The Real Deal on Losing the Paunch in Your Stomach: Four Myths about Getting Six Pack Abs

Hello everyone.  Today’s article is a guest post from Nick Clipton who manages and writes for the weight gain blog: http://www.buildingbodymuscles.com/.  Nick’s blog contains lots of fantastic muscle building information and also reviews many of the top body building programs so feel free to check it out after you have finished reading.

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When you conduct a survey out in the street about which part of their body it is that people most dislike, their bulging stomach is probably one of the top answers that will emerge..  There are a two reasons behind this. First, even if you do have a regular workout routine, targeting the abdominal area is still a pretty difficult exercise task.  Second, as people age, losing the fat especially on this part of the body becomes doubly difficult.

When you add to this the fact that a lot of people seem to be leading a sedentary lifestyle, it is no wonder why beer bellies and paunches in the stomach have become a common problem.

The Top 4 Myths about Getting Six Pack Abs that You Need to Know about

Naturally, the solution to get rid of the belly fat and reveal the six pack abs that you’ve always wanted to have is using a combination of exercise and diet.  Although there are a lot of sources that you can use online which are supposed to teach you ways on how to finally get those six pack abs, there are still a lot of myths about it which persist.

To separate fact from fiction, here are the top four myths about getting six pack abs that you need to know about, and the real truth behind them:

1. Doing endless repetitions of crunches is the only solution for getting six pack abs.
Yes, it is true that crunch is an exercises which help define your abdominal muscles.  But this does not mean that when you do endless repetitions of crunches, this is the only way for you to develop ripped six pack abs. As Mike Geary says, there are some really good options for metabolism-boosting high intensity workout e.g. Renegade Dumbbell Rows, Front Squats with Barbell. These workout work on your entire body while working on your abs too. Similarly, Vince Delmonte recommends Hanging Leg Raises, Wood Choppers, Weighted Cable Crunches for advanced trainers.

The only way for you to achieve this goal is to lose the underlying fat in your belly first. This can be done by having a nutritious and healthy diet. Next, you need to undergo a series of full-body exercises and abdominal-muscles targeting exercises to reveal the six pack abs once all the fat in your stomach area has been eliminated.  So developing six pack abs involves more than doing endless crunches, it is actually a combination of proper diet and exercise.

2. You can’t get six pack abs because of your genes.
Genes have absolutely nothing to do with developing six pack abs – anybody can do it. Sure, there are some individuals who may have a harder time at developing six pack abs because of their muscle and bone density or the naturally way that their body is built – but there is always a way for you to get six pack abs if you are willing to work hard for it.

3. You cannot get six pack abs without the help of a specific abs exercise equipment.
This six pack abs myth is not true at all. There are a lot of abs exercises which you can do right in the comfort of your own home – where all you need is a set of dumbbells and an exercise ball. Purchasing expensive abs exercise equipment is more of a marketing ploy, and a luxury rather than a necessity.

4. You need to work on your abs every day in order to see results.
This is yet another myth about getting six pack abs.  Just like any other muscle group, you need to give your abdominal muscles plenty of time to rest in order for them to grow and develop. Work out about two to three times a week to get the best results.

Now that you have an idea about the top four myths, you can modify your existing diet and exercise program so that you can have those ripped abdominal muscles in no time at all!

The Key To Keeping Your Joints Healthy

Hey everyone.  Today I have a guest post for you from Scott Wood.  Scott works with Natures Best – a supplement company with a difference.  Not only are they UK based but they stick to GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards which means you can be sure you are purchasing a quality product.

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As you grow older you may start to feel the effects of day to day exercise on your joints. Whether it is your runner’s knees or creaky tennis elbow, all can cause discomfort, especially if untreated. Without proper care these problems could snowball into conditions such as osteoarthritis and severe joint pain.

Luckily though, there are numerous preventative courses you can take to lessen the damage caused to your joints by your daily activity. In this article, I hope to give some simple tips that you can put into practice to lessen the load on your joints and keep those creaks at bay.

