

Sometimes gyms aren't the best place for people. Busy gyms can be intimidating to people who lack confidence about their appearance. Thus if you can find a gym that isn't busy, or you go at a time of day when it isn't crowded, then maybe that will help deal with your confidence issues.

Or maybe you just don't like gyms. In which case find a place, outdoors or indoors, that suits your needs.

#6. Slip into a workout mentality before you get to the gym.

Think about all the bonuses of working out: how great you'll feel afterward, your increased self-respect and energy and your decreased tension. Before you walk into the gym, visualize the gym ambiance and feel yourself begin to go through the paces and engage in the workout, enjoying the surroundings, the sounds, the people, the exertion and feeling good about yourself. The purpose: To mentally get yourself into the mood.

#7. If you need someone to push you, look for a workout partner.

With a partner you'll have two people's motivation to get you going. Look for a workout partner who has goals that are similar to yours and similarly motivated.

Or if you have difficulty finding a workout partner who has the same availability then you can hire a personal trainer.

#8. Schedule regular workout times and treat them as you would any other important commitment.

If you can't find 60 minutes for yourself a few times a week, you're either over-scheduled or you don't value yourself enough. Get your kids and wife/husband to help keep you on track. Tell them that staying in shape mentally and physically helps you be the best parent/spouse you can be.

Treat each workout like you're meeting a doctor for a very important meeting concerning your health. Because your health is important to you, isn't it?

Working out will also help you release stress and work through problems. How? Your negative energy is consumed during physical activity and, as you get fit, your body works more efficiently and you feel more positive about yourself. As well, working out releases endorphins, peptides that react with the brain's opiate receptors to make you feel better.
Don't beat yourself up if you miss the occasional workout or if you fall short of your goals. Give yourself some respect and understanding when you slip up. Just decide to make it up to yourself by getting back on track and continuing with your motivated, determined workouts.

Positive Thinking + Motivation

Here Are Three Tips for Developing Positive Thinking + Exercise Motivation

1. Focus on the Positive

If you think you will fail at you exercise / weight loss goals then you will fail because you will end up giving up too easily. If you focus on attaining your goals and WHY you want to attain them then you will stay positive and stay motivated.

We all have qualities that we like about ourselves and things that could use improvement. When we're having a bad day it's important to not dwell on why we're having a challenging time. Remember that a lot of this little stuff is meaningless and there is no point stressing about little details. Focus on the big picture and work on improving yourself to the ultimate goal.

Example: "I may not exercise a lot, but at least I am exercising daily. I just need to stay focused and ty to up the ante on my daily routine."

2. Keep What Motivates you Close

When you are going through a period of low motivation you need to keep your goals close by so you are feeling constantly motivated. This could be simply an image of the ideal body on your fridge or a list of habits that you want to achieve, a picture of yourself when you were 17, or a note that we carry around. Could even be poetry or a movie that you like to see again and again.

Example: For me that would be Rocky (all of the films), plus I have all the music from the Rocky films which I like to listen to while exercising.

When people are feeling depressed and unmotivated they have a tendency to eat junk food. So here's an important tip: Never go grocery shopping when you are depressed and feeling negative!

3. Celebrate Progress in a Smart Way

People love reward systems.

But don't reward yourself with fatty food by suddenly binging whenever you lose 5 lbs. That puts you in danger of a yo-yo diet.

If you're always achieving success but never offering yourself breaks and rewards the effort can begin to seem never ending!

Healthy Ways to Reward Yourself

A) Go out for a movie by yourself or with friends.

B) Go shopping for shoes, power tools, electronic gadgets or whatever makes you happy.

C) Take a day off to make artwork, poetry or listen to music.

D) Sex! Your lover will be appreciative of your efforts!

What is the point of working your buns off if you're always living within the confines of a strict regime and don't reward yourself!

If you're feeling the rewards you will also be feeling positive and motivated to keep at it!

Six Pack Abs - The Final 5 Lbs

Lets say for a moment that you used to be obese. You've lost 100 lbs since then, and its been a long process of exercise, maintaining your diet, and you may have even fallen off the horse a couple times on your quest to have Six Pack Abs, but now you're almost there.

