Thursday, June 26, 2008

Making The Cut 30 day program is finished!!!

Today I completed the last day of MTC!! I am now ready to leave for our vacation. We will be back next Wednesday. I am very excited about the new program I am starting July 7th!! Until then - MTC has been an amazing experience! Thank you to CC, Megan, and my other friends who introduced me to this wonderful program!

MTC Day 30 - Back, Biceps and Legs -

  • Lat pull downs - 60 reps with red P90X 30 lb. band
  • Lunges - 50 reps
  • Plank rows - 20 reps with 11 lb. dumbbells
  • Jumping lunges - 20 reps
  • Swing kicks - 30 reps
  • Cable rows - 20 reps with red P90X 30 lb. band
  • Pendulum lunges with hammer curls - 11 lb dumbbells - 20 reps.
  • Step ups with 25 lb. dumbbell - 20 reps
  • Low pulse lunges - 50 reps with 17 lb. dumbbell
  • Roman chair back extensions - 15 reps holding 11 lb. dumbbell
  • Pike crunch - 20 reps
  • One arm dumbbell rows with static lunge - 30 reps with 25 lb. dumbbells.
  • Military shoulder press in prone position on balance ball - 20 reps with 11 lb. dumbbell.
  • Concentration curls in static lunge - 24 reps with 17 lb. dumbbell.
  • Squat swing - 30 reps with 17 lb. dumbbell
  • Bicep curls - 30 reps with 25 lb. dumbbells
  • Burpies - 20 reps.
Total Time - 34.18 min
Calories Burned - 301
HR - Avg - 71% Zone 3, Max - 90% Zone 5
Fitness Note - It is finished!!!!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

"I run because I can. I run for those who can't.

This last week I was getting ready to finish a good,strong run, when I noticed a man sitting outside of my building. I have seen him before, many times and I am always reminded of what a blessing it is that I have the ability to run and to use this body that God has given me. You see this man is disabled, he does not have any legs. As I was sprinting to finish strong, I thought...what would this man give to be able to run! What would he give to push it one more round....and so I decided to run for him, I did not stop and I kept going!

I was struck with the thought of how many times I have taken for granted the gift of health. How many times I would sit on the couch and be content with letting another day pass by without reaching my potential. This is how I gained all of my weight. Letting one day pass after another and never realizing that I was wasting my life - wasting a gift - the gift of walking,running, moving, breathing and living. My friend on another site has this quote on her page and I think of it often, I want to live by it - So now, today, I run - I run because I CAN....I run for those who can't.

My family sent me this video and it touched my heart. If you are overwhelmed and thinking that this weight loss journey is too much and you just want to stop. Think of this story.

Work hard, reach high today and go one more round...because you can!!

A Father's Love -

Dick and Rick Hoyt are a father-and-son team from Massachusetts who together compete just about continuously in marathon races. And if they’re not in a marathon they are in a triathlon — that daunting, almost superhuman, combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming. Together they have climbed mountains, and once trekked 3,735 miles across America.
It’s a remarkable record of exertion — all the more so when you consider that Rick can't walk or talk.
For the past twenty five years or more Dick, who is 65, has pushed and pulled his son across the country and over hundreds of finish lines. When Dick runs, Rick is in a wheelchair that Dick is pushing. When Dick cycles, Rick is in the seat-pod from his wheelchair, attached to the front of the bike. When Dick swims, Rick is in a small but heavy, firmly stabilized boat being pulled by Dick.


To find our more click here.

Here is a video clip of Team Hoyt - A Fathers Love



Almost there!!

I was sore this morning from the past few days of doubles but I pushed through! It is hard to believe that MTC is almost over! It has been a wonderful program which has improved my overall strength and plyometric drills. Today's workout was a short one - compared to other days. No runs or sprints, just good hard lifting with core work!

Making The Cut Day Day 29 - Chest, Shoulders, Tris and Legs.
  • Dumbbell chest presses on balance ball - 30 reps with 25 lb. dumbbells
  • Dumbbell flys on balance ball - 20 reps with 25 lb. dumbbells - PR!
  • Deep squats - 100 reps non stop
  • Jump squats - 50 reps
  • Jumping jacks 4 sets - 1 min each
  • Dips - 60 reps
  • One leg squats - 10 each leg - 20 reps with hold til fatigue
  • Walking lunges with squat combo - til fatigue
  • Lunge with lateral shoulder raises - 20 reps with 11 lb dumbbells
  • Sumo squat with tricep extension - 20 reps with 17 lb dumbbell
  • Tricep kickbacks - 40 reps with 17 lb dumbbell - PR!
  • Push up work - 30 close grip
  • Core work - Pike crunch - 20 reps
  • Bicycle crunch - 100 reps
  • Oblique - 30 reps
  • Chair pose - 1 min
  • Extended plank - 1 min
  • Side planks - 1 min each side
  • Mountain climbers - 1 min
Total Time - 54 mins
Calories Burned - 442
HR - Avg - 69% Zone 2, Max- 86% Zone 4
Pushups - 30 Close Grip
Crunches - 150
Caloric Deficit - 500
Fitness Note - One more day until MTC is over!! Chest and Tricep workouts were great today - reached a few PR's! Ready for tomorrow - my final day!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Last day of MTC doubles!!

AM Workout - 40 min HIIT run - 4 min warm up Cathe drill max dvd followed by steady run with 8 intervals. Hill intervals - 1 min each at 6.0 at 10% incline - 4 sets. Sprint intervals - 1 min each at 8.0 - 4 sets.