Maintain gentle exercise to maintain supple joints

By keeping your joints active (but not overdoing it…) you keep the fibres and tendons around the joints supple, which will help to improve the overall flexibility of the joint. If your muscles can cope with more stresses and forces, then this will naturally take this impact away from your joint, this helping to preserve its precious cartilage. Cartilage is the compound found within joints, which acts a lubricant to prevent the bones from rubbing together and causing pain.

You could strengthen your joints by perhaps trying to walk more. A walk that lasts 30-60 minutes is a good level of exercise for each day. Alternative if you have trouble with your mobility, why not take up yoga classes or swimming, which are both a great way to develop your core strength without too much strain on your body. Swimming for example helps to develop your strength gradually, as your muscles are put under slight resistance by the water every time you move.

Keep on top of your diet

We have numerous nutrition based articles on the site that may be of value, but i cannot stress enough how much a well rounded diet can help your joints, but also your overall wellbeing. Take care to eat plenty of grains, vegetables, fruit and fresh fish. The essential oils in oily fish like mackerel for instance are high in Omega 3s, which are great for your joints.

Failing that, you could also top up your daily fish oil intake in supplement form or go for a glucosamine equivalent. Glucosamine is actually the compound found within your cartilage, which helps to keep your joints well lubricated.

It can be difficult to reverse the effect of long term joint problems, but with enough care and attention, small changes to your lifestyle can impact greatly on the health of your joints and overall wellbeing. Be sure to keep active, eat well and get plenty of rest and your body will thank you later in life!

10 Reasons You Should Walk 10 Miles A Week

Hey everyone.  Today I have a guest post for you from Mary Ward.  Mary operates in the field of nursing and has a website dedicated to helping you get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).  If you want to start a career in nursing I highly recommend you check out Mary’s website after reading her informative article.

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Walking is one of the gentlest workouts, yet so very approachable. That’s what makes so many people turn to this form of exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and here are some excellent additional benefits.

1) GENTLE ON THE BODY:- Though walking can burn some serious calories, it is also pretty gentle on the body.  So for those wishing to engage in some form of cardio or working through an injury, walking is an excellent activity.

2) ANYBODY CAN DO IT:- It doesn’t matter if you’re an avid workout worshipper or if you’re just starting out.  If you have a lot of weight to lose or just want to keep in shape—walking is great for everyone!  It helps to tone you up, burn some calories and it’s so approachable that anybody can do it.

3) EXCELLENT CARDIO:- If you need to get in your cardio throughout the course of a week but aren’t sure how to do it, turn to walking.  You just don’t realize how much cardio walking can offer, and if you shoot for a goal such as 10 miles a week, you are sure to fill in your cardio requirement.

4) HELPS TO CLEAR YOUR HEAD:- If you maintain a cardio activity such as walking each and every week, it can help not only with your physical health but your mental as well.  Getting out and walking, particularly on a regular basis such as 10 miles a week, can help you to clear your head and focus on your health.  That’s always good for every aspect of well being!

5) GREATLY BENEFITS WEIGHT LOSS EFFORTS:- Many people turn to power walking for big weight loss results—and it really works!  If you make your goal reachable yet something to work for, then you are sure to burn some major calories in the process.  Walking is a great exercise to turn to if you want to burn some major calories, and aiming for 10 miles per week is an excellent way to accomplish your weight loss goals.

6) PREVENT HEALTH CONDITIONS:- Exercise combined with proper diet as part of a healthy lifestyle can help to prevent certain health conditions.  If you turn to walking as part of your healthy regimen, you can help in the prevention of high cholesterol and even cancer.  So walk to your health!

7) BUILDS UP THE ENERGY:- We all know that if you exercise, you will get instant energy.  If you work towards the goal of walking 10 miles per week, you will be amazed at the amount of energy it provides.  You will feel a natural energy that keeps you going all day long!

GOOD FOR GOAL BUILDING:- If you’ve always wanted to be better about exercise but were intimidated, use a regular walking regimen to help you create goals.  Working towards the goal of 10 miles of walking each week ensures that you have a realistic and very reachable goal for a solid week, and you may just build upon that as time goes on.

