Exercising During Commercials

I’m getting up an hour earlier these days. At first I said I’d never be able to do it: I was already sleep deprived rising at 6 AM how would I ever get up at 5 AM? I’d never be able to get to sleep earlier (this is still true), and a hundred other reasons why it wouldn’t work. And then I tried it, and it does work. I’m still sleep deprived, but that extra hour in the morning is a Godsend. I love it.

How do you Present Ideas to Yourself?

So why did it take me so long to “just do it?” Probably the way I presented the idea to myself. Notice I used words such as “never” and “already” as in “I’m already sleep deprived.” I kept telling myself it wouldn’t work, that it was a bad idea and until the first time I actually tried it, I secretly believed when the alarm rang, I’d just turn it off and go back to sleep. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy getting up early. Mornings are my best time of day. I’m the most productive in the morning so it makes sense to give myself an extra hour.

I Don’t Have Time to Exercise

Sometimes a small adjustment in how you run your day can help enormously in freeing up some time for things like exercise. “I don’t have time.” I hear that a lot, but if asked, “What’s your favorite TV show?” most people can list a few — hours spent sitting and watching. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying some TV, but there’s also no reason you can’t exercise during the commercials.

When I was a kid and it was my turn to clean the house, I made a game out of it. I loved TV, watching probably six or seven hours a day then, so missing a show to clean was not going to happen. So I’d clean during commercials. Today there are over 20 minutes of commercial time during each hour of the show. That’s plenty of time for getting things done. As soon as the show broke for commercial, I’d jump from my chair and dash to wherever I’d left off. I’d bring in laundry and fold it while I watched. I’d iron in front of the TV, I’d bring in piles of miscellaneous debris from other rooms and sort it into piles for where it belonged, then on the next commercial I’d go put things away.

I’d move from one room to the next, carrying things that belonged there with me, and returning with things that did not. Eventually the house was clean, and hadn’t missed my programs.

If you enjoy TV, consider how much time there is available during the commercials and start using it. Whether for exercise or cleaning, or anything else you need to get done: responding to correspondence, studying, paying bills, grooming the cat – there are lots of little chores we need to do, no reason we can’t carry them into our TV room and get them done.

Turn TV Time into “Get Fit” Time

You can turn your TV room into a fitness room easily. A cushy floor mat, if the room isn’t carpeted. A pair of dumbbells or two. Empty bleach jugs make good dumbbells, but be careful if they are only partially full of sand, dirt or water (whatever you use to fill them with something to create the weight), as if the weight shifts during the movement you could injure yourself.

Canned food make good homemade weights. I have half pound and one pound cans, heavier can may be too difficult to hold. Go on a scouting expedition around your house and see what you find that could work as weights then store them behind the couch and start using them. Twice a week or three times, consistently, and you’ll start noticing a change within a short time – usually in a month or six weeks definitely.

My first exercise equipment was a pair of dumbbells, a one pound and a five pound set. You don’t have to have a fully equipped home gym to exercise at home.

Push ups are an incredible exercise, men’s and women’s style. No special equipment needed, just get on the floor and start. Standing squats (pretend you are going to sit in a chair, then stop at about or before chair level, and return to standing straight). There are even books written for exercising on the commercial breaks. I put together a page with a few of the books I’ve found which present this concept such as “The Commercial Break Workout: Trim and Tone Two Minutes at a Time” by Linda Buch and Seth Anne Snider-Copley.

Grab some Extra Minutes and Get Started

I wanted to get up an hour earlier so I could work out in the mornings. When I exercise first thing, nothing else interferes. No matter what comes up, it doesn’t take away from my fitness program. Unexpected calls or invitations, traffic jams, “There’s no bread,” yells my son who still thinks it’s my job to keep the pantry stocked, so I need to run to the store, nothing ruins my day’s plan to ride my bike or lift weights. The consistency of a regular exercise program just makes me feel good – you might find it does the same for you, and if you have had a difficult time finding time – make time. Grab some extra minutes during commercials on TV, get up earlier, find whatever works for you. Write it on your calendar, make a date with yourself, and get started.

Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, and author of Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss. Visit OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com to learn how she lost 80 pounds over 20 years ago and kept it off, and how you can do the same.

