Go. Start. NOW.

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Hanlie left this comment on my post about swimming yesterday:

I am very keen to start swimming. For years I’ve been trotting out every excuse in the book not to do it – my technique sucks, I’m not fit enough, I can’t breathe, the pool is too busy at the times I’m free, etc. But since I can no longer really walk, swimming is the only alternative. I got some books on swimming from the library, watched a lot of coaching clips on Youtube and I am ready! Now I must just find a good time slot in the evening.

My reply to her:

I have all those excuses too but I still go. Seriously my technique is shit. Ask Kepa. I swim super slow too – he can smoke me in 25 meters. My only benefit is I’m buoyant and can go long distances (thanks to practice because starting I could only do one length). There will always be excuses even when you improve. You just have to start. Go swim Hanlie!

One thing I know: there will always be excuses.

Sometimes they will be reasonable, sometimes they won’t. Sometimes they will be worth allowing, sometimes they won’t. Most of the time they won’t. It’s easy to want to be perfect before starting something but that rarely happens.

You have to start at the bottom and you can’t let starting at the bottom be an excuse. You have to just go out there and try it and suck at it so you can move on and get better. The beginning is rarely pretty but it is necessary to get to where you want to go.

I recognize this in myself a lot.

I wanted to do a triathlon so I went to the pool to start swimming. I sucked and could only go one length of the pool before tiring out. But I stuck with it.I wanted to snowboard so I went to a mountain and tried it out. I fell so hard so many times I cried myself to sleep the first night and ached the next day. But I stuck with it.

My beginnings are rarely pretty. I’m not naturally talented at many athletic endeavors. I could use that as an excuse. Or my weight could be an excuse. Or any number of things could be an excuse to avoid that first painful and/or embarrassing attempt. But excuses don’t make you better. They don’t let you improve so you can swim for 30 minutes or snowboard for hours or do anything else you really want to do. Giving into excuses and fear gets you nowhere!

You can’t get anywhere if you don’t start.

You can’t get better if you don’t try.

So Hanlie, go swim. Let me know how it goes. And the rest of you? Go try something you’ve been putting off and making excuses for that you think you might enjoy. (I think potential enjoyment is key… some things you might try and realize you hate and they aren’t worth doing which is okay too.) You might not be great at first but I’m 100% sure you’ll get better if you avoid the excuses and stick with it.

There is no better time than now to start. :)

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& Swim LiveFit Week 11

Today I went swimming!

It's been a long time since I've been swimming. I originally wanted to do a triathlon on my birthday but saved when I realized that the cost of a triathlon not exactly fit with my other accounts (just learned the amount of tax I have to pay in NZ, and it's scary!). Because I didn't train for a triathlon to the pool doesn't seem attractive.

Kepa is going swimming at school as part of his course and he's been swimming a bit on his own too. He suggested that I today together with him after work so I did! I'm glad too because I forgot what I missed! Thirty minutes of swimming was a great workout and it was even fun too.

I got a bit off with my workouts this week because I missed a day and went snowboarding. That is why it took me a few extra days remaining until the end of the week. But I still did it! ;)

I've enjoyed this workout so much. Circuit training is really nice, even if it's a bummer for such small weights sometimes lifting.

Day 71

Circuit: I have 3 rounds

Barbell Squat leg deadlifts – 30 – 30 – 30 repsLeg Press repsStraight repsBarbell repsCalf press machine lunge – 30 – 30 reps

Day 72

Circuit: 3 rounds

Barbell deadlift-20 repsBent about repsWide-grip barbell row-20 lat pulldown-20 repsBack 20 repsSeated cable rows-extensions-20-20-20 reps repsAir bicycle repsCrunches

30 minutes cardio-half half bike, treadmill

Day 73

Circuit: 3 rounds

Barbell Bench Press – 20 repsIncline dumbbell Press – 20 repsDumbbell Flyes – 20 repsDips (chest version) – 20 repsStanding 20 raisesSeated 20 repsPushups – calf raises – calf raises – 20 reps

45 minutes cardio-30 bicycle, 15 elliptical

Day 74

Circuit: 3 rounds

Barbell curl-Bicep Tricep Press-20 repsLying 20 repsDumbbell 20 repsStanding Dumbbell Triceps extension alternative Curl-repsBench-20-20 repsCrunches 20 repsSit Ups-Dips – 20 reps

30 minutes Cardio bike

Day 75

Circuit: 3 rounds

Dumbbell Shoulder Press – 20 repsSeated Bent-Over dumbbell Rear Delt raise – 20 repsFront 20 repsCalf 20 repsSide increase increase lateral Raises – – – 20 reps

Calves were so painful I have only one calf exercise. ;)

30 minutes cardio bike

Day 76

1 hour cardio 30 swim, 30 bicycle

Day 77

Rest!