You can FEEL your ab muscles underneath a tiny layer of fat and skin. You are so close you can literally feel the muscles, but try as you might you cannot seem to shed that last 5 lbs and attain the Six Pack Abs you've been dreaming of.

After succeeding at a long term weight loss program many people like Jim find that they can't firm up the final few few pounds around their midsection. It is a common problem, but there is a solution.

Here are four techniques to try (possibly in combination):

1. Stress Management

On the wellness side of things, stress makes it difficult to shed fat. Especially if you are too stressed to eat properly or keep to your exercise routine. Stress makes you do two things: #1. It makes you want to relax, pig out and let yourself go. #2. Stress releases hormones that will make your body try to store fat - starting with your midsection.

Thus when you are feeling stressed here is what you need to do: Take a nap, do yoga and/or meditation. Sleep and time to think will do wonders for your stress levels and you won't feel the need to relax and binge on food.

2. Focus on Diet

Nutritionists always tell people that if they are exercising to their full potential, and not seeing the results that they want to achieve, then they need to be looking at their diet. The last few pounds around the waistline is notoriously toned with a cleaner diet. This should include eating plenty of vegetables, raising protein and lowering carbs. It also helps to drink plenty of water and avoid sugar.

A more extreme version might be to try a lemonade detox diet for 10 days. Or at very least cutting out carbs for 1 month (no bread, no pasta, no potatoes, etc) until you've lost those last 5 lbs.

3. Core Training

Sometimes putting on extra muscle helps to firm up the skin that is covering the abdominal. In addition to isolated abs training, focusing strength sessions on compound exercises (using more than one muscle at a time) and exercise that combines balance, plyometrics and stretching. Yes, stretching helps to develop muscle!

4. Marathon Training

Or at least a 5 km run. If you aren't doing it already, try training for a long run like a marathon or half marathon. Start jogging/running every day for 1 hour.

A 125-lb. person burns 283 calories running 4 mph for one hour. Increasing to a 5-mph pace burns an additional 227 calories per hour.

A 150-lb. person burns 340 calories running 4 mph for one hour. Increasing to a 5 mph pace burns an additional 272 calories per hour.

A 175-lb. person burns 397 calories running 4 mph for one hour. Increasing to a 5-mph pace burns an additional 317 calories per hour.

Over a period of a month such a regimen will burn approx. 4 to 10 lbs depending on your size and speed. You may discover it will work faster than that thanks to the After Burn Effect - calories being burned after doing high intensity exercise due to your cell's energy being replenished and muscle tissue being repaired  / new tissue created.

Long distance running also produces "Runner's High" - a cocktail of addictive hormones in your system - which will lower your stress, but beware of the dangers of addiction because some runners become so addicted they lose friends and family because they're outside running 100 km+ per week.

Combined these four tips will help to achieve a lean and hard midsection and get you those Six Pack Abs you've been dreaming of.

Motivational Exercise Quotes

"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate
the mind on the present moment." - Buddha

"Your own motivation in life is what keeps you going and excites you to live. Having a dream and a true passion to do what you love is what living is all about. Remember this, and forever be happy." - Unknown

"The most expensive piece of real estate is the six inches between your right and left ear. It’s what you create in that area that determines your wealth. We are only really limited by our mind." - Dolf de Roos

"The secret to productive goal setting is in establishing clearly defined goals, writing them down and then focusing on them several times a day with words, pictures and emotions as if we've already achieved them." - Denis Waitley

"Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else." - Les Brown

"The ability to convert ideas to things is the secret to outward success." - Henry Ward Beecher

"Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still." - Chinese Proverb

"Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow." - Doug Firebaugh

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

"You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind." - Author Unknown

"When I realized I could do it I also realized the only thing holding me back was excuses." - Charles Moffat

Motivational Quotes to Exercise

"Exercise should be fun, otherwise, you won't be consistent." - Laura Ramirez

"There is a powerful driving force inside every human being that once unleashed can make any vision, dream or desire a reality." - Anthony Robbins

"You've got to say, I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it. It's called perseverance." - Lee Iacocca

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"When you nourish your body with pure energy, you transform
from the inside out." - Bill Phillips

The world is beautiful and amazing

The world is beautiful and amazing. Now go outside and exercise!