9) YOU CAN DO IT ANYWHERE:- Walking doesn’t require fancy equipment or a gym membership, because you can do it anywhere!  If it’s nice out, you can take your walks outside.  If the weather isn’t cooperating you can hit the mall.  There is always a way to walk it out!

10) KEEPS YOU HEALTHY:- If you want to look good, feel good, and stay healthy, then walking is an excellent way to do so.  Walking keeps you feeling good, helps to prevent you from getting sick, and ensures that you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

If you needed a good reason to start a regular walking regimen, pick from any on the list.  Walking is an excellent form of exercise, and anybody can do it!  So try it out, keep with your goal, and see how regular walking can change your life.

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M. Ward writes about how to get a BSN online.

The Key To A Successful Workout

Hey everyone.  Today I have a guest post for you from Rafi Bar-Lev.  Rafi previously wrote articles for his blog The Fitness Adviser – http://thefitnessadviser.com/ but has now expanded his online presence and created the online fitness community Passionate Fitness – http://www.passionatefitness.com/.  At Passionate Fitness you can upload picutres, make friends, submit and read articles use the forums and more.  It’s a really great place to meet like minded people and I recommend you check it out after reading his article.

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Do you ever wonder what really makes your workout successful? Why sometimes you hit the gym for 20 minutes and feel like you accomplished more than when you spend two hours there? In this article you’ll find out out how to make every workout a successful one.

The Importance of Getting Your Heartbeat Up

Have you ever seen people at the pool who are overweight despite swimming for an hour a few times a week? Do you ever notice that they tend to be very good swimmers and never really exert themselves too much? The only way to really get your metabolism going and to really make your workout work is to get your heartbeat going during the exercise. If you’re not breathing hard at least during part of your workout, then you’re doing something wrong.

Using Interval Training to Enhance Your Workout

A great way to ensure you get your heartbeat going and maximize your workout is to use interval training, which studies have shown to be extremely effective. Interval training is essentially doing short bursts of intense exercise, taking a rest, and repeating in sets. It can be applied to pretty much any kind of workout, whether sprinting, swimming, or even body weight exercises. Here’s an example of how you might apply interval training to body weight exercises:

With no rest in between the exercises, do:

- 20 push ups
- 1 minute plank
- 4 pull ups

After that set of those exercises done quickly, rest for 1 minute, and while your still tired continue to the next set. Repeat for a total of 3 sets.

The example that I gave you is actually a variation of one of the workouts recommended to do before trying out for the navy seals. It works so well by applying interval training and combining physical strength with cardiovascular strength and stamina. Essentially…it gets your heart beat up which is the key.

Putting Your All Into Your Workouts

When it comes down to it, you get the most out of your workouts when you put the most into your workouts (seems logical, right?). To make sure that your workout is a successful one, put your all into it and push yourself to do that one extra repetition.

So what are you waiting for? Go out there and give it your all!

Be Healthily Ripped and Buff: Five Nutrition Tips for Getting those Six Pack Abs

Hello everyone.  Today’s article is a guest post from Nick Clipton who manages and writes for the weight gain blog: http://www.buildingbodymuscles.com/.  Nick’s blog contains lots of fantastic muscle building information and also reviews many of the top body building programs so feel free to check it out after you have finished reading.

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If there’s one area in the body which is considered to be a chore in any workout routine, that is none other than the abdominal area. Nobody welcomes the thought of having to spend endless hours doing crunches, sit-ups and other stomach-targeting exercises just so that you can have ripped, six pack abs.

Fortunately, abdominal developing exercises can easily be combined with watching your food intake to make sure that you are getting the best nutrition possible. This way, it will be easier for you to achieve your goal of getting rid of that beer belly and developing the six pack abs that you’ve always wanted to have.

Five Nutrition Tips for Getting Six Pack Abs

To start right off, here’s the cardinal rule in getting six pack abs. Aside from the regular abdominal developing exercises that you have, you should have a healthy, nutritious diet to go along with it.

