Stress is Good
On the early Episode 4, Katrina Starzhynskaya, commented that many of the things that ail you may by just in your head. So own it.
Where you contribute this to mind over matter or the placebo effect. What you believe can affect how you feel.
Tony Robbins once shared a story of a man in one of his conferences who stood up to announce that he was blacking out. Tony replied well, "white it out." It caught the man off guard but it worked.
For many years now science and the media have been pushing the bad side effects of stress. I even review an article about stress last month.
However, the stress most often spoken of in health magazines is the stress brought on by your perception. It might also be that any situation that causes us to be active, take action, or change could cause stress. However, many believe that exercise, as it seems to be shown, can minimize the effects of this stress even thought you are putting your body under stress. And some still may view the act of exercise as stress situation too.
I have found that when we identify ourselves as feeling stresses when the proceed to tell ourselves that we are getting damaged which may further lead to more stress.
But if however, whether it is true or not, decide that stress may be good for you, would only possibly minimize any negative effects. In fact some adrenaline junkies enjoy stress and live possibly more rich if not exciting lives.
Obviously, I am not claiming that you can make the effects of stress good but I think you can make them worse.
Few of us can avoid stress without becoming complacent and uninspired dragging ourselves mundanely through the world. So what can be done.
Trick yourself, I've had to start doing it.
Whenever I have noticed that I am feeling stressed I tell myself: "Self Stress is Good." Not only do I find the stress easier to handle but it also gives myself permission of find joy in the journey and to turn stress into an exciting motivator instead of a complacency driver.
Stress is Good.
New Year's Clowns
As we get closer to the new year the played out New Years Resolution begin to rear its little funny head.
Unfortunately, New Years Resolutions are dead. However, end of the year reviews are in.
Why are New Years Resolutions dead?
New Years Resolutions are dead because they are pointless. Few do them and those that do, do not care what day of the year they start a new goal.
However, whether or not you need a date set on the calendar where you and your community have agreed to set goals, the end of the year is still a good time to take stock of what you have done, what you would like to do, but most important who you want to be.
Who you want to be starts with habits not resolutions. Habits do not start to form on a date. Habits start to form right now. As soon as you can identify a new habit or how to change a current habit to create the character and life you want to live. Then that's the time to do it. Or a least to engage in the steps necessary to "make action" and "take the habit."
Habits do not come willing. They must be taken, they must serve you and not turn you into the servant. This is what has happened for many of you who engage in fitness. The goal/habit becomes the end and not the means.
Habit should serve the goal and the goal should serve you.
So habits are like clown shoes. They are big and attention seeking, they signal functionality but only serve as another layer of absurdity, distracting you from the goal.
How to discover if you are clowning around.
Take a look at the habit you have formed or action you are taking. Ask yourself, does it or has it helped in achieving the goal? Has it helped you?
Example. A person had decided to snack on popcorn instead of other things to help them lose weight. This person should ask themselves first if they have lost weight. Second if any weight lose can be contributed to the popcorn eating.
If not then stop eating popcorn. It is not working. Or at least stop lying to yourself that it is helping you. Stop placing clown shoes in the way of real change and real results.
The reason you do this is beyond this podcast. You might need help.
Example 2. Monday is Chest day.
Now this is a little different. But its effect is the same. Many who start New Years Resolutions or the like to get fit start by setting a goal to exercise. This goal is insufficient. Now some might say it is not specific enough. I say even if you set a goal to workout 3 times a week making Monday chest day. I still say your are less effective.
What happens when you can not work out on Monday? Now this throws your workout/goals all out of whack. This now my be the excuse to stop working out or to not workout for the rest of the week or to just skip chest day.
Stop clowning around.
You've almost set goals that maybe even subconsciously you knew you would brake, which then might give you the permission to through in the towel. And now you can say "Well, at least I tried."
Boooo
A better goal would be: to be in the best shape of my life.
This goal does not break if you can not work chest on Monday. Now if your goal is to be in, or get in the best shape of your life, then set up a daily or weekly review of that goal. Set habits now that will bring you closer to that goal. As you review you will find better ways to get there.
For those of you who care about fitness and have fitness goals. Get a trainer/ coach. I you can not afford one try a book, follow a podcast, or get advice how ever you can. Chest day should hot be on a day of the week. Chest day should be a part of your workout routine. I break it down like this.
Round:
A round is the whole routine. Every exercise, every cardio-session, each muscle.
Session:
A session is the workout routine for a day/ gym session.
Example: Chest workout
Exercise One: Incline bench- (x) Sets of (x) Reps, 1:2:3 Tempo, 10-15 sec rest
Exercise Two: Flat bench - ...
Exercise Three: Decline bench - ...
Exercise -
Whether it is an hour on a treadmill, stair stepper or squat.
Set -
A group of repetitions. (This should not be under three most of the time). "Full Sets" are commonly known as 10 reps
Reps -
The movement of an exercise.
Tempo -
The speed of the different parts of the rep
Rest
The time in between sets
Intensity level
How hard the exercise/rep is to perform.
