Finding Balance in your life

I know that this may seem like an odd blogg but I wouldn't publish this if it I didn't think that it may help someone. Balance is something that we all search for and is sometime ellusive for alot of us. The key to finding this balance is actually pretty simple. MINDFULLNESS! when is the last time that you really stepped back and took a good look at how you live your life? This is not about judging yourself it is about understanding how you use your time and is it really used in a way that gets you to your true goals? Before you go any further sit back and think about your true path to happiness and write them down.

bruce lee's infinite wisdom

Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one's potential.
Bruce Lee

self reliance

Remember, YOU have what it takes to achieve any goal that you set for yourself. Try not to rely on others so much. The power to change is inside of you. Build a support group inside of yourself with positive statements and remember them when your are feeling defeated. Call on them, remind yourself over and over that you can and I promise you will achieve success. Sometimes we rely on others to much and we have to remember that ultimately we are responsible for our own actions. At times we are alone in this battle to achieve success. So believe in yourself and don't let the doubts that eat you up inside win. Control your emotions because sometimes you are all that you can count on. Day by day, meal by meal, make it count and win!

Its All In The State of Mind

It's all in a State of Mind

If you think you are beaten, you are:
If you think you dare not, you won't
If you like to win, but don't think you can
It's almost certain you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost;
For out in the world you'll find
Success begins with a fellow's will;
It's all in a state of mind.

For many a game is lost,
Ere even a play is run,
And many a coward fails
Ere even his work begun.

Think big and your deeds will grow,
Think small and you'll fall behind;
Think that you CAN and you WILL;
It's all in a state of mind.

If you think you are out-classed, you are;
You've got to think high to rise;
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the fellow who thinks he can.

The Hungry Bear!

The hungry bear? Without realizing it we have all been the hungry bear at one time or another. This past Sunday, my only day off I realized the hungry bear theory. I woke up to the sweat smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls that my wife makes for me as a treat and to show me how much she appreciates all of the hours and hard work I put in each week to provide for us. I stretched and slowly, reluctantly got out of bed. I then followed the inviting smell into the kitchen where my wife stood with a plate of my Sunday morning treat. I devoured them! Not just one but THREE!! After my treat we sat for a few hours read the paper, and talked. All of that talking really wore me out so I was ready for lunch. (just two short hours after my cinnamon roll treat I might add) We decided to go out to lunch at a local seafood place and I enduldged in my usual seafood feast with an appetizzer and cheese bread. You may be asking yourself this guy is supposed to be a trainer right? Isn't he suppossed to be setting an example for us and eat things like grilled chicken and salads? Well, you guys have to remember that trainers are human too and this trainer loves to eat!! So, my wife and I finished our feast and headed home. Luckily she drove because within minutes I was fast asleep!! When we arrived at home I proceeded directly to my comfortable bed and was asleep before my head hit the pillow. Five hours later I awakened with this ravenous appetite that had to be satisfied. Remember all that I had done that day was EAT and SLEEP! So why was I so hungry? Suddenly the image of a hungry bear coming out of hibernation entered my head. After long periods of hibernation a bear wakes up and they eat like crazy. It struck me as very funny but odd. Why after all of this sleep and all of this food was I so insanely hungry. I mean when I woke up I literaly went into the kitchen and couldn't shove food fast enough in my mouth. As I was devouring food I noticed what I was reaching for and what I was craving. CARBOHYDRATES! In other words simple sugar like cookies and crackers. Then it was clear to me what had happened. I woke up with an empty stomach that morning and then I ate a large amount of refined sugar tasty yes but nourishing not even close. See, what happens when you ingest large quanities of simple carbs is that your blood sugar levels increase rapidly and you feel a sense of immeadiate satisfaction. The problem occurs when that energy (sugar) depletes from your blood stream and your energy crashes hard! If I would have started my day out with a balance of fiborous carbs like oatmeal and some protien then I would have had the right balance of energy to get me through my day. I am not saying that you can't enjoy a cinnamon roll from time to time but remember to combine it with a protien and fiborous carb source for sustained energy. The lesson here is balance in your diet. Don't be a hungry bear! Eat smart and live well.

Center for Strength Recognition

Challenging the Heart & Skill of Trainers Everywhere...Are you up to it?

Never has anyone epitomized "you get what you give" like Chris and Frank. While fitness trainers all over the world wonder why there aren't enough clients, enough money, enough time FPI Member Chris Tedesco devotes 16-hour days to clients in his BodyQuest fitness facility, an hour a day to work on his career as a fitness writer, and three hours a week to make a difference in the national obesity epidemic through volunteering his services to one client whose health and life can be most impacted by his expertise.

After hearing about our countries mortality rates and disease incidents related to obesity Chris, a former Marine and 3 time IronMan Platoon Champion approached the problem with immediate action. He was introduced to potential client Frank Sublett, and while Frank weighed in at over 700 pounds what defined him was his willingness to commit to the changes Chris was asking him to make.