There’s no sense in wearing your self off doing hundreds of crunches a day if you will just eat your heart out right after a strenuous workout.  Remember that the only way to uncover those rippled, chiseled muscles on your abdominal area is to get rid of the underlying fat – and this can only be done with proper diet.

Here are the five nutrition tips that you need to remember so that you can be on your way towards getting those six pack abs:

1. Have a detoxifying diet.
It’s good to start off your six pack abs program by undergoing a detoxifying diet which will help rid your body of the potentially harmful toxins. Fill up your grocery cart with food items like fruits, veggies, rice, healthy grains, beans, nuts and seed, olive oil and green tea. You should also drink plenty of water to up the ante in your detoxification diet.

2. Watch your intake of carbohydrates.
As a general rule, the energy being used up by your body comes from the calories in carbohydrates.  Once the carbs are already used up, the body utilizes fat and then the muscles as a source of energy.  As such, when you reduce your carbs intake, the only thing that will be left for your body to use is fat.

3. Pump up the protein content of your diet.
If the usual way that people describe you is that ’skinny guy’ and you want to develop six pack abs, then you do need to amp up the protein content of your diet. Protein is the primary component of gaining muscle mass, boosting your metabolism and eventually displaying those ripped, six pack abs.

4. Eat smaller meals more frequently within the day.
You may have already heard about this tip many times in the past, and it is with good reason. By eating smaller meals throughout the day, your metabolism will increase and more fat will be burned in the process.

Eating more frequently throughout the day will also result to a reduction in the hormone called cortisol which causes an increase in belly fat.

5. Drink plenty of water.
To cap off your six pack abs nutrition program, make sure to drink lots of water. This will benefit both your exercise program and nutrition program by allowing your kidneys to function at optimal level.  It also leads your liver to metabolize fat at a more efficient level. So if you want to have a really effective six pack abs nutritional program, drink up!

It’s All About Building Strength: Six Strength Training Exercises That Everybody Must Do!

Hello everyone.  Today’s article is a guest post from Nick Clipton who manages and writes for the weight gain blog: http://www.buildingbodymuscles.com/.  Nick’s blog contains lots of fantastic muscle building information and also reviews many of the top body building programs so feel free to check it out after you have finished reading.

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Warm up, cardio, strength training, oblique, targeted, full body – these are just some of the types of exercises that you can do if you want to have a lean and fit body.  These days, more and more individuals are falling into the trap of leading a sedentary lifestyle. Amidst the furious pace of balancing your work and home life, there is usually very little time left to spend on exercise.

However, if you want to reach your fitness goals and have the type of body that you’ve always wanted to have, you do need to allot time out of your busy schedule to exercise.  And one of the best types of exercise to start with is strength training.  Read on to find out what strength training exercises can do for you and what the top 6 strength training exercises are.

Why It Pays to Do Strength Training Exercises

First up, let us try to define what the goal of strength training exercises are.  As the name implies, the goal of this type of exercise is to build up your strength through physically strenuous activities.

Strength training exercises include weight lifting, using resistance bands, exercise balls and hand weights.  If you’ve never performed strength training exercises ever before, here are the reasons why you should start now:

- As your muscles grow stronger, the easier it is for you to deal with daily activities like climbing up a flight of stairs, doing heavy household chores or even something which is as simple as lifting a grocery bag.
- Strength training helps make your muscles more resilient and reduces the risks of falls or age-related accidents.
- Builds muscle strength, reduces blood pressure, lowers the incidence of back pain and minimizes the risks of osteoporosis.

The Top 6 Strength Training Exercises for You

Now that you have an idea about the benefits of doing strength training exercises, what are the types of exercises that you can do?  Basically, the definition of a strength training exercise is any exercise which uses resistance to contract your muscles.

Here is a list of the top six strength training exercises that everyone must do be fit, lean and healthy:

1. Squats
Squat is considered to be one of the best strength training exercises because it utilizes almost every individual joint and muscle in the body.