Much enjoyed this week! I'm excited to repeat next week and might actually go through it again once or twice. You know, just for fun.

My favorite was leg day. I only managed 3 rounds instead of 4, but it was good. I also enjoyed the day back. My least favorite was probably shoulders because I felt like I did the worst and was really only using light weights!

My only problem with this is the fact that my gym workouts really has spread, so it is a bit difficult to complete without walking across the gym stuff or circuits

Well I'm off to watch how to Train Your Dragon. Fun! :)

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Top 5 ways to lose weight fast

Our environment is getting more and more polluted and life of people are getting busier these days. Many people are exposed to a lot of pollution now days and they also live unhealthy lifestyle. Here, we are trying to suggest that people have a lot of risk of the development of different types of diseases. Those people who are obese at much higher risk for developing various health problems related to heart, blood pressure etc. Here, we tell you about top 5 ways to lose weight fast.

If you wish to lose weight, you must determine your diet. You must not eat fatty foods and fast foods. Stay away from fried foods. Eat foods containing no or low fat. Eat lots of green vegetables and avoid eating more than necessary. Always take your lunch when you goes out so you can avoid eating junk food.

It is one of the easiest ways to lose weight. By drinking more water, you could feel fuller and you wouldn't feel like eating much. You should drink water 10 minutes before eating your meals so you don't overeat. Water keeps the body hydrated and it also helps in your digestive system healthy.

By exercises, we do not means that you need to go to the gym. You can have different exercises such as running, walking, and skipping rope etc. do at home. You only need to do exercises for 30 minutes per day and if you do this, nobody can stop you from losing weight. You can rest of take exercises every week for a single day to relax your muscles.

Believe it or not; most people are not able to follow healthy diets, because their friends don't let them follow healthy eating habits. If you stay with those people who rarely eat junk food than you'll also be less likely to eat it.

You may have read about this method to lose weight for a hundredth time how many still follow it. If you use this method to lose weight than you might have lost a lot of weight have followed until now. Instead of picking up the easy option of escalators, you must always climb the staircase where you want to achieve.

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Snowboarding! Snowplanet Recap!

This past weekend was one of my favorites so far in New Zealand. We went to see The Hunger Games (enjoyed the movie but the book is obviously better) and we went SNOWBOARDING!

If you haven’t figured it out yet I love snowboarding. I’m not the best at it. I’m not fast. I’m not good at tricks. But I just love the act of snowboarding down a mountain – or a fake mountain as it were.

We went to Snowplanet on Saturday for several hours of snowboarding fun. We are planning a trip to an actual mountain in a few months once winter rolls in so I wanted Kepa to get a chance to learn a bit of the basics before hitting an actual mountain. Plus it was a good chance for me to refresh since it’s been a few years since I went snowboarding.

Snowplanet is a nice indoor snow facility that has a slope with a couple different options and a beginners area. We started off on the bunny hill to let Kepa get the hang of gliding and stopping. After an hour an a half of that we graduated to the bigger area and he worked from halfway up while I went to the top. He gained confidence and skillsquickly (I was so proud!) and he eventually joined me at the top.

I loved almost everything about Snowplanet from the easy slope to the music they played but I hated the lifts. They are the kind you have to hold on to while it pulls you up. I tried using my arms but that didn’t workout so I ended up using both my legs and arms which tired me out! I probably could have gone 6 more hours at Snowplanet if the lift they use wasn’t so tiring to me. I much prefer chair lifts at actual mountains.

Regardless I had a blast! Kepa even videotaped one of my runs down:

We didn’t realize the camera was getting foggy. ;)

Like I said, I’m not super fast or good it’s just something I enjoy. I’m not aiming to be the best either. I’ve gone a few times over the years and just really enjoy the sport.

It’s a fun (and sadly expensive) hobby that I don’t get to indulge in nearly enough. Maybe now that I live a lot closer to both an indoor facility and an actual mountain I’ll get to go more often.