…You Stick To Your Workout Program

1. Begin Looking at Exercise Differently. Think of exercise as a way of life. Do not look as exercise as a chore or task that hurts you. Exercise is probably the most inexpensive and fun thing you can do for your life. Find something in exercise that you enjoy doing such as meeting new people, getting out of work, or your means of stress relief. It will be like brushing your teeth or eating breakfast. The sooner you view exercise as a activity of health and way of life, the sooner your results will show up.

2. Think Small. This is probably the hardest part of exercise for people to understand and follow through with. Most people want the results to happen now and start their workout program going all out. This is the number 1 reason men and women stop exercising. They expect too much. Breakdown your goals into sections or parts and choose some realistic goals. Before you know it, you lost
those annoying 10 pounds and or health has improved ten fold.

3. Get A Workout Partner. If there is somebody waiting for you at the gym, the same time you are supposed to be there, you can bet you will be there 100% of the time to workout with him or her. It also can be immediately physically result producing since you will automatically be pushing each other to do better and better.

4. Change Your Workout More Often. Change: The essence of goal attainment. If you modify your workout more often, you will undoubtedly see changes. It prevents your muscles from getting stagnant and gets the doldrums out of working out.

5. Hire A Personal Trainer. Are you spending too much time at the gym and not seeing changes? You may be overworking certain muscles and not use others at all. Are you performing all exercises correctly? The slightest movement will do wonders for shaping and acquiring the look you want. A personal trainer will know exactly what to do to help you get results.

6. Workout At A Different Time Of Day. Rearrange your schedule to workout at different time of day. This will put a huge shock to your body and mind set regarding exercise.

7. Plan To Exercise For A Minimum Of Six Months. The whole idea regarding exercising is to get the results you desire and create a healthier you. The sure-fire way to do this is to consistently do it over a period of time. When commencing on an exercise program, regardless of your goals, you will need do this for a minimum of 6 months. Before you know it, exercise is now a way of life.

For a ton of free, valuable tips, tricks, and secrets visit: http://www.MaximizeYourMetabolism.com

© 2002-2005 Wisdom Books, LLC & Christopher Guerriero. Christopher Guerriero, is the founder of the National Metabolic & Longevity Research Center and a best-selling author, speaker, and coach to millions. He is creator of the award-winning ‘Maximize Your Metabolism’ system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for FREE how-to articles and FREE teleseminars, visit http://www.MaximizeYourMetabolism.com

How many times have you decided to get back to some type of exercise program? You’ve bought gear, new shoes, new clothes, whatever is needed. You’ve set aside some time, and off you go. A nice heart pounding workout or two and wham, you’re right back to the couch, watching TV and thinking about starting an exercise program. What went wrong?

Nine times out of 10 what happened was you simply tried to do too much too soon. It’s just like dating. If you met someone you liked and wanted them to like you too, what would happen if you started calling them multiple times every day, leaving clever messages on their answering machine, and buying them cute gifts and cards. How might they react to being smothered with affection. It’s an almost guaranteed way to drive that once interested suitor into performing a disappearing act.

If you start your exercise program by doing too much too soon you’ll soon tire of it entirely. It’s far better to start slowly and like with a new lover, better to play it just a little cool, giving them a little taste, rather than the whole banquet. It’s always wise to leave them wanting more. Amusement park rides last only a few minutes because studies found after a longer ride people said, “Wow, that was fun,” but after the shorter ride it was more often, “Wow, that was great, let’s go again!”

Six Little Minutes is all it Takes

So how does this translate into your exercise program? Give your body a taste of activity at first, rather than the full meal deal. When I first started “getting in shape” I rode the exercise bike at the gym for the grand sum total of six minutes. “Six minutes? You must be joking. What good would that do?”

At 28-years old, suddenly deciding to “get in shape” was quite the surprise for my body and mind. Six minutes was simply as much as my legs could take without giving out, so that was where I started. You may start at four minutes or 10, it doesn’t matter. For me even six minutes wasn’t easy, but I kept at it, and after the first week or so, I started to notice my legs felt stronger, I was breathing deeper, and the short ride was getting me primed for the workout ahead. (I was also doing a very short weight lifting routine). It felt good. I was beginning to enjoy the process. Notice I said after a week or so, meaning it may have taken me three or more rides before I started to actually enjoy it. Don’t expect to change your daily habits without some initial resistance, no matter how motivated you are, the instinctual brain response is, “That was nice, now let’s get back to the couch.” A progressive plan, such as this, will help you avoid that kind of thinking.

