Personal training has not only become a great love of my life but has also forced me to explore deeper insights into becoming more physically fit. It's been fun to find the research and then consider it part of my job to test it out on myself.
I love the challenge of including the insight I'm learning in my weekly training routine. Have I said it before? I love my job!!!
Most recently I have decided in my weight training to begin to lift heavier. For years I have been using approximately the same amount of weight doing lots of repetition which is great for maintaining, however, too many times we focus on specific body parts and think if I work this area a little harder it will look the way I want it to. Lifting heavier, doing fewer reps and shifting the focus to becoming STRONGER I now believe is a better mindset. WHY? Because when your overall body becomes stronger your body composition will line up the way you want it to... tighter abs, more shapely shoulders, etc... Think about the physique of people long ago... when everyday life involved more physical labor, farming and even factory workers... or think of construction workers today. Why do they look so great physcially? Because the work they do everyday made them STRONG and a strong body is an evenly proprotioned, lean, beautiful body! Today we sit behind desks and eat junky proccessed food. No wonder we look the way we do.
If you have a choice to either jump on a tradmill or lift weights... choose the weights. Cardio conditioning is great but if you get your cardio through working a hard fast moving, power-packed weight training session with bursts of cardio interspersed between sets of lifting rather than a 30-40 minute treadmill run you will burn more fat and get more results. WHY? Because you are not only developing a stronger heart and set of lungs but you are also building muscle.
When you weight train you are breaking down your muscles, stressing them, causing micro-sized tears in the fiber. How could that be good you ask? It is, because the sore feeling you have a day later is the muscle fiber repairing itself, building itself up, getting leaner and stronger, giving you the beautiful physique and the energy you need to live life. When you weight train, your body continues to work hard hours after the workout is over. The body has to work hard to repair the micro-tears. The hard work burns more calories and even burns them as you sleep... while a cardio workout alone will stop burning calories as soon as the work out is over. A lean body is more efficient at burning fat. More lean muscle mass will work in your favor in every area of your life.
In weight training it's also advisable to stick to the basics! The basics work, always have always will. What are the basics? PUSH-UPS, SQUATS, CURLS, DEAD-LIFTS, OVERHEAD PRESS, BENCH PRESS, ROWS AND LUNGES. You can build a strong, beautiful physique doing nothing more than consistently lifting heavy with these 8 basics. A good set might be choosing an exercise and lifting 4 sets of 4 reps as heavy as you can, then do 8 sets of 8 reps with a slightly lighter weight and ending with a still lighter weight of 25 reps to max out the area you are training.
Sticking with light weights and doing tons of reps will cause your body to hit a plateau and no new growth will happen... again, ok for maintaining, but if you want to keep getting stronger challenge your muscle to lift a little heavier each time you work out. Keep a training journal to record your weight amounts and record your progress. When you reach a new goal celebrate and keep going! Decide soon to include strength training as part of your lifestyle, deciding it to be just as important as eating or sleeping, becoming consistent for the rest of your life and watch what happens!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Dainty Morsels
Can you go back to the first time your were hurt by gossip? Either from the shock you felt realizing someone would say such a thing about you or from the embarrassement and sting in your own heart when your friend found out you had said something about her? We all have done it and we all have been hurt by it.
The earliest memory I have was the time Tammy (not her real name), my worst enemy in Junior High, who also happened to be big and tough, found out from someone I thought was my friend that I had been saying things about her... I don't even remember what I was saying, probably something about how much I hated her. I confess, I did hate her because she hated me for no reason, she gave me dirty looks and would call me names to my face and laugh at me everytime I walked by... she scared the crud out of me. If you knew me back then I was shy, timid and very puny so you can imagine the scene. It was the girl's locker room. I was quietly changing back into my clothes from the obnoxious gym suits we had to wear in P.E. Tammy stomps up behind my back and just stands there so that when I turn around all I see is her towering figure staring down at me. My so called "friend" was standing behind her with a look of apology on her face as Tammy shouted... "So, I hear from Kim (not her real name) that you have been talking about me!" To my surprise I shot back at her quite confidently on the outside, heart pounding on the inside... "Yes, I did... and it's because I don't get why you hate me so much... not sure why you would be surprised... anyone would talk about a person who treats them as horrible as you treat me.... you don't even know me, ... you might find I'm a really nice person if you just gave me a chance." That's all I said and stood there waiting for a punch in the face, instead Tammy just stood there. Not knowing what to do next I turned around and finished changing my clothes. Finally she said... "are you saying you want me to give you a chance?" I turned around, rolled my eyes and said, "Um.... NO!" She had nothing else to say to me after that... and I couldn't believe I was actually walking right by her with no punch in my face or name calling. After that her dirty looks and name calling actually stopped! She simply left me alone, leaving me relieved and proud that I had stood up for myself.