Note: I am not intentionally advertising the camera used in the video. I just think it is a great motivational video to go outside and exercise.

Hard Work Motivational Quotes

"Nothing worth doing is ever easy and working hard to succeed and finally achieving it is its own reward because then you can finally say 'I did it!' and knowing that if you hadn't done it you would have been forever disappointed."
- Charles Moffat


"Hard work has made it easy. That is my secret. That is why I win."
- Nadia Comaneci

"I do not know anyone who has gotten to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but it will get you pretty near."
- Margaret Thatcher

"When you live for a strong purpose, then hard work isn’t an option. It’s a necessity."
-Steve Pavlina

"The daily grind of hard work gets a person polished."
- Unknown

"Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven't planted."
- David Bly

Sweat, Determination and Looking Amazing

You have the Power to Exercise Today

You have the Power to Exercise Today!

Now stop reading this blog and go out and do it!

Plus more motivational images from motiveweight.blogspot.ca. :)

Motivating Yourself to Lift Weights

I am loving these motivational images from motiveweight.blogspot.ca. :)

Not Motivated? Go Exercise Anyway!

Not Motivated? Go Exercise Anyway!

Your body doesn't care if your brain is not motivated. The results will be the same if you get out there and just do it!

Motivation and Persistence

"Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning." - Denis Waitley

"Ambition is the path to success, persistence is the vehicle you arrive in." - William Eardley IV

"Continuous, unflagging effort, persistence and determination will win. Let not the man be discouraged who has these." - James Whitcomb Riley

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” - Robert J. Collier

Anytime, Anywhere Fitness

Okay, admittedly there are some times when maybe you should NOT do exercises.

#1. At a funeral.

#2. Jumping jacks in an elevator.

#3. When your best friend tells you that their mom has cancer.

#4. When your boss is threatening to fire you and you suddenly have the urge to do boxing...

But the basic concept of "Anytime, Anywhere Fitness" is to be able to exercise when waiting for something (like your friend to pick you up on the side of the road because your car broke down) and you've got nothing better to do.

So instead of pacing back and forth, which I admit is still exercise, try skipping, doing jumping jacks, yoga, jogging in one spot, etc. If you have something heavy that you can use as a weight you can even do weightlifting with your groceries, briefcase, backpack, books, etc.

Once you learn how to do this you start to realize how there is no shortage of time available to exercise. You can exercise in the shower (I like doing chin ups in the shower, but make sure whatever you are using can support your weight), you can take the stairs at work instead of the elevator, you can lift your own bodyweight while sitting in your chair at work using your arm rests, you can do chin ups on the monkey bars while waiting to pick up your kids after school, you can play tag with your kids or if they're older take an interest in whatever spots they are into (including archery, which is really popular now, but you will need equipment for that).

If you tell a personal trainer you have no time to exercise they will look at you with a pained expression of disappointment because they're well aware that people have plenty of time to exercise... but choose not to because of lack of motivation.

There's always time! If you truly want to workout there's a time in the day that can be put aside no matter how busy life gets.

Three Tips to Squeeze in a Workout

1. The Morning

It's not uncommon for me to wake up at 4 or 5am and my neighbour wakes up at 3! Working out early in the morning has the benefit of getting the routine out of the way early so that no matter what the days throws your way it won't derail the fitness plan.

2. Pencil it in

A lot of people miss their workout because they have other priorities that they have to get through, before they can hit the treadmill or weights. Fitness should be booked just like a meeting, doctor's appointment or picking up dry cleaning. If you say that you'll workout when you have time the fact is, when will you ever? There's not enough time in the day as it is!

3. Fitness Anywhere, Anytime

I'm not unaware that people actually do lead very busy lives. Some work long hours and simply do not have the energy for fitness late in the evening (and need to unwind) while others are busy parents who are trying to balance their work, family and social life. In this case just fit in some exercises whenever you can. Do squats while you cook, or push ups while you're on hold with a corporate client. Walk a few extra blocks to grab a healthier lunch.

