Certainly, there is more than one way to get fit. There's the hard way and the even harder way, right? Unfortunately, far too many people approach fitness with the mindset that it's pure agony from start to finish. In fact, if done properly, it doesn't have to be that way at all. On the other end of the spectrum, if it were up to me, there would be a law against using the word "exercise" and "easy" in the same sentence because there's no such thing.
The point is, exercise is WORK but it doesn't have to be excruciating. If you talk to a dozen hard-bodies, you'll likely come away with a dozen different workout routines and eating regimens - all of them challenging. But delve a little deeper and you will invariably find that, despite the differences in workouts and food, people who are successful at achieving their fat burning goals share some very important similarities in their approach to fitness.
In a documentary film entitled Body+of+Work, fitness guru and best-selling author Bill Phillips chronicles the 12-week experiences of 10 finalists in the very first Body-for-LIFE Challenge back in 1995. Phillips, a 30 year veteran of the fitness industry, admits even he was amazed at the degree of physical change these 10 champions achieved while competing in his now world-renowned contest.
"It wasn't so much what they did, but how they did it that interested me most," he explains. Phillips asked the 10 finalists to compile what they believed were the 10 Commandments of body transformation. Just as he expected, not one of the 10 Commandments had anything to do with a certain type of food or a specific kind of exercise. Here's what they came up with:
#1 - You must have a deep burning desire to change.
#2 - There must be a reason behind that desire.
#3 - You must have a vision of exactly who you want to become.
#4 - You must have a role model to look up to for inspiration.
#5 - You must acquire the knowledge you need to get the job done right.
#6 - You must have faith that you can achieve your goals.
#7 - You must be ready and willing to experience a certain level of discomfort as you move toward your goal.
#8 - You must have perseverance and consistency together – one without the other doesn't work.
#9 - You must take responsibility for everything you do.
#10- You must live to thrive, not merely survive.
Not bad for a bunch of former couch potatoes!
Dianne Orwig CPT, CFC, CYFI is founder and creator of Living Fit Online. For more information about her 12-week transformation program, please visit www.LoveLivingFit.com
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Certainly, there is more than one way to get fit. There's the hard way and the even harder way, right? Unfortunately, far too many people approach fitness with the mindset that it's pure agony from start to finish. In fact, if done properly, it doesn't have to be that way at all. On the other end of the spectrum, if it were up to me, there would be a law against using the word "exercise" and "easy" in the same sentence because there's no such thing.
The point is, exercise is WORK but it doesn't have to be excruciating. If you talk to a dozen hard-bodies, you'll likely come away with a dozen different workout routines and eating regimens - all of them challenging. But delve a little deeper and you will invariably find that, despite the differences in workouts and food, people who are successful at achieving their fat burning goals share some very important similarities in their approach to fitness.
In a documentary film entitled Body+of+Work, fitness guru and best-selling author Bill Phillips chronicles the 12-week experiences of 10 finalists in the very first Body-for-LIFE Challenge back in 1995. Phillips, a 30 year veteran of the fitness industry, admits even he was amazed at the degree of physical change these 10 champions achieved while competing in his now world-renowned contest.
"It wasn't so much what they did, but how they did it that interested me most," he explains. Phillips asked the 10 finalists to compile what they believed were the 10 Commandments of body transformation. Just as he expected, not one of the 10 Commandments had anything to do with a certain type of food or a specific kind of exercise. Here's what they came up with:
#1 - You must have a deep burning desire to change.
#2 - There must be a reason behind that desire.
#3 - You must have a vision of exactly who you want to become.
#4 - You must have a role model to look up to for inspiration.
#5 - You must acquire the knowledge you need to get the job done right.
#6 - You must have faith that you can achieve your goals.
#7 - You must be ready and willing to experience a certain level of discomfort as you move toward your goal.
#8 - You must have perseverance and consistency together – one without the other doesn't work.
#9 - You must take responsibility for everything you do.
#10- You must live to thrive, not merely survive.
Not bad for a bunch of former couch potatoes!
Dianne Orwig CPT, CFC, CYFI is founder and creator of Living Fit Online. For more information about her 12-week transformation program, please visit www.LoveLivingFit.com
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Success and failure... we think of them as opposites, but they're really not. They are companions - the hero and the sidekick.” ~ Laurence Shames
In his book, Real Magic, Dr. Wayne Dyer describes four pathways necessary to mastering anything you wish to achieve in life. These four pathways translate well when it comes to taking charge of the way your body looks and feels.
Pathway #1 - Knowledge
Most people fail at fitness not because it's difficult, but because they put the cart before the horse - they start out too fast, doing too much of the wrong stuff, without a clue as to where they are going or how they will get there. The best way to avoid this is to begin by surrounding yourself with experts. Seek out a proven professional with the knowledge and experience to guide you in the right direction. Having the right knowledge will not only save you hours of wasted time and heartache, it is essential to ensuring that you continue to use the best, most state-of-the-art methods for achieving your goals. Knowledge is the foundation of success.
Pathway #2 - Practice
Practice isn't just something you do until you become proficient and then quit - it's the daily component of success. Every great actor, chef, pianist or prize-winning fighter will tell you that without practice, there is no success. This is why a handful of skipped workouts here or a couple of less-than-perfect meals there add up to much more than just a weaker, flabbier body. In the process, you also lose the habit, or more accurately, the practice of staying fit. By far, the most important element of practice is acknowledging that things don't always go perfectly, no matter how hard we try - that's what practice is all about! Learn to embrace your mistakes. They are, after all, the very things that teach us a better way. Practice the art of adjusting what isn’t working with things that work just a little better and a little bit better and a little bit better and soon, the discipline of exercise and good eating will become as enjoyable as the reward itself.