I quickly discovered I wanted more of that invigorated feeling, so after a few more six minute rides I was ready to add more time. I decided to ride for 10 minutes, knowing I could drop back to six if it was too much. This felt great and for a month or more I happily rode for 10 minutes. What is 10 minutes out of your day? It’s nothing. Anybody can give 10 minutes to increase their health and well being.

Slowly, my bike riding time increased to 12 minutes, then 15, then 20. Once I hit 20 minutes I stayed there for quite awhile, and by now I was riding the bike before every workout. I went to the gym three days a week at first. It had become a new habit and one I looked forward to on workout days. Days when I wasn’t going to work out I was just a bit anxious for the next day so I could go to the gym. You want to have that feeling of desire for the activity, but don’t schedule yourself so heavily at first you can’t keep it up or it becomes a chore.

You’ll know when you’re ready to up the intensity because you’ll feel ready. You’ll begin to notice you feel like you could keep going forever, and that’s when you might decide to add a few minutes the next ride. If you try more minutes and it feel too much like work, cut it back again.

When Obstacles Get in the Way: Putting Yourself First

Eventually I was riding for 30 minutes, and I wanted to ride even longer but couldn’t tie up the bike at the club for that long, so I did what any reasonable person would do; I shopped for a bike of my own. I really wanted a Lifecycle, since that’s what I’d been riding at the club, but they were way out of my price range. I decided to buy a Schwinn Air-Dyne and quickly discovered the downside: my shiny new bike was quite loud (the Air-Dyne sold today no longer has the noise). It made a huge racket when I’d ride, which whenever someone was home they’d complain about how it was interfering with their lives and why couldn’t I ride later?

I tried to be accommodating to my family but I quickly realized I was deciding not to ride at all because it would have inconvenienced them. I was putting their needs before my own which is the wrong approach. It may seem polite but it’s foolish to set aside my fitness goals because it may be a temporary inconvenience for them.

No one is going to bend over backwards to accommodate you, so why are you doing it for them? Stop it right now and get busy doing what’s best for yourself first. Exercising or incorporating a new movement plan into your daily life is bound to create some friction. Fine. Expect it, deal with it and move ahead. Your kids may complain if you want to do an exercise video and they want to watch TV. What’s more important? Your fitness program, that’s what. Invite them to do it with you. There’s no better way to get your kids interested in fitness for themselves than by watching you by example.

A Happy Mom is a Healthy Mom, and When Mom’s Happy, The Family is Happy

I decided a happy mom is a healthy mom, so if riding a noisy bike for a short while each day makes mom happy, that’s what mom’s gonna do! Nobody complains any more. They just work around my schedule, and if it’s too noisy, they can go do something else for awhile because if I say, “I’m going to ride my bike,” that’s what I’m going to do.

It’s too easy to say, “No, that will inconvenience little Billy, so I better not swim today,” or, “I have to pick up the kids after football practice, so I don’t have time to go to the gym.” That’s wrong! You are important, and you better put yourself at the head of the list from now on. No more excuses because it might be inconvenient for someone else. It’s always inconvenient for someone else.

If you share your living space with any other people, then someone else has always got something they need or want from you. We all get the same 24-hour day, and how you choose to spend your time is entirely up to you. Exercise is something I choose to do for myself, and when I’m in the mood to ride, I’m getting on the bike.

Work out a schedule and then stick to it. Being consistent with the time of day and days of the week will help those around you realize you are serious. By slowly adding more time every week (or as often as you’re able to increase it), you are on your way to establishing a new habit and working yourself eventually up to the minimum 20 minutes per day the experts suggest. Five minutes is better than zero, so no matter where you begin, just get started.

~~ Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, author of the free e-book: Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com

Get The Daily Bites: Inspirational Mini Lessons Using EFT and NLP for Ending the Struggle with Weight Loss.

…in Fitness Training

“Things do not change; we change.” -Henry David Thoreau

The following article is a chapter from my new book, The Da Vinci Fitness Code.

Professor Stanley Plagenhoef, one of my greatest mentors, introduced me to the Fibonacci number series in the early 1980’s.
He encouraged me to think of those numbers in the ideal relationship of health and fitness. I took his advice and bought books that spoke of the Fibonacci numbers, and the link between those numbers and The Golden Mean Ratio.