Really all it takes is some extra effort and motivation. It has very little to do with time.

Exercise Makes You Smarter

Now there are a lot of meatheads out there who don't use the muscle mass between their ears, but think again. Exercise also makes you smarter. How? Read below!

Just 30 minutes of exercise per day can increase your brain power and up the ante on your IQ. You won't become an Einstein overnight, but it will increase your brain's ability to think and focus and solve problems.

1. Increases Energy
The more you move, the more energized you will feel. Regular physical activity improves your muscle strength and boosts your endurance, giving you the energy you need to think clearer and come up with new ideas. A good 15 minutes of moving around, even just around your living room, makes your body produce more energy on a cellular level.

2. Sharpens Focus
Dr. John Ratey, author of “Spark – The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain” says that exercise improves your brain in the short term by raising your focus for two to three hours afterwards. If you have a presentation or speaking engagement try to work out beforehand; you’ll be at your peak when you have to perform. In the long term, it can even help starve off brain aging and Alzheimer’s. This works on the cellular level through neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to improve itself with blood flow and levels of brain-derived protein. He calls it “miracle-gro” for the brain, and it all comes from regular exercise!

3. Enhances Mood
Exercise releases endorphins, also known as nature’s mood elevator, which has been shown to improve memory. Exercise also releases serotonin, which improves mood and alleviates symptoms of depression, according to the Mayo Clinic. Duke University researchers proved that depressed adults who exercised regularly improved as much as those treated with the antidepressants.

4. Helps Impulse Control
Exercise helps trigger endorphins, which improve the prioritizing functions of the brain. After exercise, your ability to sort out priorities improves, allowing you to block out distractions and better concentrate on the task at hand.

5. Improves Memory
Your brain remembers more when your body is active. In an experiment published in the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, students were asked to memorize a string of letters, and were then allowed to run, lift weights, or sit quietly. The students who ran were quicker and more accurate when they were tested than students who chose the other two options.

6. Increases Productivity
Ever heard of “if you want something done, give it to a busy person?” It’s a proven fact that productivity begets more productivity. When we’re productive and efficient it propels us to succeed more. After exercising in the middle of the work day, workers are more likely to be kinder to their co-workers, increase their work performance and improve their time management. All these amount to a more productive day – all from a few minutes of exercise!

So what are you waiting for? Become a fitter, smarter and sexier you!

Exercise Motivational Quotes

Here is 12 motivational quotes to help get you exercising. :)

"Don't assume that just because you can't afford a personal trainer or a gym membership that you can't succeed at your fitness goals. Your primary weapon in your weight loss arsenal isn't money - its willpower and the knowledge that you will succeed if you keep trying hard."
-Charles Moffat, Toronto Personal Trainer

"Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict."
-William E. Channing

"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are."
-Bernice Johnson Reagon

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."
-Dale Carnegie

"Never be satisfied with what you achieve, because it all pales in comparison with what you are capable of doing in the future."
-Rabbi Nochem Kaplan

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."
-Thomas Edison

"If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or objects."
-Albert Eistein

"It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor."

-Marcus Tullius Cicero 

"If you don't do what's best for your body, you're the one who comes up on the short end." 
-Julius Erving 
"Happiness lies, first of all, in health." 
-George William Curtis 

"Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states." 
-Carol Welch 

"When the body is strong and the mind is weak, the result is insubordination. Train your mind as well as your body." 
-Author Unknown

The Path of Most Resistance

Do you dread going to the gym or exercising?

Do you have more negative memories about exercising than positive?

Do you treat your body poorly?

Do you talk about how miserable exercising makes you because you feel you aren't accomplishing anything?

Do you exercise less and less on a monthly basis?

Do you have fewer positive experiences with exercise every year?

If you answered yes to most of the questions above then you need to change the way you think about exercise and becoming a fitter, healthier, stronger, faster, more youthful you.

First of all consider the following formula:

TALENT X INVESTMENT = SUCCESS.

Talent is your natural talent to do something. If we were to rank your Strength for example on a scale of 1 to 20, with 10 being the average, how well would you rank? High? Low? And how high would you want that number to be? 14? 16? 18? 20 evidently would be amongst the strongest people on the planet and very rare. But a 14 isn't anything to sneeze at either.

