Subconscious Mind - Positively Wonderful

I love double stuffed Golden Oreo cookies.  Milk is a bonus, but I could eat a whole package by myself!  This is why they are not allowed in my house.  Easy access to the wrong foods can really cause a tummy ache for me.  Sometimes when certain things are in sight we seem to trigger an unconscious or subconscious reaction in our brain.  Remember the saying, "out of sight, out of mind"?  Truly it is easier for me to suppress my craving for Golden Oreos when they are not in my sight.  Thus, I don't go down the cookie aisle at the store or if I do I turn my head when I get to that section (yes, it's that bad).  Trying to quit smoking?  It might help to get rid of the cigarettes.  Trying to quit drinking?  Keep the alcohol out of the house.  Negative thinkers need to stop hanging around negative people.

Our subconscious mind is always at work even it we don't know it.  Just like driving home from work, pulling in the drive and not remembering how you got back home because you were too busy thinking of other things. Your subconscious mind did it for you.  Even when I was supposed to stop somewhere else on the way home from work I have sometimes ended up home because I was thinking about other things and my subconscious took over for me.  (Thank goodness it knows how to drive!)

Just as bad things can trigger our subconscious so can good.  Walking by the gym might make you think of exercise or by a fruit plate or salad bar may trigger healthy eating habits.  I have seen signs above doors in locker rooms leading out onto a field or court that have positive "go get em" sayings.  There is a reason that The Biggest Loser TV show has pictures of previous contestants on the walls of the gym.  Success will breed success because whether we know it or not we will take on many attributes of our environment including written words or the people we surround ourselves with.

There is a woman in my Zumba class that keeps her punch cards when they are used up, and displays them on a portion of her wall at home.  It is a visual aid of how far she has come, and motivation to keep going.  What are you surrounding yourself with?  Do the people that you hang around pull you up or down?  What triggers can you display around your house to keep you moving toward your goals?  Your subconscious will pick up on these things even if you are not aware of it at the time.  Put some post it notes on your mirror that say success, happiness, enjoyment just as examples to put you in a better frame of mind in the mornings.  Arrange your kitchen to be a positive influence for you and your family.  Anything will work if it means something to you such as pictures, positive sayings or words.

I want to share this quote by Thomas Edison -

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

 Perhaps a few subconscious reminders will get you to your goals and success!

Willpower?

Have you stuck to your New Year's Resolution?  Did you stick to that diet and/or exercise program? Quit smoking?  Fit into those skinny jeans?  Stop spending your life savings on cigarettes?  There are so many diet books and plans out there to help us lose weight.  Lots of information on what obesity and smoking does to our body's.  Wouldn't that be enough to make us stick to a plan? 

Willpower is a word used all of the time by dieters, and anyone who has tried to stop smoking or quit any other bad habit.  Sometimes it seems that we just have no willpower at all!  So suppose that I told you that it's not about willpower?  According to Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson, who has done numerous studies on pursuing goals at work, in the classroom, on the playing field and in her own laboratory has concluded that most of us blame our failures on the wrong things. Dr. Grant Halvorson says that it is not willpower, but self-control.  Self-control defined is the ability to guide your actions in pursuit of a goal - to persevere and stay on course, despite temptations, distractions and the demands of competing goals.

Self-control is like a muscle (biceps, triceps) that needs to be worked out.  The more you use it, the stronger it gets.  I have heard that it takes three weeks to form a habit.  This would make sense that using self-control over a period of at least three weeks would make it easier to build up resistance to bad eating habits, decrease or stop smoking or exercise on a regular basis.   Muscles can become fatigued.  Self-control may also get fatigued.  Let's say you have a stressful day at work, and have to used up a lot of self-control to get through your day. When it comes to having that bowl of ice cream or smoke that cigarette at night most of your self-control is depleted and you give in.  This is why exercise can play such an important role in your life.  When you feel tired and sluggish, and you're trying to make the decision as to whether you should go to that Zumba class (or the gym, or for a walk etc...) think about replenishing that self-control muscle.  Get revitalized, melt the stress away and stick with it for several weeks at least two to three times a week for classes with 30 minutes of walks, runs or biking on other days.  Break it down into three 10 minute walks, but stick to it.  You will be surprised at how it gets easier.  The best part is how great you will feel, and how you will start looking forward to those classes! 

