Learn to Step or Salsa

If you are looking for another creative way to get exercise dancing is great! It will get your heart rate up, work your core and it will work your legs. You can get in http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifshape and have fun doing it. Let me help you get started, check out a good friend of mine's site.

"Are we there yet???"

Well it's day 3 of the journey on the road to body-perfection and I admit that I already had the thought... "Are we there yet"? I know it's ONLY day 3! What the heck is up with that??? But it is like I mentioned before even though the destination is worth it... the journey can be tough and seem VERY long and make you want to cry out ARE WE THERE YET?! It does not always seem to help when you continue to look in the mirror or get on the scale and they both seem to be laughing at you and those clothes are still tight for all the wrong reasons.

So what do you do? You can give up and turn around and accept the thought that it's just easier to stay the way that I am or you can look for a get-it-quick solution. Hey, modern science and every infomercial make it seem easy and that this is the way to go... You know, don't sweat, don't deal with the pain and discomfort that sometimes follows the day's exertion...

But wait if we are honest how many of these ideas and plans have we tried and really put a great deal of effort into, not to mention money and in some cases we reached our goal just in time for that big vacation or that class reunion or some other event to only find ourselves after it is all over we wake up and look in the mirror and wonder "what the heck happened" and you know we may not actually say "heck"...

The problem is just like anything else, getting it quick is not always satisfying and always leaves you wanting. You are left with nothing but a empty feeling almost as if you never had it at all. Sometimes the better things in life take longer and you get to enjoy each moment and did not just look forward to the end result. What does this have to do with this journey to body-perfection you may be wondering and the answer is EVERYTHING!

What you have to do is learn to enjoy the process. Enjoy every day's accomplishments. Take pleasure in the moment. Just like a road trip if you spend all of your time asking are we there yet, you will miss out on all the wonderful things that can be seen and done along the way.
So lets keep our heads up and our feet moving forward and enjoy the moment on this road to body-perfection.

It's a Mind Change

While looking in the mirror brushing my teeth getting ready for work, I still had not put on my shirt yet because I could not make up my mind what I wanted to put on, I was startled by a quick glimmer of something that I saw...
I saw this muscular, cut looking man with locs down his shoulder. I almost jumped! Then just that quick the vision was gone. It tripped me out! I was like, "what was that about?" I sometimes jokingly say, "If I looked as good as I thought I did I would be a baaaaaaad man!" But there is some truth to my little joke, our journeys often fail or succeed based on what our minds see.
With these thoughts running through my mind I was reminded of the creation account in the Word of God. While still in the process of creating He looked at what was done and "SAW that it was good". (Genesis 1:1-25) WOW! Here things were not completed yet but what He saw "it was good". How do you see yourself? What is the vision that you have? When you look in the mirror is it always about what you see that is NOT right or done or finished or can you say that what you "see" is good?
When I "see", I "see" that I have not arrived at my journey's final destination yet and this keeps me traveling and improving. BUT I also "see" GOOD! Seeing the good keeps my mind and my soul refreshed and keeps them from being or becoming disappointed and discouraged. My body-perfection is not based on what others see because one day you can look good to them and another you don't... But how you see yourself can be everlasting!
I am not talking about empty vanity but a true God given pride and true appreciation of this wonderful person called you that God has allowed to be born into this world! I am also not talking about being delusional about those things that need to change, that is just insanity... What I am saying is that our weaknesses, flaws and imperfections with God's help and direction AND our staying disciplined and focused, doing our part in this journey will help to give us the ability to "see" the good especially in those times where it seems like everything is fighting against you and your journey... You can step back and stand tall and say I have not arrived yet and the journey is not over but what I see is GOOD!

From My Shame to Body-Perfection

I can't tell you how many times that I have been in the gym working out and I hear a trainer instructing their heavy breathing and exhausted clients on their next exercise and trying to encourage them to "hang in there" or saying " you have at least one more rep' in you" and I turn to check out this trainer extraordinaire hoping to pick up some great new tip to only be shocked and amazed that the trainer looks like CRAP.....

I would turn away in discuss saying to myself and sometimes to others that 'I would NEVER hire a trainer that looked like that.' In my mind it was unthinkable to try and tell someone what they should be doing and you look the complete opposite. That was just CRAZY to me. Now I did not think that he or she had to look like the next Mr. or Miss Olympia, but at least look like you train and that you put into practice what you preach.