Total Time - 40 mins
Calories Burned - 424
HR - Avg - 81% Zone 4 ,Max - 96% Zone 5
Fitness Note - Great run. Steady and strong. I am enjoying the mix of hill and sprint intervals. My max hr was good today - in Zone 5 but much lower than last week. Seeing improvements in my cardiovascular fitness which to me is very important. Off to fuel up for round 2 later today!

PM Workout - Making The Cut Day 22 and 26 -
  • Lat pulldowns - 80 reps P90X red 30lb. band
  • Cable rows - 40 reps P90X red 30lb. band
  • Sumo jump squats with 11 pound dumbbell overhead press
  • One leg pelvic thrust - 50 reps
  • Bent over rows - 30 reps, 50 lbs.
  • One arm rows - 60 reps , 25 lbs.
  • Squat swing with 17 lb dumbbell - 50 reps
  • Low pulse lunges with 17 lb dumbbell - 40 reps
  • Plank rows - 20 reps - 10 with 7 lb dumbbells, 10 with 11lb dumbbells.
  • Supermans - 40 reps
  • Sumo squat with bicep curl - 40 reps non stop with 11 lb dumbbells.
  • Bicep curls - 40 reps with 25 lb dumbbells
  • Wall squats with balance ball - 50 reps
  • Bicep hammer curls with lunge - 40 reps, 11 lb. dumbbells.
Total Time - 56 mins
Calories Burned - 665
HR - Avg - 68% Zone 2, Max- 91% Zone 5
Crunches - 50 with 11 pound dumbbell
Fitness Note - Another great day of lifting - Back and Biceps with leg work.

Daily totals -
Time - 96 mins
Calories Burned - 1,089
Caloric Deficit - 673

Monday, June 23, 2008

The Best Food For Runners

The 15 foods runners need every week for good health and top performance
By Liz Applegate Ph.D.
PUBLISHED 09/06/2006
Runners World

Most supermarkets stock more than 30,000 items, yet every time we race up and down the aisles of the grocery store, we toss into our carts the same 10 to 15 foods. Which isn't such a bad thing, as long as you're taking home the right foods--ones that will keep you healthy, fuel peak performance, and easily cook up into lots of delicious meals. So before your next trip to the grocery store, add the following 15 foods to your must-buy list. Then, when you get home, use our tips and recipes to easily get them into your diet and onto your menu.

Add to your cart: Almonds
Runners should eat a small handful of almonds at least three to five times per week. Nuts, especially almonds, are an excellent source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that many runners fall short on because there are so few good food sources of it. Studies have shown that eating nuts several times per week lowers circulating cholesterol levels, particularly the artery-clogging LDL type, decreasing your risk for heart disease. And the form of vitamin E found in nuts, called gamma-tocopherol (a form not typically found in supplements), may also help protect against cancer.

Add to your diet: Add almonds and other nuts to salads or pasta dishes, use as a topping for casseroles, or throw them into your bowl of hot cereal for extra crunch. Combine with chopped dried fruit, soy nuts, and chocolate bits for a healthy and tasty trail mix. Almond butter is perfect spread over whole-grain toast or on a whole-wheat tortilla, topped with raisins, and rolled up. Store all nuts in jars or zipper bags in a cool dry place away from sunlight and they'll keep for about two to four months. Storing them in the freezer will allow them to keep an extra month or two.

Add to your cart: Eggs
One egg fulfills about 10 percent of your daily protein needs. Egg protein is the most complete food protein short of human breast milk, which means the protein in eggs contains all the crucial amino acids your hard-working muscles need to promote recovery. Eat just one of these nutritional powerhouses and you'll also get about 30 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin K, which is vital for healthy bones. And eggs contain choline, a brain nutrient that aids memory, and leutin, a pigment needed for healthy eyes. Choose omega-3 enhanced eggs and you can also increase your intake of healthy fats. Don't worry too much about the cholesterol: Studies have shown that egg eaters have a lower risk for heart disease than those who avoid eggs.

Add to your diet: Whether boiled, scrambled, poached, or fried (in a nonstick skillet to cut down on the need for additional fats), eggs are great anytime. Use them as the base for skillet meals such as frittatas. Or include them in sandwiches, burritos, or wraps as you would meat fillers. You can also add them to casseroles and soups by cracking one or two in during the last minute of cooking.

Here is a link to the rest of the article

Monday Motivation -

Another week is upon us. We have been given a gift. Another chance to reach higher and achieve something we never knew was possible!

