Speaking of Fitness

One very important aspect of our well being is how we feel about ourselves from a physical perspective. Now I don’t have a Masters in Sports Medicine or Kinesiology but I was a competitive weight lifter, I've climbed above 15,000 feet in the Andes, participated in yoga, I still actively lift weights, and I run a minimum of five miles a week on a treadmill. My degree I guess is in having been a fitness nut for more than thirty five years. Now I’m not talking about being so fit you can try out tomorrow for an “Iron Man’s” contest but rather fit in the sense that you have good muscle tone, flexibility and stamina. I’m also talking about maintaining a weight that’s comfortable for you. I’m a firm believer in a person’s weight is tied directly to whether they take in more or less calories than they burn up each day. In other words, if you want to lose weight you must exercise more and eat less. It’s really that simple. Remember a fit body is an efficient machine. It serves your confidence and gives you abilities you never knew you had. Eating well and exercising regularly are also ways to bring renewed energy and flow into your life.

So here’s my radical fitness program which requires an investment of five hours a week. That’s five hours out of the 168 that are available each week. I don’t care if you’re too fat or too skinny this five hour routine will help you feel better about yourself and get you into better shape.

. Three twenty minute walks a week. Depending on your level of fitness that’s two to three miles a week. There’s nothing better for the heart than a good brisk walk and you get to sight see and enjoy nature as an added bonus. If you have dog all the better. Exercise and companionship is good for the both of you!

· Two one hour classes a week devoted to either yoga or a low intensity Aerobics class. Couple this with those walks and you’re adding stamina and additional flexibility, especially if you opt for a good yoga class. Most health clubs offer these classes for free and a health club membership can cost as little as $39 a month. To me that’s an incredible investment.

· Light weight lifting and stretching twice a week for an hour each time. Whether you use some real light weights in your home that you've purchased from a sporting goods store or if you’re a member of a health club, this will help you gain strength and muscle tone. If you do belong to a club, they have a variety of machines that reduce the risk of injury while allowing you to exercise the various muscle groups in your body. I suggest that you work your chest, arms, back and legs twice a week. I also recommend that you stretch prior to lifting weights and stretch after you have finished.

I think you’ll find that in a few short weeks you’ll feel stronger, more energized and just a tad more confident because of your five hours of weekly fitness. Here are some other points to think about.

· Be patient with yourself. Your personal fitness will come along and actually gather steam if you stay focused and dedicated. At the start you might feel some soreness and be a bit fatigued, but stay with it and soon you’ll actually see and feel the improvement.

· Watch other people and learn new things. I continue to watch people and pick up things from my observations. I also like to watch the professional trainers work with people. I’m always picking up a new exercise or routine from them. It's also important to keep your routines fresh and to vary things a bit.

· Have an understanding that no matter your body type, your fitness will show and you’ll look better and feel better about yourself.

· You don’t have to become a food Nazi to eat better. I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables along with fish and nuts. Having said that I’ll eat the occasional burger or piece of chocolate. I just make sure I’m eating more of the fruits and vegetables and by doing so I maintain a constant weight.

· Finally, factor in your age and respect it. Lifting a little bit of weight is just as effective in toning yourself as lifting a lot of weight. It's also important to perform each movement correctly to enhance progress and eliminate injuries. Stretching is critical as you get older and helps keep you flexible and warm your muscles. For example a lot of guys my age have back issues and it’s tied to their hamstrings not being exercised or stretched.

There’s a growing epidemic in this country tied to obesity and heart problems and a lot of nannyism that gets directed to the problem or the latest diet fad. I personally think that as a society we eat more today than ever before and exercise less than ever before. When I was a boy growing up in Iowa I never, ever saw an obese farmer. Simply put, they worked too hard and burned up too many calories to ever be overweight. I truly hope this little article on fitness helps motivate you to do a little something for that sacred vessel you walk around in. The better you treat your physical self, the better you treat your spiritual self.