I mean this I ranted on every time I saw a so-called trainer that looked like they were the ones that needed trainers. I also felt justified in my rantings, to me it was like going to get my locs done by someone whose hair looked like matted dog's hair. Was not happening. Then when I got into bodybuilding and my body was starting to look pretty tight, that just fueled my rantings and the repulsion for these sloppy looking trainers...

Let's fast forward a bit and one day I have started my own personal training business and was pretty darn good at. To be blessed with knowledge through life experiences through injuries and knowledge gained from whom I would call the cream of the crop type trainers. Then time passes and one morning I look up and say to myself, 'hey you are looking a little soft there...' But I go on and more time passes and then I look again in the mirror checking things out in a new suit. You know the kind that looks like it was tailored for you, showing the broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow waste and I think maaaaaan looking good!

Then more time passes and put on the same suit and it is a little snug but I ignore it and as I am taking that same suit off i hear a voice calling to me saying "hey take a look in the mirror". I slowly turn around and to my shock I have turned into one of "THOSE" trainers!!!!! You know the ones I use to despise!!!! It does not stop there... While getting ready to go out with my wife to an event I pull out this crew neck long sleeve sweater that I like. I leave the room and come back and my wife has put out another sweater for me in its place. She then lovingly begins to tell me about how with women there are certain tops that they should not ware because it can over accentuate their bosoms and I get the lovingly given hint...

The shirt made my already extending belly look even bigger!!!! ARRRRGGGG!!!! Talk about a wake up call! I had become just what I did not want to ever be... One of those that can be placed in the category of "YOU DON'T PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH". Boy did that realization HURT, but it is not discouraging but it is VERY motivating. How could I continue to help and watch others that I have discipled into better physical health only to see my self sliding fast down the hill to physical destruction. I could have easily blamed my health and that can factor in but for me it was not a show stopper...


The only thing holding me back was me. I had the knowledge and knew how to apply it for it to become living wisdom that can be evidenced in my physical appearance. The other wonderful thing about this awakening is that it can apply in every area of our lives. You slack in one place you will slack in others. What seems like a small thing now will turn into a major problem tomorrow. This is not something that I will hide in the closet, my keg of a stomach screams it out too loudly to the world and all the denial won't change it. So I share it with you so that you can know and understand that once you TRULY acknowledge the issue and are willing to face it head on. You CAN overcome it! You can reach body-perfection and stay there.
So I am on my road trip back to the WONDERFUL land of "Body-Perfection" and I welcome you to join me!

" The Truth of It All"

The truth of truly finding and reaching your body-perfection is that it is not found in the latest diet fad. It is not found in the latest exercise program that "guarantees" you this FABULOUS body in a very short amount of time.

It is found in being truly honest with yourself and where you are both physically and mentally. Then saying to yourself "what is it that I can and will stick with doing, not just now but for the rest of my life?"

You have to be honest about what you can REALLY start off doing. In other words if you have never run in your life do not try and go out and run 6 miles the first day. let's be real... the only thing that you will end up with is sore legs and a frustration.

It is okay to start off slow and work your way up but not so slow that you are mostly at a crawl. using the same example of running pick a destination and distance that you know that you can walk. then start at a brisk walk for a few minutes then jog a few minutes then switch to the walk again. You repeat this process until you reach your finish point then turn around and start the same process back home. Over time increase the length of time that you jog and shorten the time that you spend walking. This will condition your body and mind and make both stronger.

Here is another fact.... There is a very good chance that you will be sore over the next three days. This is not a bad thing. What has happened is that you have broken down some muscle fibers and now they are healing and adding more fibers. Exercise is like surgery in that it is not the process that hurts it is the healing.

So take your time learn to eat meals that are more healthy but easy for you to maintain doing on a regular bases. Plenty of protein, plenty of fruits and vegetables and lots of water. And contrary to popular belief sweets are not your enemy and neither are carbs. the real enemy is the person that you see in the mirror everyday who refuses to be disciplined and over indulges on a regular bases.

Now there is the truth of it all. Remember stay focused on your goal always look up and keep your feet moving forward and you will reach your body-perfection.

Boot Camp Part 3

Boot Camp Part 2