"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals." Zig Ziglar

MONDAY JUNE 23rd -

Making The Cut Day 21 and 25 with additional core and push up work:
  • Dumbbell presses on balance ball - 40 reps with 25 pound dumbbells.
  • Deep Squats - 100 reps NON STOP!!
  • Step plyo - 3 mins
  • Step plyo with 7 pound dumbbells with knee raise 3 mins
  • Jump squats with alternating butt kicks - 2 mins
  • Dumbbell flys with crunch on balance ball - 30 reps with 11 pound dumbbells
  • Low Pulse lunges with 11 pound dumbbell - 80 reps
  • Alternating dumbbell presses on balance ball - 40 reps with 11 pound dumbbells
  • Surrenders with 7 pound dumbbells - 20 reps
  • Bench dips - 60 reps
  • Military shoulder press with lunge - 40 reps with 11 pound dumbbells
  • Burpies - 40 reps - this was hard!!!
  • W shoulder presses with leg extension 40 reps with 7 pound dumbbells and 30 reps with 11 pound dumbbells
  • Tricep extensions with bands - 55 reps
  • Modified Squat thrust with jump squat intervals - til fatigue
  • Chair pose - 1 min
  • Side plank with hip raise - 40 reps
  • Sumo Jump Squat with 11 pound dumbbell - 30 reps + to fatigue.
Followed by push up and core work.
  • Total Time - 110 mins
  • Calories Burned - 812
  • Caloric Deficit - 681
  • HR - Avg - 68% Zone 2 , Max - 89% Zone 4
  • Crunches - 100 with 11 pound dumbbell
  • Pushups - 85 alternating wide-fly, scorpion, core, close grips. diamond and incline.
Fitness Note - What a wonderful day! Chest, Shoulders and Triceps. I feel so tired but accomplished!!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Weekly Plan - June 23rd - June 30th

Last week of MTC!! I am having to double up on days to try and complete the program so that I can start P90X when we return.
Monday - Thursday workout goals -
1. Burn 2,000 calories
2. 100 pushups and 400 situps
3. deficit of 500 per day.
4. Finish last week of MTC - double days!!

Monday June 23rd - Making The Cut Day 21 and 25
Tuesday June 24th - Making The Cut Day 22 and 26
Wednesday June 25th - Making The Cut Day Day 29 along with 30 min HIIT run.
Thursday June 26th - Making The Cut Day 30 - Final day of MTC!!!!
Vacation June 26th - July 2nd

Weeky Results - June 16th - 22nd

MONDAY, JUNE 16th -

MTC Day 15 along with a HIIT run with plyo drill intervals - Cathe drill max dvd.

Total Time - 102 mins
Calories Burned - 1,014
Caloric Deficit - 714
HR - Avg - 78% - Zone 3, Max 99% - Zone 5
Pushups - 55 - divebomber, pike, balance ball, close grip, wide fly and core pushups.
Crunches - 100
Fitness Note - Great first day back after vacation. Awesome run today - sprint intervals! Did really well - felt strong.

TUESDAY, JUNE 17th -

MTC Day 16 along with Butts and Guts dvd intervals - Squat/Lunge Combo, Forward Thrusting Hammer Punch, Walking Lunges, Dead lifts, Freestanding lunge/squat combo and Squats w/barbell.
Followed by a 20 min HIIT run including 7 interval sets of 1 min sprints at 5.0 mph at 15% incline and core work.

Total Time - 68.5 mins
Calories Burned - 631
Caloric Deficit - 881
HR - Avg - 74% - Zone 3, Max 96% - Zone 5
Pushups - 0
Crunches - 85
Fitness Note - Wonderful leg workout today. Making the Cut day 16 was great with loads of leg work along with Butts and Guts made for quite a leg and glut workout! It feels great!!! Tread intervals went well - 15% incline sprints felt strong but gave me a much needed challenge and great for the gluts! LOVED IT!!

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18th -

MTC Day 17 - Off day.

Total Time - 0
Calories Burned - 0
Caloric Deficit - 351
HR - 0
Pushups - 0
Crunches - 0
Daily Note - Had a nice day today. Decided to take today off. Will be back working it hard tomorrow!

THURSDAY JUNE 19th -

Workout 1 - Making the cut day 18 along with 2 circuits of Drill Max dvd - plyo drills with weights. Chest, shoulders and tris.

Total Time - 57 mins
Calories Burned - 510
HR - Avg - 74% Zone 3, Max - 89% Zone 4
Pushups - 100 - inverted divebombers, diamond, wide fly, close grip and core pushups.
Fitness Note - Great day! Chest, Shoulders and tris today. My dips on the balance ball are getting stronger. Worked shoulders hard - felt great! Getting ready to drink a shake and gear up for my second workout later today!

Workout 2 - 41 min HIIT run with track sprints.

Total Time - 50 mins - 41 min run with 9 min cool down after track sprints.
Calories Burned - 580
HR - Avg - 85% Zone 4, Max - 100% Zone 5
Fitness Note - AWESOME BURN! Ran outside today. Did really well. Ran track sprints - it felt great to be out there. Final time on run before cool dowm was 41 mins with a burn of 500 calories and a max HR of 100%...I was working hard!

Workout 3 - Turbo Ab Jam dvd.

Total time - 16.22 mins
Calories Burned - 130
HR - Avg - 69% Zone 2, Max - 84% Zone 3
Crunches - 220 - 100 of which where done with 11 pound dumbbell.

Final daily totals for all 3 workouts -

Total time - 123.22 mins
Calories Burned - 1,220
Caloric Deficit - 620

FRIDAY JUNE 20th -

Workout 1 - 30 min HIIT Run with 2 min cool down.

Total Time - 32.30 mins
Calories Burned - 322
HR - Avg - 78 % Zone 3, Max - 113% Exceeded zone 5.
Fitness Note - Another awesome run today! WOW! After yesterdays sprints I felt really strong and ready to push it again! Strong, hard run with multiple sprints - high speeds - 8.5 and 9.0!! Max HR exceeded zone 5.

Workout 2 - MTC day 19 along with Cathe Butts and Guts dvd intervals - Warm up squat sequence with 11 pound dumbbell, Squat/Lunge Combo, Forward Thrusting Hammer Punch, Walking Lunges, Dead lifts, Side to side hammer punch, and Squats w/barbell. Followed by a 20 min HIIT interval set - run, sprint, pushup, jump squat..repeat interval.

