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)

3 Ways to Stay Motivated on a Weight Loss Plan

Obesity has become a growing problem in recent times. This is partially due to the fact that much of today’s ‘convenience food’ is rich in fat, calories and sugar. Furthermore, people lead increasingly sedentary lifestyles and often choose television and video games to entertain themselves, as opposed to physical activities such as sports. Not to mention that gaining weight is much easier than losing it. Many people start a weight loss program full of energy and motivation but when they do not see instant results they quickly lose heart and motivation goes out of the window. In this article I outline how you can keep your motivation levels high during a weight loss plan.

1) POSITIVE FEEDBACK:- It is difficult to remain motivated if you are not receiving positive feedback and support. Without this you will become increasingly frustrated and deflated. So how do you get this positive feedback? Well often you are a lot more critical of yourself than others. You may hardly notice the difference in weight but friends and family often will. Therefore, when you feel that you have not made any progress during the week go and see your family and friends. You will often be greeted with positive comments that acknowledge your weight loss.

A good personal trainer is another source of positive feedback which will keep you motivated. Since their entire relationship with you is based on your weight loss gaols they will really notice when you have made progress. Plus, they will know the right things to say to keep your motivation levels high.

2) INDIVIDUAL THOUGHT PROCESS:- As I mentioned above you are often a lot more critical of yourself than others. Your mind is a big factor in staying motivated. If you think that you are not making progress you will not be as motivated. However, if you look at the positives and search for every little bit of progress you have made, you will feel a lot better about yourself. If you feel better about yourself and are happy with your weight loss achievements then you will be a lot more motivated to continue. So stop thinking about what you have not achieved and start focussing on the weight you have actually lost.

3) AVOID DIETS:- Dieting deprives your body of essential nutrients, makes you feel hungry all the time and can often only be sustained in the short term. Very few people can stay motivated in the long term when dieting. Instead you need to learn about healthy eating habits and make them a permanent part of your lifestyle. If you are unsure about healthy eating this blog contains plenty of useful information on the topic. There are also countless books and websites out there which will provide you with more than enough information. Alternatively, consult your doctor or a qualified dietician. Eating healthily will lead to greater weight loss in the long term and will keep you motivated for much longer than any diet.

Motivation has a serious impact on how successful your weight loss program will be. I hope these three tips help you stay motivated and stick with your weight loss plan in the long term.

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If you enjoyed this article and want to learn more about staying motivated whilst on a weight loss plan I recommend the Anne Collins Weight Loss Plan. In her ebook, Anne outlines how to bypass hunger and keep your motivation high whilst losing weight.