Pathway #3 - Unconditional Love
Let's be honest. Most people dread working out and eating right, but it doesn't have to be that way at all. The fact is, in order to become a master over the way your body is shaped, it is essential that you find some piece of joy in the process of staying healthy and fit. Choose activities not just because they “work” but because you enjoy (or feel you can learn to enjoy) them. Many of my clients discover that they love lifting weights once they learn proper form and understand the basics behind strength training. Look for recipes and meal ideas that taste great without leaving you feeling deprived and hungry. Above all, approach your workouts happily. Change the language you use to describe your attitude towards exercise and wise eating. Something as simple as shifting your inner chatter from, “Oh, brother, this workout is killing me!” to “It really feels good to challenge my muscles this way,” can make all the difference in the world. As Dyer suggests, "Pretend to love it until, one day, you find that you actually do!"
Pathway #4 - Surrender
Dr. Dyer's reference to surrendering your focus on the ultimate goal requires that you do something that most people find impossible - forget the "prize" at the end of it all and embrace each step of the course. In other words, don't spend all of your energy focused on the scale and the mirror, wondering if all your hard work is ever going to pay off. Instead, Dyer recommends, celebrate the journey, with all its twists and turns, and you will surely create Real Magic in everything you do.
Dianne Orwig, CPT, CFC, CYFI, is a multi-certified personal trainer, success coach, writer and motivational speaker. She is the founder and creator of LivingFit Online™ and has helped thousands of men, women, and young adults completely reshape their bodies and their lives with this simple yet powerful program. Today, her “less works better” philosophy is changing the face of fitness as we know it.
For more information visit her websites at www.lovelivingfit.com and www.livingfitseminars.com. To inquire about speaking, seminars and workshops email Dianne directly at lovelivingfit@gmail.com
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Success and failure... we think of them as opposites, but they're really not. They are companions - the hero and the sidekick.” ~ Laurence Shames
In his book, Real Magic, Dr. Wayne Dyer describes four pathways necessary to mastering anything you wish to achieve in life. These four pathways translate well when it comes to taking charge of the way your body looks and feels.
Pathway #1 - Knowledge
Most people fail at fitness not because it's difficult, but because they put the cart before the horse - they start out too fast, doing too much of the wrong stuff, without a clue as to where they are going or how they will get there. The best way to avoid this is to begin by surrounding yourself with experts. Seek out a proven professional with the knowledge and experience to guide you in the right direction. Having the right knowledge will not only save you hours of wasted time and heartache, it is essential to ensuring that you continue to use the best, most state-of-the-art methods for achieving your goals. Knowledge is the foundation of success.
Pathway #2 - Practice
Practice isn't just something you do until you become proficient and then quit - it's the daily component of success. Every great actor, chef, pianist or prize-winning fighter will tell you that without practice, there is no success. This is why a handful of skipped workouts here or a couple of less-than-perfect meals there add up to much more than just a weaker, flabbier body. In the process, you also lose the habit, or more accurately, the practice of staying fit. By far, the most important element of practice is acknowledging that things don't always go perfectly, no matter how hard we try - that's what practice is all about! Learn to embrace your mistakes. They are, after all, the very things that teach us a better way. Practice the art of adjusting what isn’t working with things that work just a little better and a little bit better and a little bit better and soon, the discipline of exercise and good eating will become as enjoyable as the reward itself.
Pathway #3 - Unconditional Love
Let's be honest. Most people dread working out and eating right, but it doesn't have to be that way at all. The fact is, in order to become a master over the way your body is shaped, it is essential that you find some piece of joy in the process of staying healthy and fit. Choose activities not just because they “work” but because you enjoy (or feel you can learn to enjoy) them. Many of my clients discover that they love lifting weights once they learn proper form and understand the basics behind strength training. Look for recipes and meal ideas that taste great without leaving you feeling deprived and hungry. Above all, approach your workouts happily. Change the language you use to describe your attitude towards exercise and wise eating. Something as simple as shifting your inner chatter from, “Oh, brother, this workout is killing me!” to “It really feels good to challenge my muscles this way,” can make all the difference in the world. As Dyer suggests, "Pretend to love it until, one day, you find that you actually do!"
Pathway #4 - Surrender
Dr. Dyer's reference to surrendering your focus on the ultimate goal requires that you do something that most people find impossible - forget the "prize" at the end of it all and embrace each step of the course. In other words, don't spend all of your energy focused on the scale and the mirror, wondering if all your hard work is ever going to pay off. Instead, Dyer recommends, celebrate the journey, with all its twists and turns, and you will surely create Real Magic in everything you do.
Dianne Orwig, CPT, CFC, CYFI, is a multi-certified personal trainer, success coach, writer and motivational speaker. She is the founder and creator of LivingFit Online™ and has helped thousands of men, women, and young adults completely reshape their bodies and their lives with this simple yet powerful program. Today, her “less works better” philosophy is changing the face of fitness as we know it.
For more information visit her websites at www.lovelivingfit.com and www.livingfitseminars.com. To inquire about speaking, seminars and workshops email Dianne directly at lovelivingfit@gmail.com
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