Total Time - 80 mins
Calories Burned - 724
HR - Avg - 74 % Zone 3, Max - 92% zone 5.
Pushups - 150 wide fly
Crunches - 100 all with 11 pound dumbbell.
Fitness Note - Great second workout. Lifted hard today - worked back, biceps and legs! Replaced balance ball in warm up with dumbbell and it made for a great burn! Killer leg workout followed by awesome sprint intervals at 8.0. Strong day. I did my very best and that feels amazing!

Final daily totals for both workouts -

Total time - 112.30 mins
Calories Burned - 1,046
Caloric Deficit - 850

SATURDAY JUNE 21st -
Day Off!!
Caloric surplus - 200

SUNDAY JUNE 22nd -
Day off!!
Caloric deficit - 300

Weekly totals -

Calories burned - 3,911
Caloric deficit - 3,516

Friday, June 20, 2008

Runner's world 10 rules of weight loss.

Nutritionist Nancy Clark shares 10 tips all runners should know if they want to drop some pounds.
By Nancy Clark

PUBLISHED 03/05/2008

1. To lose 10 pounds of body fat a year, you need to eat 100 calories less per day. Cutting too many calories from your daily intake will sap your energy level and increase your hunger, making you more susceptible to splurging on high-calorie foods.

2. Don't skip breakfast. Eat within two hours of waking.

3. In fact, eat more breakfast than you think you should. Trade in some of your dinner calories for more calories at breakfast.

4. Don't allow yourself to get hungry. Eat at least every four hours, and split a meal in half to make sure you properly fuel up pre- and postrun. For example, eat part of your breakfast before your morning run (a banana) and the rest of your breakfast afterward (a bagel with peanut butter).

5. Eat at least three kinds of food each meal from these four categories: breads, cereals, and grains; fruits and vegetables; low-fat dairy and soy; and lean meats, fish, and nuts. Breads, cereals, and grains should be the foundation of each meal, with protein as an accompaniment.

6. Shoot for a gradual loss of body fat. You're more likely to put the weight back on (and more) if you drop weight too quickly.

7. Liquid calories add up fast and can lead to weight gain. Minimize the amount of sodas, juices, store-bought smoothies, sports drinks, coffee drinks, and alcohol you consume.

8. Eat closer to the earth, enjoying fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Minimize the amount of processed foods you eat; they tend to offer less fiber and are less satiating.

9. If you can't resist fast food, ask for nutritional information before you make your choices (or check in advance via restaurant Web sites). Avoid any menu items with the words "fried," "crispy," and "special sauce," which are guaranteed to be high calorie.

10. Remember that the calories in the energy bars, sports drinks, and gels you consume during a run add up, even though you're running. Consume them only as needed.

The Natural Anti-Inflammatory - Tumeric

I recently started reading a book called the Spectrum by Dr. Dean Ornish and I am really enjoying what I have learned so far. One the chapters mentioned the benefits of the spice Turmeric. My own father has recently started taking this as an anti- inflammatory and I find the research on the use of Turmeric as prevention of Alzheimer's disease fascinating.

Below is a excerpt from an article from the Worlds Healthiest Foods website - to read the entire article please go to -

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=f
oodspice&dbid=78

A Potent, Yet Safe Anti-Inflammatory -

The volatile oil fraction of turmeric has demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity in a variety of experimental models. Even more potent than its volatile oil is the yellow or orange pigment of turmeric, which is called curcumin. Curcumin is thought to be the primary pharmacological agent in turmeric. In numerous studies, curcumin's anti-inflammatory effects have been shown to be comparable to the potent drugs hydrocortisone and phenylbutazone as well as over-the-counter anti-inflammatory agents such as Motrin. Unlike the drugs, which are associated with significant toxic effects (ulcer formation, decreased white blood cell count, intestinal bleeding), curcumin produces no toxicity.

I say...Dont quit. Keep reaching!!

"Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit"
-- Conrad Hilton

Little Boy At A Big Piano
By: Author Unknown

Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.

Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE." When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing.

Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."

Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.

That's the way it is in life. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music. But when we trust in the hands of a Greater Power, our life's work truly can be beautiful.

Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."

Thursday, June 19, 2008

A thought for Thursday.

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny."

Mid week progress report

Doing well this week. Runs are strong and I feel as if I am constantly improving not only my speed but endurance as well. I am looking forward to the last week of Making the Cut! It has been a great program,however I am excited about the start of P90X again starting in July. The combination of P90X and Cathe proved to be winning combination for me and I hope it does the same this time around!

****WEEKLY PLAN - JUNE 16th - JUNE 22nd****

GOALS FOR THE WEEK -

1. Burn 3,500 calories - as of today - 2,865
2. Loose .5 inch - will measure 6/22
3. 400 pushups and 800 crunches - as of today - 155 pushups and 405 crunches
4. Deficit 300 - 750 per day. - as of today 2,566 total for 4 days.


MONDAY, JUNE 16th -

Making The Cut Day 15 along with a HIIT run with plyo drill intervals - Cathe drill max dvd.

Total Time - 102 mins
Calories Burned - 1,014
Caloric Deficit - 714
HR - Avg - 78% - Zone 3, Max 99% - Zone 5
Pushups - 55 - divebomber, pike, balance ball, close grip, wide fly and core pushups.
Crunches - 100
Fitness Note - Great first day back after vacation. Awesome run today - sprint intervals! Did really well - felt strong.

