exercise

Erik's Weekly Fitness Tip | When Adversity Strikes

 

Not If, But When

It’s never a matter of if, but when, we will face adversity.  Our health, family, work, and our fitness can ultimately succumb to some major bumps in the road. 

Let’s keep this simple and just focus on health and fitness since this is the area that I live in.  We can face injuries, coming up short with hitting our goals, or even worse a health diagnosis that could affect us both short or long term.  Rarely does adversity let us know it’s coming to visit. Like any great war general will tell you, the element of surprise can bring people to their knees. 

How To Deal

So how can you prevent adversity with your health and fitness?  You can’t, but that doesn’t mean you cannot be prepared.  For me it comes down to two very simple things that you have to execute every single day.

1. Attitude! 

I know it is a bit cliché, but your attitude is something that you have control over so it makes sense that we would start here.  Poor me, complaining, and being mad at the world will not and will never get you past the current issue that you are facing.  Let your attitude be your ally not your foe. 

2. Diet and Exercise

Eating right and working out will not stop all disease, illness, or injuries but they can help you reduce the risk of all these issues.  Eating right and your weekly workouts are also something you have control over.  It’s okay if you have a bad weekend of eating or a string of bad workouts, it’s going to happen.  Just get back on the horse and keep moving forward.

Strike Back

Life can be tough and throw all kinds of s*@t your way, you have the choice to eat it or hit back. 

Image Credit: Fabian Blank via Unsplash

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Erik's Weekly Fitness Tip | Life And Aging

 

On My Mind

Health has been on my mind more and more lately. 

  • longer work hours 
  • less sleep,
  • the faster pace of life 
  • the wanting of immediate results 

I’ve been taking notice more and more when I’m out that the daily grind is taking a toll on us.  Our health, as a population, is getting worse and things aren’t going to turn around anytime soon.  Stress, deadlines, the sheer craziness of life does not come without consequences.  People are wearing down and aging faster then ever. 

My #1 Concern

My focus, my drive, and my concern is health.  Not just mine, but for my family, clients, and friends.  I realize how fragile we all are and I’m reminded of it everywhere I look.  One fall, one diagnosis, one accident away from life being never being the same. 

Bulletproof we are not.  Our health supercedes everything.  My college coach Al Carius would always say, “If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.”  At 21 I didn’t fully understanding what he meant by this nor did I really care.  20 years later I now completely understand this message and care a lot.  

I lost my sister 5 years ago next month to cancer, I’ve had multiple clients, friends, and other family members have to deal with serious health issues.  Many of these issues could have been avoided if they had only made the investment in their health.  Investment - putting time in, effort, money, and sacrifice into achieving a result.  

That same effort that you put into your job, buying your house, and taking trips, needs to be made towards your health. 

Keep Father Time At Bay

Aging is inevitable.  But how you choose to age is entirely up to you.  You can succumb to it, but as I’ve written before Father Time does not take kindly to being inactive, idle or the desk-bound lifestyles.  In fact, Father Time is no different than the animal kingdom, he preys on the weak first. Life can be brutally hard on those who choose to ignore a commitment to their health.    

Pick up some weights, jog around the block, ride your bike through the neighborhood, add some greenery on your dinner plate, or get your co-workers to walk at lunch.  These should be daily habits that you practice.  Now practice stringing together days, weeks, months, and years of taking care of the single greatest thing you own, your body. 

Call me if you'd like help taking care of your health 310.251.7420

Image credit: Ismael Nieto

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Erik's Weekly Fitness Tip | Fitness Rules

 

The Good News

There aren’t any rules!  There are things that I suggest doing, though:

  • Don’t drive around a parking lot looking for the closest spot; it’s okay to walk.
  • Push the limits while working out…get that last rep, run a second faster with your intervals, & take less rest in between sets.
  • Take your sleep seriously, even if you are 23 years old.
  • Talk and ask questions of others who have accomplished your goals.
  • Skip the elevators and escalators.
  • Find a training partner.
  • Eat veggies and fruit.
  • Drink water.
  • Make sure you eat adequate protein.
  • Get outside, walk, hike, read, or just be.
  • Use the 3-8 lb. dumbbells for a warm up.
  • Do not compare yourself to others! So what if they are skinnier, stronger, or have better abs.  There is no faster way to feel S*&tty about yourself!
  • Squat, deadlift, and shoulder press.

 

Remember This

Don’t be lazy or sedentary.  Mother nature will be very unkind to you. There is no alternative for exercise, it has to get done. 

Image credit: Break the rules! by Edward Simpson on Flickr

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