Fingers crossed!

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Fruit diet: Fit on Fruit

Eat fruits and fit? Sounds like a joke, right? Nope. There's just too many advantages from fruit to ignore or exclude them from your diet.

People on a mission to lose weight, will try almost anything. They can get pretty desperate.

If you the pages of fitness or bodybuilding magazine scan, you'll see a bunch of sample diets of prominent fitness people. They are usually pretty cut and dry chicken, broccoli and occasional brown rice diets. Bla. Bla. Bla.

You hardly ever see bodybuilders wolfin' down fruit smoothies. Ever see a muscle building ad with a ripped Lady eat a handful of grapes? Nope. For a long time I did not understand. I mean, fruit is healthy, right? Why not the hardcore fitness mags push them? In fact, they make almost fruits to be an evil. They discuss all the barely.

Then it hit me: they can't make money with fruit. They got to be pushing many supplements and protein. It's not like they can take advantage of apples and oranges. Prepackaged edible widgets are all the rage.

In reality, the fruit is a natural human nutrition. We were made for it. Our bodies need. It delivers many of the nutritional components that we need to live. Not only survive – but healthy life. What is the use of having a fit body looking like you're a seedbeds unhealthy cancer? Makes a lot of sense, in my opinion.

You can get lean and hard and eat fruit? The answer is unequivocally, Yes.

Vegan bodybuilder (non-competitive)

Why fruit is therefore a big part of your diet? Some top reasons are:

According to Medicine Net, fruits can help reduce the risk of many diseases. Risk of cancer is much lower in individuals who eat large fruits. Blood pressure can also be reduced by eating fruits, along with a healthy diet plan. Because fruit nutrition powerhouses, they can even help reduce the risks and the impact of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke.

No fruit contain many calories. Since they offer healthy energy, without too many calories, they make an excellent food in a weight loss or weight management program. Not only are fruits low in calories, but they contain a generous amount of fibers, which promotes satiety. Another advantage for those on weight loss programs is that fruits consist of large quantities of water, bulk and volume to add to meals.

Fruits contain large quantities of various vitamins and minerals that make them a top priority in a healthy diet. The CDC reports that fruit is an excellent source of potassium, vitamin a, and vitamin c. potassium, which helps maintain a healthy blood pressure, can be found in tomatoes and plums. Vitamin A, which promotes healthy skin and eyes, is found in melon and pumpkin. A melon one portion, for example, has 120% of the daily value for vitamin a.

Vitamin c has many benefits, including a stronger immune system, and healthier gums and teeth. Kiwi, melon, oranges, mangoes, strawberries and are all good sources of vitamin c.

I eat vegetables with every meal. That's five times a day for me. I am still skinny. I know many people who eat tons of vegetables and have low body fat percentages. There is a great discussion of people who make a living out of fit lifestyles that nothing to eat but fruit. It is an interesting read. Richard Blackman incredibly suited for Pete's sake and is a fruitarian. Not that I'm promoting that; I try only to show that eating fruit your muscle building or weight loss efforts will not thwart it.

Oh, and the image of the man at the top of the page? He is a vegan bodybuilder Kristopher Flannery. Nice, huh?

(Note: If you are in pre competition mode, Yes, you have to be slightly tighter with your diet. Sugars, even natural ones, progress can slow down if you try to achieve extremely low body fat percentages. But even if you decide to eliminate fruit during this period, it is still only temporary – for a few weeks ... tops. When normal, healthier eating is resumed, adding fruit right back in.)

Fruit does not make you fat. If you carefully plan your diet, fruits can easily included, without prejudice to it. In fact, fruit in your diet with your health, your vitality, improve and boost your lifespan. Plus it tastes AWESOME. It's not worth?

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Awesome Workout Songs. Cool Tunes of Different Genres.

Nothing's better than a new set of workout songs to get motivated for the next workout. Whenever I find juuuuust the right song that's got the exact beat my body needs at the moment, it puts me into an incredible state of flow. A great high... Much more so than any chocolate chip cookie or glass of wine can offer me.

Keep in mind that many of the workout songs I find, you may not have heard of, or maybe are totally out of your comfort zone. If your fave is Metallica and I suggest Will Smith, don't freak out. Just give it a try, even if getting a laugh is your main motivator. It works, really.