TUESDAY, JUNE 17th -

Making The Cut Day 16 along with Butts and Guts dvd intervals - Squat/Lunge Combo, Forward Thrusting Hammer Punch, Walking Lunges, Dead lifts, Freestanding lunge/squat combo and Squats w/barbell.
Followed by a 20 min HIIT run including 7 interval sets of 1 min sprints at 5.0 mph at 15% incline and core work!

Total Time - 68.5 mins
Calories Burned - 631
Caloric Deficit - 881
HR - Avg - 74% - Zone 3 Max 96% - Zone 5
Pushups - 0
Crunches - 85
Fitness Note - Wonderful leg workout today. Making the Cut day 16 was great with loads of leg work along with Butts and Guts made for quite a leg and glut workout! It feels great!!! Tread intervals went well - 15% incline sprints felt strong but gave me a much needed challenge and great for the gluts! LOVED IT!! The program only called for one sprint at 5.0 and 15% but I did 7 sprints!!! Felt great to push it!!

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18th -

Making The Cut Day 17 - Off day.

Total Time - 0
Calories Burned - 0
Caloric Deficit - 351
HR - 0
Pushups - 0
Crunches - 0
Daily Note - Had a nice day today. Decided to take today off. Will be back working it hard tomorrow!

THURSDAY JUNE 19th -

Workout 1 - Making The cut day 18 along with 2 circuits of Drill Max dvd - plyo drills with weights. Chest, shoulders and tris.

Total Time - 57 mins
Calories Burned - 510
HR - Avg - 74% Zone 3 Max - 89% Zone 4
Pushups - 100 - inverted divebombers, diamond, wide fly, close grip and core pushups.
Fitness Note - Great day! Chest, Shoulders and tris today. My dips on the balance ball are getting stronger. Worked shoulders hard - felt great! Getting ready to drink a shake and gear up for my second workout later today!

Workout 2 - 41 min HIIT run with track sprints.

Total Time - 50 mins - 41 min run with 9 min cool down after track sprints.
Calories Burned - 580
HR - Avg - 85% Zone 4 Max - 100% Zone 5
Fitness Note - AWESOME BURN! Ran outside today. Did really well. Ran track sprints - it felt great to be out there. Final time on run before cool dowm was 41 mins with a burn of 500 calories and a max HR of 100%...I was working hard!

Workout 3 - Turbo Ab Jam dvd.

Total time - 16.22 mins
Calories Burned - 130
HR - Avg - 69% Zone 2 Max - 84% Zone 3
Crunches - 220 - 100 of which where done with 11 pound dumbbell.

Final daily totals for all 3 workouts -

Total time - 123.22 mins
Calories Burned - 1,220
Caloric Deficit - 620

Caribbean Seafood- and- Black- Bean Salad

Ingredients
Serves: Prep: 10min|Cook: 2min |Total: 1hr 12min

* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 pound peeled, deveined medium or large shrimp, cut into chunks
* 8 ounces bay scallops
* 1 tablespoon preminced oil-packed garlic
* 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 cup drained jarred tropical fruit
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 3 tablespoons frozen lime juice concentrate
* 1 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, scallops, and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until the shrimp and scallops are opaque in the center. Remove to a bowl. Add the beans, fruit, cilantro, lime juice concentrate, hot-pepper sauce, and salt. Stir. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or as long as 24 hours.

Nutritional Facts per serving
CALORIES 158.2 CAL
FAT 5 G
SATURATED FAT 0.7 G
CHOLESTEROL 42 MG
SODIUM 202.7 MG
CARBOHYDRATES 15.7 G
TOTAL SUGARS 3.7 G
DIETARY FIBER 3.9 G
PROTEIN 12.4 G

Monday, June 16, 2008

Not loosing inches? Is the scale stuck? Try this....


25 Ways To Break A Fat Loss Plateau
by Tom Venuto

Here's your personal 25-point checklist of actions you can take and strategies you can use to tighten up your diet, training and or attitude, to accelerate fat loss and break through any progress plateau. Breaking a plateau means working harder and smarter. In many cases, it means checking your compliance to make sure you are still following your original plan consistently. In almost every case, a plateau-breaking strategy is a matter of increasing your caloric deficit and/or making sure you still have a calorie deficit consistently, which you may have had, but lost over a period of dieting and the accompanying weight loss. Take a look at the checklist and see what areas apply most appropriately to your current situation. That's what it means to work smarter -- look for your weakest link and strengthen it.

A word of caution: Never make any drastic changes to your diet or exercise program without checking with your doctor first, especially if you are over 40, if you have been sedentary and or if you have any health problems. Techniques like high intensity interval training, for example, can be very stressful on the cardiovascular system and strict dieting techniques such as those used by competitive bodybuilders are intended only for those in good health with no restrictions or contraindications.

1. Check your calorie deficit and re-calculate your calories The number one reason most people are not losing weight is because they are not in a calorie deficit. Please read that again and let it sink in because it's the simplest and most obvious answer, but the one that most people refuse to accept. A major reason that you hit a plateau or experience slower weight loss over time because your calorie expenditure decreases with weight loss and exposure to a severe or prolonged calorie deficit. Because your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is related to your lean body mass as well as your total body mass, when you lose weight, your maintenance level decreases. In other words, heavier people need more calories than lighter people. In addition, you experience a decrease in your metabolic rate in response to the caloric restriction (metabolic adaptation). Finally, most people underestimate their caloric intake. All these factors combined explain why most people's weight loss hits a plateau over time. Therefore, when you plateau, the very first thing you must do is recalculate your calories to be sure you have a defict at your new level of energy expenditure, and then you must hold yourself accountable for every calorie to make sure you are not underestimating your intake.

