Autobiography in Five Short Chapters - by Portia Nelson

I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in. I am lost… helpless. It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again. I can’t believe I’m in the same place. But it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in… it’s a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

I walk down another street.

Most clients chuckle when I read this. They recognize, “I’m in chapter three” or “I remember chapter one all too well!” Depending on what part of life we are talking about, we can be on several streets at once. Of course, I’m talking about fitness.

You want to assess where you’re starting from, which is why you might have your body fat measured or take stock of which clothes in your closet fit and which don’t. This lets you measure improvement and keeps you motivated. Assessing your mental and emotional habits is just as important, if not more.

What chapter are you in? Have you fallen into the diet “hole,” taking too long to get out? Are you in the “hole” of not having enough time for exercise or stuck at a plateau? Taking an honest look at your habits will help you make different choices and find the right program, resources and support that you need so that you can walk down a different street… the one where you enjoy exercise, you eat your favorite foods and your body maintains its ideal weight. Now that’s a street we’d all like to live on!

Three Small Safety Tips Offer Big Returns

Yes, exercise carries risk. But, it is generally accepted that the risks of not exercising far outweigh the risks of actually doing it. (Darn, there goes that excuse!)

And, you can minimize much of the risk. Here are three tips to keep your workouts safe and effective:

1. Keep it under control - your movement, that is. With strength training that means not using momentum, but choosing a weight that you can maintain good form and comfortably handle at a slow, steady pace (about 5 seconds per repetition). This will help prevent muscle injury and give you quicker gains.
2. Don't overextend - always keep your joints slightly "soft," not locked, or else you risk injuring them. Also, when doing any type of activity while standing, you are less stable when your knees are locked. Keep them soft to promote balance and safety.
3. A good pair of shoes - if you play a specific sport or participate in a particular activity on a frequent basis, get the right shoes. For example, tennis shoes are made to support side-to-side quick movements. Running shoes have the extra cushioning needed to support the 3-4 times your weight that your feet are required to absorb. Shoes work from the bottom up - the support on your feet reverberates up to protect your entire body.

It's easy to be in a hurry and not pay attention to your joints. Or maybe you are impatient with your progress and want to lift heavier weights (which you can only do with momentum). And, of course, there is the expense of shoes. I've heard it all before. The thing is, if you don't follow these tips, you might get an injury that sidelines you for weeks, or longer, costing more time and money in the long run. Be safe. It's worth it!

Did you know that you can gain weight even if you're exercising five days a week? Just exercising is not enough. There are three variables you need to consider: frequency (times per week), duration (how long you exercise) and intensity (how hard you exercise). Of the three, the most overlooked variable is intensity. If you don't like to sweat, get over it. Your workouts need to vary in intensity and be challenging, yet doable, in order to "work."

Did you know that chocolate is good for you? Of course you did - how could anything that tastes so wonderful not be good for you? Dark chocolate contains flavonoids (milk chocolate contains some, but much less), phytochemicals that have a potent antioxidant effect and may promote cardiovascular health.

Did you know that the herb kava is considered "very likely hazardous?" ACE Fitness Matters reported in their May/June 2004 issue that the herb kava, a product promoted for stress reduction and relaxation, is banned in five countries and that the FDA issued a warning to consumers in March 2002. The dangers mentioned are "abnormal liver function or damage, occasionally reversible; deaths reported." Make sure your doctor knows if you are taking this herbal supplement.

Did you know that a mixed drink has two to three times more calories than a glass of wine? Calorie facts: when it comes to pina coladas, margaritas and the like, the "mixers" added in with the alcohol often contain more calories than the alcohol itself; a light beer is usually about 50 calories less than its regular counterpart; and, a 3.5 oz glass of wine (red or white) has few calories than the typical serving of all other alcoholic beverages.

If you like to enjoy a drink or two on occasion while still maintaining your desired weight, this is good information. Of course, drink what you enjoy. But, all things being equal, save calories where you can - this is called spending your calorie money wisely. If you use an accelerometer (a pager-like device worn on the waistband) to track your exercise and activity calories, you can see what you are burning on a daily basis and better understand the value of your calorie money and how best to spend it to reach your goals.