While most of Chris's clients look like Men's Health models there was something more important at stake with Frank than just aesthetic appeal. This was an issue of life or death. Significant weight loss for Frank meant not only feeling and looking better but decreasing risk of heart disease and diabetes. Frank opted to put himself in Chris's capable hands in lieu or an expensive gastric bypass, but the real story is that Chris is so committed to fighting the national obesity epidemic and so strongly believes in his abilities to help Frank that he does it for no charge.

You get what you give.

Chris gives one hour, three times a week to work with Frank in BodyQuest. When they first began the program Frank could barely make it across the length of the gym. Today he walks six block from his house to BodyQuest for a 60-minute workout with Chris, five times a week and is well on his way to good health and total wellness. But it's not a quick fix, they both know there's a long arduous road ahead of them.

The combination of extraordinarily hard work and a big heart are perhaps the key to success for Chris. He owns and operates one of the most successful fitness facilities in the Southern United States and working alongside of the International Center For Strength & Performance and Dr. Jack Barnathan plans on adding featured fitness lecturer and author to his already Celebrity Trainer status.

On days when even Chris is unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel he turns to Frank for a little inspiration. Seeing someone overcomes such a seemingly hopeless journey is more motivation than almost anyone could ever want.

With the positive changes in health and self-esteem Frank he was ready to get back into the world and take on work again. Because of his strength, positive attitude and infectious personality Frank is respected by the BodyQuest clientel and looked to as a role model.

Devoting your life to fitness and selfless acts though is about far more than just the recognition for Chris. He's posing a challenge to not only FPI trainers but to every trainer, and the Center For Strength stands firmly alongside of him. For the next year Chris is asking that you take it upon yourselves to donate your time and service to one deserving client whose life can benefit from what you have to offer. As Dr. Barnathan is fond of saying "people are literally out there dying for what we have to offer". It's true. Make an effort to find one client who is clinically in need of your services and take the time to engage them in a safe, complimentary program at least twice a week. It does in fact mean everything.

So, are you up to it?

Each trainer from the FPI who is up to the challenge will immediately receive nomination for trainer of the year in addition to a host of prizes from our corporate affiliates and sponsors. Please respond to centerforstrength@msn.com for details.

My Phylosophy

My Philosophy

To truly live in the moment is the key to living life to the fullest. Understanding this will allow you the freedom to find the time to achieve your goals and appreciate them for there true value. You can utilize this understanding in all aspects of your life, fitness, work, personal, whatever it may be. Living in the moment will free you from the stress of yesterday and the chaos of the future. Remember we learn from our past so we don’t forget our lessons but we have to let go of the stress that was attached because it will only drag us down. Tomorrow doesn’t exist yet so don’t let your mind put you in a state of anxiety. Living in the moment isn’t about not planning for the future or forgetting about the past. It is about using this very moment as a tool. If it is planning for a project or enjoying the time you are spending with someone special it allows you to be awake and present. This will allow you to be focused and free from distraction so you can apply all of your mind to the task at hand and you will find that your workouts will be more effective than ever.

Are fitness proffessional practicing medicine?

Do you pay attention to television commercials touting the latest blood pressure drug, the newest cholesterol medicine, even the hottest diabetes treatment? If you do, you notice the tag line that accompanies all these commercials, “…along with a sensible diet and exercise program.” What does this statement really mean? It means that in order to be healthy there has to be more than just a pill!

That little statement proves to me something that I have believed for a long time- that fitness professionals are practicing medicine. No, we do not prescribe medicine, we don’t do surgery, we don’t even psychoanalyze our clients (most of the time!) We do, however, provide a critical part of patient care by way of diet and exercise. Without those important pieces, a patient or client will never be truly healthy.

Let me tell you a story about a client of mine named “Steve.” Steve is a 67-year old man whose health had challenged him all his life. As a child he suffered from polio, as he aged he was diagnosed with severe asthma, dyslexia, and osteoarthritis. This year he was hospitalized with severe blood clots in each of his lungs simultaneously. It often seemed for Steve that nothing he could do would help his situation- it seemed that no matter what, he was always “sickly.”

Steve came to me with a goal of improving his strength and being confident enough to do the outdoor activities that he longed for. For years he has been too intimidated to go sailing, ride his bike, or even to walk alone in the park. When Steve started his exercise program he could not walk for five minutes on the treadmill and a ten-pound lateral pulldown was a challenge. Now? Thirty minutes of cardio, strength training 45 minutes a day for three-days a week and he talks all the way through it! He is now confident enough to do the things he has longed for- including sailing, bike riding, and walking through the park all by himself!

Remember those blood clots I told you hospitalized Steve months ago? His doctor told him that he SURVIVED only because the strength and cardiovascular training he had been doing strengthened his body. Sadly, only 2% of people with blood clots in both lungs live, but Steve was a survivor because of his commitment to the exercise program I prescribed for him.

So, the next time you hear someone say that fitness professionals are not in the medical industry, tell them about Steve. He is a testament to the importance of fitness as medical practice.