2. Use more challenging compound weight training exercises. Generally, we view nutrition and cardio is the stimulus to create your calorie deficit, but don't forget that weight training can burn as many if not more calories than cardio. To maximize calorie expenditure from weights, choose compound weight training exercises such as squat and lunge variations, pressing exercises, full body-involvement exercises and barbell, dumbbell or cable rowing movements to stimulate heart and lung action, burn more calories, release more fat burning hormones and increase post-workout energy expenditure. Use fewer isolation exercises and fewer machines. Get your heart pumping and your lungs working during your weight training workouts. If you're breathing heavy and your heart rate is up, you're burning more calories, releasing fat burning hormones and stimulating your metabolism.

3. Increase workout "density." Many people have heard of intensity, but not many people know about density, which simply means to perform more work in less time. To break a plateau, you can increase the "Density" by decreasing rest intervals between the sets of your strength training exercises. For example, a normal rest interval is one, two or even three minutes between sets. To accelerate fat loss, decrease that to less than 60 seconds, 45 seconds, and ultimately down to 20-30 seconds between sets. Experiment with circuit style weight training where you perform, three, four or even more exercises in a row without resting. Use more supersets such as biceps followed immediately by triceps, quads by hamstrings or chest followed by back. Do abs and calves in between other exercises instead of resting ("staggered supersets"). Get your heart rate and breathing up a little during your strength training...keep moving!

4. Try fasted morning cardio. Do light to moderate intensity cardio early in the morning on an empty stomach (Note: timing is NOT the critical factor, but this may add an extra "edge." because fasted cardio oxidizes more fat during the workout). Fasted cardio is probably most relevant and beneficial when you are already lean and have hit a plateau with the last bits of "stubborn fat." If you're concerned about your lean body mass, then track your body composition and eat a light protein meal (example: egg whites) or small protein shake 20-30 minutes before the session. Note: high intensity cardio training and weight training are better done while fed.

5. Mix up your cardio: Has your workout gotten stale? Has your body simply adapted, like the "borg" on Star Trek? Change the type, the program and or intensity. First, you can change the program: Try short 20-25 minute HIIT sessions alternated with longer moderate intensity sessions (30-45 min). Second, you can change the type of exercise. Recent research suggests that doing a form of cardio you are not accustomed to may help with stubborn fat due to an increased in catecholamines, which signal your body to release stored fat. Change your cardio machine, such as switching from bike to elliptical or from stairmaster to inclined treadmill. Even condier some kickboxing or mountain biking a couple times a week in place of a cardio machine. The possibilities are endless. Don't restrict yourself.

6. Do High Intensity interval training or Sprints. Replace 1 or 2 conventional cardio sessions with HIIT on a cardio machine or wind sprints outside. Run flat out or run intervals (sprints) up hills or stadium steps if you have access to them, in place of some of your regular cardio workouts. (Warning: High intensity cardio can be dangerous, orthopedically and cardiovasculalrly speaking. It is only appropriate if you are already fit and have clearance from your physician, and then, the intensity should be built up gradually. Do not attempt to go from a walking program to sprints. Ie, walk, brisk walk, jog, run, sprint, is a sensible progression.)

7. Eat lightly at night. Push back last meal of the day so you don't eat anything within 2-3 hours of bedtime (if practical). If you eat anything at night, keep it low calorie, light and mostly protein and fibrous carbs, with small amounts of fat (no starchy or calorie dense carbs)

8. Decrease carbs. Pull the carbs down to as low as 25-30% of total calories for 3 days (increase protein, non starchy carbs AND good fats to compensate), and have a high carb, high calorie day on the 4th day. Low carb diets tend to automatically reduce caloric intake and keep hunger at bay more efficiently. Some data suggests that low carbs can help reduce stubborn fat by acting as alpha-2 receptor antagonists. They may also have metabolic health-related benefits in people who have symptoms of metabolic syndrome.

9. Experiment with removing wheat from your diet. Some people have gluten sensitivities that cause bloating or water weight gain which can mask weight loss on the scale. Wheat, grains and starchy carbohydrates are also more calorically dense, so by removing some wheat, you usually are automatically reducing calories. Cutting some starches out of your diet and increasing lean protein and vegetables tends to increase fat loss as well, due to protein having high thermic effect and non starchy veggies having high fiber content.

10. Experiment with removing dairy from your diet. Some people are lactose intolerant or have dairy allergies and don't know it. This can cause bloating which masks muscle definition and distends the stomach or causes water weight gain or bloat which masks weight loss on the scale. (Also note: a fitness competition or bodybuilding "contest diet" of the strictest level usually has neither wheat/bread, nor dairy products, although both could be included for people who are tolerant to them, provided a calorie deficit is in place.

11. Consider glycemic index (GI). Glycemic index is not a primary consideration on the Burn The Fat program. Your first criteria for selecting carbs is whether the carb is natural or refined (eat natural carbs and you are usually good to go). However, if you are stuck at a plateau and especially if you know you are carb intolerant, then the glycemic index carries more weight. For plateau breaking, start to "nit pick" by paying attention to the glycemic index of your carbs: For starches use yams, sweet potatoes, long grain brown or basmati rice (NO white rice or instant rice), beans, lentils, black eye peas, or barley.