Oh, you can always click on the album to go hear a sample of it. Ahhhh. Itunes. A never ending source of weight loss motivation. I must be their dream customer, always getting high off their goods, looking for my next fix.

1. Play that Funky Music
Wild Cherry

Yep. Start I'd start us off with a little funk. 'Course in my head, when I'm singing it, I'm the "white girl." Who cares if the song came out a year before I was born? It works.

2. It Takes Two
Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock

Hit it! Tribal-ish. Takes me back to my teazed bangs days.

3. Stronger
Kanye West

That that don't kill me, can only make me stronger. These words fill my mind with the belief that I can push harder. It won't kill me. This is a great muscle failure tune.

4. Invaders Must Die
Prodigy

Electronic tunes on crack. Cardio breezes by with this song.

5. What Was I Thinking
Dierks Bentley

Yeah, he's kind of dorky, but cute. This song just cracks me up. For lighter feeling days.

6. So Blessed
Mavado

Great voice. Inspirational, yet groovy.

7. Shake Your Rump
Beastie Boys

The Beastie Boys' yelling will almost always get me movin'. I love their anti-genre theology. Cool mix of sounds in this song.

8. Freedom
Akon

His melodic voice is pretty mesmerizing. Just right to get in a mental trance and totally zone into the moment. Good warm up.

9. Of Wolf and Man
Metallica

Confession: 99 percent of the time, I can't understand a word they're saying. But, the music is good - it's angry and pumping.

10. Man in the Box
Alice in Chains

I was convinced by a friend to try this song on a run. Reluctantly, I did. It really works, though. Weird voice. Keeps my attention.

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With negativity as a catalyst for change: motivation for weight loss

Our stores often smack in the face, negativity, especially when we are on our lowest point.  Using negativity in reverse fashion you can turn into a powerful catalyst for change, and help fuel your motivation for weight loss.

Negativity is independent of people.  Of corporate downsizing to faulty toes, crap happens.  Let's say you feel kind of schlumpy.  Then, bam!  A friend comments that you've placed on a few pounds.  A friend called me in tears recently about an episode like this. It happens to the best of us.

The question is then, does not want to cross your path is negativity about, but what you will do when it does.  Will allow you to seep into your subconscious, those seeds of negativity to take root?  Conversely, you will just drop off the boat and to shrink?

Most people seem to choose the options above.  If someone comments on your weight, for example, you can choose the option to set up a home and allow thought in your mind.   You can get discouraged, and your subconscious will begin to believe and act on that input.  Your mind, with the support of those pesky thought, you can trick the body into believing you don't deserve or cannot reach you after.  Acting on that internal dialog, you can eat more, exercise less and ultimately prove the unconscious negative statement true.

Sound farfetched?  Barely.  You can trace back to a root thought each manifestation.

Let's say you are more optimistic, though, and you choose two, causing the snarky comment to roll of your back.  You can deny the statement and let it go, zero wasting time on it.  This tactic is pretty effective at destroying unwanted thoughts.

Option two can resemble the wiser choice, and it is indeed better than an option.  However, I would like to present you with a third option; that requires a bit of courage, but has the potential to be much more results.  This evasive in more motivation for weight loss with the help of negativity as fodder and a catalyst for change.

Let's stay with the example of someone comment on your weight.  It often happens to my clients and it affects everyone almost the same way;  anger or self-loathing.  Instead of spiral in negativity or ignore the comment, why not take a good, hard look at the facts, make you feel, and how they use that knowledge as fuel to bring you over to see the change.

Yes, like a comment, "Hey, you pack a few extra pounds?," or "so, when are you due?" (when you're not even pregnant) sticking your ego.  It can push you cower, refuting, or even reciprocate.  Probably, you'll only want to go to wolf down a pint of ice cream or another comfort food to reduce the stabbing.

Instead, once you become aware of what happens, why not try a technique called VAPOR?  Using this simple method, you can successfully (albeit not easily) negativity to use as a catalyst for change.

Read more about how I vapour ( AValidate, ccept, Plan, bstinate, O Results) use and how this simple mental technique can bring about quick motivation for weight loss.  I'm sure that not many trainers will tell you, "Don't waste the negativity", but I am!  Consider it a gift.  Read the article here: how to use VAPOR as motivation for weight loss (coming 1 June)

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