The first and best book I ever bought is titled, The Curves of Life, written by Theodore Andrea Cook, ISBN # 0-486-23701. The publisher is Dover Publications in New York.

Interestingly, this publication mentions on its title page, that the book includes special relation to “The Manuscripts of LEONARDO DA VINCI.” I learned many details from this insightful; brain penetrating book (and others I later read).

Some I will reword from memory. Leonardo said: “-you cannot be a good master, unless you have a universal power of representing by your art, all the varieties of the forms in Nature.

. . . . Do you not see how many and how varied are the actions performed by men alone – how many kinds of animals there are, of trees and plants and flowers – how many kinds of springs, rivers, buildings and cities, of instruments fitted for man’s use, of costumes, ornaments and arts?

All these things should be rendered with equal facility and brace by anyone deserving the name of a good painter".

What finally became clear to me was how all the factors Leonardo declared are
connected in nature, propose, and carefully worked-out precise proportions, and shapes.

Generally, the shapes are a series o that are the Fibonacci Numbers, which can eventually take compared to the shapes of spirals, and curves.

Spiral shapes and curves are visible, in the night skies of our Universe. In the shapes of our Galaxy, and the Milky Way, as well as in the structure of clouds. On earth the shapes, curves, and proportions and the numbers agreed to these properties are "The Formula for Growth."

These shapes take the form of many aspects of Nature, prevailing in the Galaxy, on land in the curves of the ocean waves and sea shells, to the flowers and the trees and in the proportion and beauty of the legendary paintings, sculptures, and achievements of the great architects, such as Frank Lloyd Wright.

Because this is a book matched to excellence in fitness training, I must focus on examining fitness as it is about the human body.

When involved in learning the specific ways that the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci Numbers, represent a part in all aspects of our daily lives, I propose that you use a computer to explore the World Wide Web.

All you need to do is type in either, "The Golden Mean Ratio," or "The Fibonacci Numbers," and you will be presented with thousands of pages of outstanding, original research choices. You will be amazed!

As you will discover, the Golden Mean Ratio and the Fibonacci Numbers clearly connect to the shape and proportions of the human body. Nature is also guiding us in our physical development.

You are presumably aware of the drawing by Leonardo Da Vinci of "the Vitruvian Man." This drawing outlines the ideal proportions, size, shape, and symmetry of the ideal human body. Some of us inherit – genetically – that shape. Many of us do not.

Nature is not continually perfect.

It became clear to me that the Fibonacci numbers and by continuation, the golden Mean Ratio, could have value when shifted to a legitimate total fitness protocol, as well as physical therapy, work conditioning, and bodybuilding protocols.

Apparently, the numbers, known as the Fibonacci numbers, were, first, discussed by an Italian mathematician of the thirteenth century, Leonardo Da Pisa.

The numbers, interpreted again, and it became apparent that certain ratios, and formula principles of these numbers, about growth, symmetry, proportion, and beauty appeared virtually everywhere.

The numbers verified to refer to a specific ratio, often discussed as The Golden Mean Ratio. A ratio used by Master artists, sculptors, and architects, to create their visions, in perfect balance and harmony.

Beginning in the outer cosmos, where spiral shapes prevail in great abundance, and the relationship of the planets distance from each other, is in a Fibonacci balance and Golden Mean Ratio.

Apparently, the architect-Source of the unified universe, formulated these proportions before anyone else did.

On earth, the proportions of the Fibonacci numbers, compose life forms, such as the human body. The Golden Mean Ratio aligns with the representations of the human body (and many other creations) by the great artists, such as Leonardo Da Vinci.

The spiral formations, produced within the Golden Mean Ratio are the same as the ratios of the Fibonacci numbers are to each other.

The growth and beauty of these spiral proportions appear on earth in the forms of flowers, branches and leaves on trees, the curves of ocean waves, the shape and proportions of animals.

In humans, they emerge as the length of the torso to the lower body. The size, and shape of all body segments and their relationship to each other, and to the body as a whole.

This illustrates in the famous drawing of Leonardo, called, "The Vetruvian Man." It interprets the ratios just mentioned, and shows patterns how the body is sectioned, illustrated as balanced, and agreeing with each other.

One interesting sidelight to thinking of the relationships of certain shapes and the inherent superiority of their use on planet earth is that the shape of the Nautilus Sea Shell.