12.Eat fruit, but choose low calorie varieties and cut out fruit juice. Some people cut fruit out of strict fat loss diets. This may be fine for short periods of time on extremely strict diets, but fruit is really too nutritionally valuable to remove in most cases. Eat fruit, but check the calorie counts of the fruit, and eat low calorie density fruit such as apples, grapefruits and other fruits with fewer calories per serving (some fruits like bananas have about 120 calories, whereas an apple has 80 and an orange averages about 60. Make the calorie substitution and take the calorie savings where you can). Avoid calorie dense fruit like raisins (at least temporarily while you're working on breaking a sticking point). Avoid fruit juice completely because it is calorie dense and it is better to eat the whole fruit and get the fiber.

13. Eat more fibrous carbs and veggies. Eat so many green fibrous vegetables and salads that you start to "grow leaves." The benefits of non-starchy vegetables, salad vegetables and greens is that not only are they loaded with nutritional value, they are also very high in fiber and low in caloric density. As a result, it is almost physically impossible to overeat non-starchy vegetables. If you increase the non starchy vegetables at the expense of more concentrated calorie sources, it tends to automatically make you eat less, while improving the nutrient content in your diet at the same time.

14. Don't drink your calories: Research has shown that liquid calories, especially sweet and non-viscous liquids, do not register in the brain and stomach the way that whole food does. As a result, we tend to consume too many calories when we drink them, without compensating for it by cutting back on other calories elsewhere. To break a plateau, either account for your liquid calories meticulously in addition to the rest of your food, or simply try cutting them out. That means No soda, no juice, no milk, no calorie containing liquids at all. Drink lots and lots and lots of water and or green tea.

15. Do not eat ANY protein bars or nutrition bars. Some "nutrition bars" are made with whole food ingredients, so they are definitely better than others, but all protein or nutrition bars are processed foods that are nutritional compromises. Bars often provide 300-400 very concentrated calories without filling you up the way a 300-400 calorie whole food meal would. As a result, you tend to compensate by eating more (another bar, another snack, or simply more food at the next meal). Let me emphasize again, that fat loss is all about the calorie deficit, so you could "get away with" eating bars if you knew you had a calorie deficit. However, when you are breaking a plateau, it pays to do a little "nutritional triage," budget your calories wisely, and get the most bang for your buck from each calories. So, your best bet is to ditch the bars. (add them back in later as convenience foods when you're back on maintenance, if you like)

16. Take a layoff for a full 7 days . If you have been under a lot of chronic stress and or if you have been dieting and training non stop for more than three or four months without a break, take it easy and rest up for a little while. Yes, you read that right. Stop everything and rest completely. Let your nervous system and endocrine system get a rest and prepare for the next big push. Eat a little less for those 7 days because your calorie expenditure will be lower, otherwise you may gain weight. Then restart, fully rested, with a vengeance!

17. Re write your goals and recommit to them . Be very specific and clear about exactly what you want. No vague generalities like "I want to get leaner." Use a goal card to put your goal in writing and carry it with you. Twice a day, morning and night, review your goals and mentally visualize yourself with your body looking exactly the way you want to look. Feel what it would feel like (emotionally) as if you had already achieved it. Remember, if you have a negative self image, you will always cheat and sabotage yourself. Get the new image of yourself in mind, and hold it there. All achievement starts with goals and changing the self image. Read Pyscho cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz and understand how you may be sabotaging yourself.

18. Drink a gallon of water a day . Be fanatical about your water intake.

19. Increase Your Cardio Frequency. If you're doing less than 6 days per week, 30-45 minutes of cardio, then gradually, and incrementally increase your duration and frequency until you're up to 6 days, 30-45 minutes per session. (e.g., if you start losing fat at 4 days, 30 minutes, then stop there; do as much as it takes, no more, no less.) If you are already doing daily cardio, consider increasing intensity (see #20 below), and look more closely at your diet.

20. Increase Your Cardio Intensity. Remember that you can increase your intensity and burn more calories in the same time simply by doing your cardio harder. Challenge yourself by seeing how many calories you can burn in a cardio session of the same duration. Set some new personal records. Get a training partner and challenge each other. Make your cardio progressive, not just your weight training. Reach new peaks. Remember, your body adapts.

21. Cut out the alcohol. NO! No alcohol at all! None. Zip. Zero. Nada. Nope, not even that one beer or that one so-called "healthy" glass of red wine. If you're stuck at a plateau, you can't afford it. If you made sure you had a calorie deficit, you could "get away with it," but it's a (psychological) principle and discipline thing as much as it is a matter of increasing strictness of your program. Physiologically, everything that we've said about liquid calories applies to alcohol equally if not more so. In addition, alcohol suppresses fat oxidation and can suppress male hormones and disrput sleep cycles.

22. Cut back on cheat meals. If you're getting results weekly, then you go right ahead and have a "reward meal", "cheat meal," "free meal" or whatever you like to call it... once or even twice every week. In fact, many people can follow the 90-10 rule and by following the program 90% of the time, they get excellent results. However, if you are NOT getting results, you have to be stricter than that. Your "cheat day can be a larger amount of healthy food, as this can be good for increasing metabolic rate, but abstain from eating junk if you're having difficulty with fat loss. Let your results dictate how strict you should be on your diet.