2. Crunch
The basic crunch is a strength training exercise which focuses on the abdominal muscles.

3. Dumbbell press
Similar to a bench press, this exercise using dumbbells help work on the frontal part of your body.

4. Leg curl
Another strength boosting exercise which helps build and shape the hamstrings is the leg curl.

5. Pull ups
This type of strength training exercise works on the back muscles and it is done with the help of a horizontal bar.

6. Shoulder rotation
Another easy to do strength building exercise is the shoulder rotation which involves just that: rotating your shoulders in a circular motion while holding a dumbbell with your arms straight down.

As you can see, these six exercises target the different areas in the body – so performing them should be part of your daily exercise routine if you want to enjoy the health benefits of strength training.

Tips to Eating Healthy on the Run

Hello everyone. Today’s article is a guest post from Lisa Burzdack who offers a great selection of cookware at her website CookwareEssentials.co.uk. If you are in need of some new pots and pans or just looking to purchase some great value cookware I highly recommend you check out Lisa’s store after reading her excellent guest article.

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I think most of us are familiar with the age old advice you get from parents and doctors time and time again, more fruits and vegetables. The truth is, you aren’t being misled. Let me throw one more in there for fun, exercise and maintain a balanced diet. Whew, I know it is tough to hear, but let’s be honest no one ever accomplished anything good without a little persistence and hard work. Just like everything else in your life, if you want to succeed then you will have to work at it. I am not saying you have to sweat over your cookware night after night and never eat out to accomplish this. Seriously though, if you are going to invest all that hard work at the gym, then you may as well accompany it with a healthy diet and reap the ultimate benefits. I know it can be hard with the hustle and bustle of life, so I have provided some tips to eating healthy on the run to make a healthy diet that much easier to maintain.

1) Make Time To Grocery Shop:- When there, pick up snacks that can be easily thrown in your purse, gym bag, car, and desk drawer. May I suggest almonds or mixed nuts, granola bars or whole grain fruit bars, and fresh fruit, apples and bananas being good on the go choices. I am a huge fan of nuts, high in protein so they help curb your appetite unlike anything loaded with sugar that will actually make you hungrier. They are also packed with loads of energy to get you through your day and ready for your next workout. Doing this will prevent you from stopping into the quick mart and snacking on potato chips or candy bars.

2) Drink Water:- Whenever given the choice between water and soda or juices, choose water! It is a fact that people do not get enough water each day and guess what, your body is made up of 60% water, so stop depriving it! I won’t lecture you on coffee or teas as I personally understand the importance of these commodities. However I will tell you to try drinking tea over coffee. Don’t drink more then one cup of coffee a day, and if you do try weaning yourself off of those extra cups, baby steps. Eventually try to only drink coffee a few times a week. If you are a complete coffee addict and what I am saying is bringing tears to your eyes, just remember that coffee dehydrates you, so you will need to drink extra amounts of water to make up for it. Keep water handy, invest in a Sigg bottle or similar, I swear by them. They are easy to maintain and the water always tastes great. Unlike plastic bottles you won’t get any funny tasting water.

3) When Eating Out Substitute a House Salad or Vegetable of the Day instead of Chips:- If you have already opted for a baked potato and don’t want to skip the carbohydrates then order a tasty salad to split as the starter instead of anything fried or heavy. When choosing your main course look for things that are grilled or baked over sautéed and fried. If you are fancying some fish see if they can cook it differently, hold the breading, grilled instead of fried. Any restaurant using fresh ingredients should be able to accommodate your request. Stay away from mains that contain heavy cream, opt for oil and tomato based dishes instead.

Now that you have your tips for eating on the go, incorporate this into your daily routine. Don’t let all your hard work go to waste and don’t let your busy lifestyle affect your diet!

3 Enjoyable Ways To Stay Fit In The Summer

Hello everyone.  Today’s article is a guest post from Nicole White who writes about her masters in health care at her blog.  If you are looking for a career in healthcare administration this site is a fantastic resource so please check it out after you have finished reading her guest post.

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Summer is the season during which many people (mostly women) are obsessed with a notion to shed a few pounds in order to look attractive while sunning themselves.  It additionally becomes more influential to do so when you see others at the pool who have kept themselves toned and fit.  Coming up with a fitness routine designed for your specific body type is not always an easy endeavor, but if you want to remain healthy and in shape this summer, you will need to determine what lengths you will be able to go.