It highlight’s for instance as the essence of a superior, proportionate shape. From my point of view, the invention of Nautilus Exercise Equipment, in 1970, marked a major breakthrough in the evolution of fitness training.

It is interesting to me that Arthur Jones (the architect of Nautilus) chose the name Nautilus for his fitness equipment.

The major component of his invention is an apparatus called "the cam," which to him looked as the shape of a Nautilus Sea Shell. Thus, the name Nautilus was given to the advanced, High-Tech equipment.

It is possible that using a perfectly shaped device, in exercise equipment, is what produces the surprising improvements of those who used Nautilus. I believe so!

Although professionally involved in the health field for 25 years, before 1980, I never heard of the Fibonacci numbers or the Golden Mean Ration.

Generally, during those years, I carried out in my exercise programs, as I told to clients. Bear in mind that many research programs I developed guided much of my exercise knowledge.

Therefore, in one sense, these programs were not the same as other "experts" recommended.

During the middle 1980’s, I started to use the Fibonacci numbers in various fitness protocols. I did not explicitly explain to my patients why I was recommending
various number systems, for their programs.

Like most fitness clients, they were not versed in the procedures used in the typical fitness programs. All they expected was the best results possible.

I held in reserve, all the workout cards of those I adequately worked with, and eventually, the cards numbered in the thousands. Unfortunately, those cards were destroyed a few years ago, in a basement flood in a house I owned in New England.

Since all effects, of fitness training base in the initial, baseline fitness levels, I was lucky to develop the "Units of Muscular Contraction formula."

This consistent approach, as mentioned in this book, can separate real results, from imagined results. I suggest you use it as the definitive appraisal tool to measure improvement.

Without fail, everyone greatly improved using the Fibonacci numbers. Again, correctly measured using the Units of Muscular Contraction system and by comparing the past and present day bodyweight, and the muscle to fat ratio.

Until recently, I have not publicly discussed using specific numbers, compared to harmony, proportion, and beauty, growth, combined with strength. flexibility, muscle endurance, and cardio-endurance, incorporated in one workout.

This book is an effort to help you simplify your fitness quest by introducing you to the ease of using the same power that Nature uses to create the proportionate health of the Universe.

This Universal power is in the Fibonacci Numbers.

Contact author at: joemullen.org@mac.com
www.thedavincifitnesscode.com

Asthma is a condition where the subject experiences bronchospasms and/or bronchoconstriction – a narrowing of the bronchii (airways) due to excessive smooth muscle contraction, and inflammation. An asthma attack can be very frightening and in severe circumstances, result in death by asphyxiation (suffocation). With the initiation of exercise in healthy individuals and asthmatics, hormones such as adrenaline produce a relaxing effect on the smooth muscles of the airways (bronchodilation). However in asthmatics, this relaxation is followed by bronchospasm and usually begins within 5-15 minutes after exercise.

The reason for this bronchospasm episode is not known exactly, but sports medicine research suggests a strong connection to heat and moisture loss from the cells lining the airways. Air that is inhaled through the mouth must be warmed and humidified before passing further into the lungs. Cold air cannot hold much water vapor, and as a result is also typically dry; so it is suspected that cold-weather exercise/sports may be even more likely to trigger airway constriction. Running in cold weather and sports such as ice hockey are classic examples. Swimming on the other hand is thought to be a relatively safe sport for EIA sufferers.

With winter around the corner, here are a few tips to help minimize the chance of an exercise induced asthma attack.

· Perform an extended warm-up of continuous activity for 15-30 minutes, as this has been shown to produce a "refractory period" where more intense exercise does not trigger as severe an attack. This refractory period may last for up to 2 hours long.

· Try to exercise indoors if possible. If this is not feasible, wear a scarf or something similar over your mouth while you exercise to help retain the warmth and humidity in the respiratory tract.

· If exercising outside, avoid exercising along busy roads where car exhaust fumes and pollution may further aggravate symptoms.

· Always carry bronchodilator medication when exercising

Exercise induced asthma can be an irritation and a potentially deadly situation for the sufferer. Following the tips offered in this article may help relieve or minimize attacks to allow for a more effective exercise session.

David Petersen is an Exercise Physiologist/Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the owner and founder of B.O.S.S. Fitness Inc. based in Oldsmar, Florida. More articles and information can be found at http://www.bossfitness.com