We all have our silly stories that we laugh about now. For some reason I woke up today with thoughts about gossip on my mind and the various times I have been talked about and the times I have done the talking. It's such a killer. Is there anything more painful than to hear someone is saying things about you behind your back? As I reminisced I experienced the pain all over again just as if it had happened yesterday. Knowing the pain it causes, why are we so drawn by it when we are not the one being talked about and then so completely offended by it when it is us? Scripture says... "What dainty morsels rumors are-- but they sink deep into one's heart."
I know my ears have done their share of perking up to gossip... just yesterday I overheard a gossipy conversation and was able to figure out who they were talking about. I kept saying in my mind... "STOP LISTENING TO THAT!" but at the same time I was feeling pretty good because I too have had hurtful issues with this particular person and felt a sense of satisfaction in knowing I wasn't the only one who felt this way. It was as if I couldn't control my thinking... but later when I got into my car I took those thoughts and began to examine them more closely. I felt sad because the reality of it was that my heart was taking satisfaction in hearing something damaging about someone else's charatcer. Why would knowing something bad about someone else make me feel good??? OH YUCK! In my thoughts I prayed... "I'm so sorry... I have no business making judgements! How can I? I don't have all the information and even if I did I am still not in a place to judge. I am always called to love! Instead I should be praying for this person and also doing something nice for them."
Understanding the negative effects of gossip are never realized more deeply until we are on the receiving end of unfounded gossip, comprehending the real damage it causes, experiencing the helplessness and anger it creates within. In times like this release from the pain is possible. There is only One who is all knowing, who sees deeper into the heart, who evaluates the circumstances in perfect wisdom and limitless grace and mercy and who doesn't comdemn us even if the rumor has some truth to it. If I have a God like that, who regards people as precious in his sight and has made all people in his image, I too need to regard people the same way. If GOD doesn't condemn what business do I have condemning?
A change in perspective is needed to consistently live with this kind of freedom! Take my original story about Tammy... I bet she had some issues in her home life to cause her to lash out at an innocent target like me in Jr. High. If it had been possible for me to have such a mature outlook at that age it would have prevented me from gossiping about her in the first place. Maybe I could have tried talking to her about why she treated me so badly.
When we gossip about how horible people are due to their behavior towards us aren't we being just as horrible as they? What does gossiping about it accomplish? If it makes us feel better that's not saying much... it just shows there's junk in our own heart that needs to be removed.
Because I have been the target of some pretty damaging gossip in my life it has caused me to think twice about spending time with someone who talks too much! I can't help but wonder... "when she's with others does she talk about me too?" I also immediately feel sorry for the one being talked about and try not to allow what I'm hearing to have any effect on me and instead to have an even better idea in my mind about that person. Let's face it... we all have bad days, sometimes bad seasons, and instead of being the target of someone else's gossip wouldn't it be life giving to be the recipient of one who noticed the hurt and gave out love and support? Why increase the burden? Why not lighten the load with love?
It's the most powerful thing we can do... We might think gossip makes us feel more powerful but in reality it only creates a rotting effect. Love and building up others is what really empowers! I only hope I can aspire to it.