First of all, eating healthy is one of the basic steps toward losing weight, staying fit, and generally feeling better about yourself.  How good do you feel about yourself after eating an entire McDonald’s double cheeseburger  compared to a healthy home-cooked meal?  It makes a drastic difference when you cleanse your system and only put in nutritional food items rather than ones which are high in fat and calories.  Learning how to eat healthy and discovering easy recipes can be quite enjoyable for many people who never experimented with cooking before; it additionally can save you money by eating in more often than you eat out.  Remember, leftovers are a good thing to store in the refrigerator and can be a good lunch meal for the next day.  Enhancing your diet and filling your body with healthy food will make a world of difference and will be obvious to everyone around you; certain foods can make your skin glow and your hair healthy which is a drastic difference from the way fast food and other restaurant foods may make you look like.

Small workouts are an essential part of staying fit; getting involved in a cardio routine can be a fun endeavor for you and some friends during the summer.  Workouts are ten times more fun if you have a partner to do them with, and thus have increased motivation to continue to do so every day.  You can even start off small by just walking around the neighborhood or around a park.  Simply getting a little bit of daily exercise makes a big difference to your overall body energy.  Once you become used to this daily walking routine, you can step it up by transforming it to a light jog or run after a while.  This is not meant to be a competitive endeavor, and if you find yourself fighting to stay ahead of your friend, you need to remember to only push yourself so far: you do not want to overexert yourself.  After a few weeks, you will begin to notice a positive difference in your body and generally feel better about yourself.  Incorporating smaller routines after time such as sit ups and push ups will also increase your self-image.

Lastly, getting a healthy dose of vitamin D will produce wonderful results as well.  This is an easy thing to accomplish in the summer by simply staying outside more than you normally would.  Summertime is a period in which you can play more sports (which also helps tone your body!) and do many other outdoor activities.  Hiking is a great way to stay outside and get an excellent workout; surrounding yourself with nature is a better remedy than most people are aware of.  Additionally, getting a good group of friends together to play outdoor sports such as flag football or basketball can be a fun way to spend your Sunday afternoons while burning off calories at the same time.  In the end, it is only important how you feel about yourself; getting the proper daily nutrients and exercise will increase your overall body image, thereby making you much more confident to be seen at the pool.

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This post was contributed by Nicole White, who writes about her masters in health care. She welcomes your feedback at Nicole.White222 at gmail.com

Kick Things Up a Notch: The Top 3 Everyday Cardio Exercises to Help You Stay Fit

Hello everyone.  Today’s article is a guest post from Nick Clipton who manages and writes for the weight gain blog: http://www.buildingbodymuscles.com/.  Nick’s blog contains lots of fantastic muscle building information and also reviews many of the top body building programs so feel free to check it out after you have finished reading.

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The importance of exercising cannot be stressed enough no matter what body type it is that you have.  The human body is made to move and if you are leading a sedentary lifestyle with hardly any exercise, there is a big possibility for you to experience health problems that you would otherwise not have with regular exercise.

How Cardio Exercises Offer More than Just Benefits for the Heart
Among the many types of exercises that you can perform on a regular basis are cardio exercises.  First up, let us try to define what this type of exercise is all about.  It is a sustained, rhythmic activity which works the large muscle groups like the legs.  The word cardio is there because the sustained activity helps elevate the heart rate – although you need to make sure that the exercises would not tire you out.

The main benefit of cardio exercise is to improve your cardiac function by preventing cardiovascular disease and reducing your blood pressure.  But unlike what many people think, cardio exercises do more than just provide benefits for the heart.

This type of exercise also:
- Helps with your weight loss program by burning calories.
- Improves the quality of sleep and endurance.

The Top 3 Everyday Cardio Exercises to Help You Stay Fit
Now that you have an idea about the benefits that you will get to have with cardio exercises, which particular activities can you do on a regular basis that will help you stay fit?