Below is a brief description of the benefits of Zumba. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.  You may also contact me through www.amyzumba.com.  My wish is that everyone can live a healthy, happy and long life.  

 

 Benefits of Zumba

Possibly the biggest benefit of Zumba is that it is so much fun people look forward to going to class and working out. At its core, Zumba is a cardio workout which burns calories and improves cardiovascular fitness. However, dependent upon the way the instructor teaches it, Zumba can improve muscle tone and strengthen the body. Zumba is also a great stress reliever. The sweating, dancing, and occasionally shouting involved in Zumba will release stress and tension in your body.

Quoted from livestrong.com

Push Through Week

I just had a push through week.  That's what I call a week that I'm challenged to keep to a healthy diet and not eat everything in sight.  During this week I crave ALL of my favorite things.  My head plays a war game with itself (eat it, don't! eat it, don't).  I know what to do, but just can't seem to do it.  Therefore, it's time to just push through.  I know on this particular week that there will be many mistakes and start overs.  The hardest part is the resistance to beat myself up over every slip up.

Every day is a start over.  I try to keep eating the veggies and fruit along with the slip ups just so that I can stay in the habit.  I stick with the exercise, and keep drinking the water.  Surprisingly, at the end of the week of struggle there is a final push through to the other side!  Ahhh...it feels good to return to normal.

The weight is not permanent, and my body responds to a getting back to a healthier plan.  The opposite of push through is what I used to do.  "Well, I messed up, might as well give up."  Never give up.  There is a place during this process where I know that I will turn the corner and come back to reality.  In the meantime, I just have to push through!

Aging and Exercise

My birthday is fast approaching which always give me pause to reflect.  Like I said last year, I have felt better in my 40's than my 20's or 30's.  What I have learned as I watched my grandparents age (even my great-grandparents) and my husband's grandparents to ripe ages of 88-93 is that they always kept moving.  They were always busy with volunteer work, taking care of grandchildren, walking...  It's when we stop moving that age catches up with us.  I just read an interesting article today in the paper about the aging of athletes, but it can apply to all of us.  Here is the link For athletes, aging can be a pain  One of the best things in the article is that you can start exercising at any age.  The benefits are always going to be there.

How do you want to age?  There are choices that a person can make to help them have a long, healthy life.  Personally, I want to be able to travel, enjoy my children and grandchildren, walk up and down steps, shop, and do everyday tasks without a lot of pain or stiffness.  At the end of the article there is a quote that says "if exercise were a pill, everyone would take it"  This is true because it's a quick fix.  Feel good in your skin and start moving.  (Zumba promo)  Zumba encompasses all ages, shapes and sizes.  Go in tired, come out feeling renewed.  It's that simple!

Move it, move it!!

Really? Almost a year?

Seriously, it's almost been a year since my last blog.  Guess I'll just start typing and try not to stop now.  Zumba is still going strong and I continue to love it as much, if not more, than when I started two years ago.  I know it's because of all of the wonderful friends that I have made through this journey of getting fit and helping others do the same.  Right now I am studying for the ACE Group Fitness Exam to further my knowledge of working in the fitness industry, and helping people achieve their fitness goals.  My eating habits have improved tremendously, although it seems to be a daily struggle.  I definitely feel a difference in my body when I'm eating right.  Fall off the wagon on a regular basis, but always get back on.  That's what counts!  In the past I would give up if I fell off.  That's all I have to say right now, but I'm planning on jumping on here more often.  Hopefully, I can master this blog and post pics along with other added gadgets.

Have a happy, healthy day!