The earliest memory I have was the time Tammy (not her real name), my worst enemy in Junior High, who also happened to be big and tough, found out from someone I thought was my friend that I had been saying things about her... I don't even remember what I was saying, probably something about how much I hated her. I confess, I did hate her because she hated me for no reason, she gave me dirty looks and would call me names to my face and laugh at me everytime I walked by... she scared the crud out of me. If you knew me back then I was shy, timid and very puny so you can imagine the scene. It was the girl's locker room. I was quietly changing back into my clothes from the obnoxious gym suits we had to wear in P.E. Tammy stomps up behind my back and just stands there so that when I turn around all I see is her towering figure staring down at me. My so called "friend" was standing behind her with a look of apology on her face as Tammy shouted... "So, I hear from Kim (not her real name) that you have been talking about me!" To my surprise I shot back at her quite confidently on the outside, heart pounding on the inside... "Yes, I did... and it's because I don't get why you hate me so much... not sure why you would be surprised... anyone would talk about a person who treats them as horrible as you treat me.... you don't even know me, ... you might find I'm a really nice person if you just gave me a chance." That's all I said and stood there waiting for a punch in the face, instead Tammy just stood there. Not knowing what to do next I turned around and finished changing my clothes. Finally she said... "are you saying you want me to give you a chance?" I turned around, rolled my eyes and said, "Um.... NO!" She had nothing else to say to me after that... and I couldn't believe I was actually walking right by her with no punch in my face or name calling. After that her dirty looks and name calling actually stopped! She simply left me alone, leaving me relieved and proud that I had stood up for myself.
We all have our silly stories that we laugh about now. For some reason I woke up today with thoughts about gossip on my mind and the various times I have been talked about and the times I have done the talking. It's such a killer. Is there anything more painful than to hear someone is saying things about you behind your back? As I reminisced I experienced the pain all over again just as if it had happened yesterday. Knowing the pain it causes, why are we so drawn by it when we are not the one being talked about and then so completely offended by it when it is us? Scripture says... "What dainty morsels rumors are-- but they sink deep into one's heart."
I know my ears have done their share of perking up to gossip... just yesterday I overheard a gossipy conversation and was able to figure out who they were talking about. I kept saying in my mind... "STOP LISTENING TO THAT!" but at the same time I was feeling pretty good because I too have had hurtful issues with this particular person and felt a sense of satisfaction in knowing I wasn't the only one who felt this way. It was as if I couldn't control my thinking... but later when I got into my car I took those thoughts and began to examine them more closely. I felt sad because the reality of it was that my heart was taking satisfaction in hearing something damaging about someone else's charatcer. Why would knowing something bad about someone else make me feel good??? OH YUCK! In my thoughts I prayed... "I'm so sorry... I have no business making judgements! How can I? I don't have all the information and even if I did I am still not in a place to judge. I am always called to love! Instead I should be praying for this person and also doing something nice for them."
Understanding the negative effects of gossip are never realized more deeply until we are on the receiving end of unfounded gossip, comprehending the real damage it causes, experiencing the helplessness and anger it creates within. In times like this release from the pain is possible. There is only One who is all knowing, who sees deeper into the heart, who evaluates the circumstances in perfect wisdom and limitless grace and mercy and who doesn't comdemn us even if the rumor has some truth to it. If I have a God like that, who regards people as precious in his sight and has made all people in his image, I too need to regard people the same way. If GOD doesn't condemn what business do I have condemning?
A change in perspective is needed to consistently live with this kind of freedom! Take my original story about Tammy... I bet she had some issues in her home life to cause her to lash out at an innocent target like me in Jr. High. If it had been possible for me to have such a mature outlook at that age it would have prevented me from gossiping about her in the first place. Maybe I could have tried talking to her about why she treated me so badly.
When we gossip about how horible people are due to their behavior towards us aren't we being just as horrible as they? What does gossiping about it accomplish? If it makes us feel better that's not saying much... it just shows there's junk in our own heart that needs to be removed.
Because I have been the target of some pretty damaging gossip in my life it has caused me to think twice about spending time with someone who talks too much! I can't help but wonder... "when she's with others does she talk about me too?" I also immediately feel sorry for the one being talked about and try not to allow what I'm hearing to have any effect on me and instead to have an even better idea in my mind about that person. Let's face it... we all have bad days, sometimes bad seasons, and instead of being the target of someone else's gossip wouldn't it be life giving to be the recipient of one who noticed the hurt and gave out love and support? Why increase the burden? Why not lighten the load with love?
It's the most powerful thing we can do... We might think gossip makes us feel more powerful but in reality it only creates a rotting effect. Love and building up others is what really empowers! I only hope I can aspire to it.
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