Here are the top three cardio exercises for you:

1. Walking
As far as cardio exercises are concerned, the rule is: the simpler, the better.  Walking is one of the most underrated cardio exercises there is. With the convenience offered by elevators, escalators and public transport, most people do not even get a chance to walk as they travel to and from the office.

So if you want to lead a heart-friendly life, go back to the basics and start walking again. It’s a low-impact activity that will boost your heart rate quickly. If you walk at a rate of 4mph for about 30 minutes a day, that’s already an equivalent of 170 calories burned for a 150-pound individual.

2. Running
Another cardio exercise which obviously has better impact than walking is running.  As you move from a walking pace to a running pace, you are going from a low-impact to a high-impact activity which will help burn more calories over time.

3. Other cardio exercises
You can take your pick from other cardiovascular exercises like swimming or biking. Make sure to have fun and do a combination of these three types of cardio exercises so that you won’t stick to a monotonous routine.
With these top three cardio exercises which do more than just benefit your heart, you will surely be able to gain a healthy weight and lead a healthier, fitter lifestyle in no time at all!

Look Forward and Be The Change

Hey everyone.  Today I’ve got something new for you…my very first guest.  It comes from Parth Shah who runs his very own blog over at ShahTraining.com.  Shah’s blog is full of killer workout information and provides you with some fantastic training techniques.  I strongly urge you to check it out after you have finished reading his excellent guest post

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We’re going through some tough times. I can understand that. But when has the human race never faced a tough time. Just think about the events in history. The past fifty years will show you how lucky you are. Pick up the paper and see the suffering going on around the world.

I’m lucky to be sitting in a warm room with a computer in front of my eyes. I’m lucky to be able to eat warm, healthy food. I’m lucky to still be able to have a choice about the type of foods I put in my mouth.

Life requires a lot of mental and physical strength to push through it. The only way that I have moved past my bad times – when I was being mocked in middle school for my weight, when my parents disagreed with my career goals, when I just felt depressed due to a series of failures – I pushed through with the support of intense training and sound nutrition.

When you spend time improving yourself, pushing yourself through physical plateaus, you realize the amazing things that you are capable of. I follow the creed of Mahatma Gandhi:

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

How to Be the Change

What Mahatma Gandhi meant by this quote was to simply live life the way you want to see the world. I want to see the world healthy and fit. And so I live my life in this manner. I want to see people respect each others’ religion, background, political views, and race. And so I live my life in this manner.

Fitness itself provides a huge vehicle for change. One such example is Anne Malhum’s “Back on my Feet” program. Anne ran past a homeless center in Philadelphia every morning. One morning, she decided to motivate these homeless men to start running with her.

This seemingly simple task changed the lives of these men. The running club transformed from just 9 runners in from over 300 members in across 3 shelters. According to Mahlum, “Running is really a metaphor for life. There is always another mile. You just have to take it a step at a time.” She says that the men have not only improved in their health and well being, but also have learned life lessons such as discipline and goal setting.

The program also has a job training program, complete with interview prep and computer classes. There have been numerous success stories of the program.

Applying it to Your Life

I’m not telling you to go out and start a community program, or even volunteer in your community (but you can, if you want). I’m just trying to give you another reason to stick to your program and perhaps try things you’ve never done before.

A global recession or crisis often makes people not want to do anything. But if anything, this is the time to do SOMETHING. Inactivity or ignorance is probably why a crisis occurred. Someone somewhere wasn’t doing their job properly.

Just as in the world, what happens in life is that you become comfortable. You think things are going smoothly, so you hold back back. You settle. You let things go the way they are. You used to train five days week, but now you’re settling for three days a week, with only half the effort. All of a sudden you find yourself unhealthy, maybe even back to where you originally started.

When things go back, it’s time to move forward, not look back and sulk.

About the Author:
Parth Shah is an average joe who’s tired of all the nonsense in mainstream fitness media. His thoughts, ideas, and philosophy can be found on his website, ShahTraining.com. (Feed – http://feeds.feedburner.com/shahtraining/UQuk)