Investment is the amount of time and effort you want to spend on a task. In this case the task might be losing weight, building strength, improving flexibility, or even just feeling better about your health.

Now lets pretend for a moment you are below average in your Strength. A mere 7. The local wimp who wants to be the next Charles Atlas (bodybuilder from the 1920s to 1970s). Is the young Mr Wimp going to accomplish anything special if he is only working on it 5 minutes per day? No, he won't, not when you consider there is 1,440 minutes in a day.

Now lets pretend for a moment young Mr Wimp decides he wants to really practice hard and aims higher, perhaps going for 1 hour per day. Well its better. But is 7 hours per week really enough to turn Mr Wimp into Charles Atlas? No, probably not. It will improve some of his muscle tone, but its not going to be anything spectacular. It might boost him up to an 8 or a couple more points higher given time.

No, what Mr Wimp really needs is a CHALLENGE. And its going to become a huge time commitment.

Think 3 hours per day, 5 days per week. Approx. 15 hours per week. If his goal is to be building muscle then he needs to lifting weights during those hours. He will be tired and sore afterwards, but if he has the mental fortitude to keep doing it then he will start to see results. Over time he will continue to challenge himself and build up his strength. If his final goal is a 16 Strength then it will take him years to accomplish, but it can be done if he invests the time.

He isn't going to accomplish this goal by being lazy and taking the path of least resistance. No. He has to take the Path of Most Resistance if he is going to accomplish this goal.

Now I am not suggesting you go out and buy Charles Atlas' book. Certainly not. You can do so if you really want to, but its really like any other bodybuilding book you might find. (According to Arnold Schwarzenegger, Charles Atlas is the reason Arnold became a bodybuilder in the first place.)

That and the whole "15 minutes per day" slogan from Charles Atlas just isn't enough time investment to be truly effective.

What I trying to convey here is that it is really more a matter of will power if you want to succeed in a particular goal.

Yes, natural talent is good. But it will only take you so far if you don't have the will power to spend the investment of time in attaining your goal.

You can learn to self-motivate, you can hire a personal trainer, you can get yourself an exercise buddy... but the end result is you need to find the will power and the motivation to make that investment of time in taking the Path of Most Resistance towards getting your goal.

Because doing nothing or almost nothing will get you this far: Nowhere.

Lets pretend you are Mr Average with a 10 Strength. You only exercise 10 minutes per day. About an hour per week. Using our formula from further above how far will that get Mr Average?

10 Strength X 1 Hour per Week = "10 Strength-Hours" (sorta of like measuring Torque in "foot-pounds").

In contrast Mr Wimp's new exercise routine is...

7 Strength X 15 Hours per Week = "105 Strength-Hours".

Now who do you think will be growing muscle mass faster? Someone doing 10 Strength-Hours or 105 Strength-Hours? The answer is obvious. Before you know it Mr Wimp will have a 10 Strength or higher. He may eventually reach a point where he decides to change his name to "Mr Strong" (kudos to the children's book).

So how do you know where you rank on the Strength Scale of 1 to 20?

Well, there are several ways to try and figure that out for yourself. You could use the previous post I made titled "How to Test your Muscle Tone", but that won't give you a detailed result because its only 2 exercises.

What you really need is a comprehensive test for a variety of different exercises and a ranking / points system for each of the exercises. In theory you could ask your personal trainer (if you have one) to come with some kind of system for testing you and then giving you a ranking. Or if you live in Toronto you could hire me as your personal trainer and I could do it for you.

You could try and come up with a system yourself, but it will be tricky to judge since you're not the most unbiased person when it comes to your own fitness. What you really need is an objective judge.

Then once you know where you are you can say where you'd like to be. Go after that goal. Invest the time and every month do the test again to see how close to your goal you are. If you are start off at 9 Strength and your goal is 14 and you're up to 10 after only a month then in theory you only have 4 more months to go before you reach your desired level of fitness.

And there is nothing more motivating than knowing you're making progress and succeeding at your goals.