23. Do A Lifestyle review. Look at other factors in your lifestyle outside of exercise and basic nutrition. Sleep, stress, recovery, alcohol, smoking, artificial foods and chemicals. Is your cortisol sky high due to stress and poor recovery? If so, take steps to improve your sleep quality and or quantity, take measures to reduce stress, and look closely at whether you are overtraining and as a result, not recovering completely from your workouts. Do you smoke? If so, you may be concerned that you may gain weight when quitting, but ultimately, you must quit. Get your lifestyle in order and do it now. Analyze your diet more closely. How clean is it really? Are you still taking in a lot of chemicals or artificial stuff? Reduce or eliminate foods containing artificial colors, artificial flavors, or preservatives. Cut out alcohol and processed foods of any kind. Look for anything at all that is not natural and remove it. Maybe even consider organic. Get your food intake as "clean" as humanly possible.

24. Medical review : Last but not least, if all else fails, see your doctor for a physical checkup. Get complete blood work done and tests for the functioning of hormones, glands (thyroid) and organs. If there are any problems, follow the advice of your physician. Your doctor may have solutions - both natural or pharmaceutical (preferably the former). If you are not given natural solutions, seek a second opinion elsewhere (natural way is best way, if that is possible). Also, if you are on prescription medications, ask your doctor if they impact body composition (anti-depressants and other prescription drugs are known to make it more difficult to lose body fat). If all is within normal ranges as it is 99.9% of the time, then get back to work -- the only thing stopping you is you! Most people's glands are functioning just fine. The only gland that is usually malfunctioning is your mouth gland -- eating too much junk food and too much food altogether.

25. Adjust your attitude. Hey, did you ever consider that maybe you're not "stuck" at a plateau after all? Maybe you're successfully half way up the mountain, just temporarily "pitching camp," catching your breath and enjoying the view so far, preparing for the final ascent to the summit… before you go on and find your next mountain to climb. Keep in mind that it's more natural to have peaks and plateaus of progress than it is to sprint up in a straight line -- that's just how your body operates and adapts. Post these words of Harold V. Melchert someplace where you can look at them often:

"Live your life each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance toward the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point. Climb slowly, steadily, enjoying each passing moment; and the view from the summit will serve as a fitting climax for the journey." (thank you to Bob Proctor for this quote)


In conclusion, you won't need to do everything on this list. Simply run down the list and see which options make sense to you and which ones apply the most to you in your situation. It's good to have this entire list handy, however, because the more weapons you have in your fat-burning, plateau-breaking arsenal, the more options you'll have to turn to if you hit a plateau in progress. If you have only one "back up plan" then you have a problem if that doesn't work. You now have 25 "back up plans!"

Rest assured, you can break any plateau if you are willing to pay the price and do what it takes. If it takes more training, harder training and stricter dieting, are you willing to do it? How bad do you want it? If you want it, you will avoid caving in to the comfort zone, turn up the heat in your desire fire, crank up your motivation meter, and you WILL break through any plateau and enjoy the view from the next level. See you at the top!

Dr. Weil's Red Pepper Vinaigrette

8 Servings

This salad dressing is nothing like your basic vinaigrette formula – but you'll soon want to use it nearly every day. The classic vinaigrette is made with 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. As you can see, this version has no oil in it at all, making it extremely low in calories. But don't worry – it's very high in flavor. Once you've tried this I'm sure it'll become your basic everyday staple for salad. And you can never eat too much salad!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried whole oregano
Pinches of rosemary and thyme
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 of a roasted red bell pepper

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender container. Blend to mix thoroughly. Nutritional Information:

Per serving:
8 calories
0 g total fat (0 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
2 g carbohydrate
0 g protein
0 g fiber
50 mg sodium

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Runner's world Core and Ab workout

THE ULTIMATE AB WORKOUT FOR RUNNERS
By John Hanc
Runners World
PUBLISHED 01/10/2008

Chances are you can't keep up with the mega talent on Team Running USA--but you can copy their core routine. Dennis Kline, the strength coach who designed the Mammoth Lakes group's program, adapted the routine on the following pages for everyday runners. The two workouts, Base Fitness and Dynamic Strength, work in concert. The base exercises develop muscular strength, endurance, and balance; the dynamic moves build power. Translation: You'll be able to run stronger and longer.

Like the elites, you'll alternate between these two routines. Follow the Base workout for four weeks, then the Dynamic routine for three. For phase two, return to the Base workout for a week, this time performing repetitions of each move instead of holding the positions. Then shift again to the Dynamic routine, continuing that three-week, one-week cycle. Do your core work three times a week. During peak training, drop to one or two days. Cut out the workouts entirely two weeks prior to a big race.

Base Fitness




Plank/Side Plank

Lie in a push-up position with your forearms on the ground, keeping your body in a straight line, your elbows directly below your shoulders, and your abdominals pulled in (top, right). Hold. Shift to your side, keeping the elbow directly under your shoulder and both feet on the floor, top foot in front. Lift your hips until your body is in a straight line. For all variations, start with 30 seconds, build to 2.5 minutes.

PHASE TWO
Hold plank as you have been, but lower and lift into a side plank for four sets of six reps, holding each rep for a count of four. The plank was originally used to test lower-back strength, says Kline, and if you can hold it for two-plus minutes, your likelihood of having lower-back problems is low.

PAYOFF
Develops abdominal and lower-back muscles that support and stabilize the middle of your body.





Bird Dog

Start on your hands and knees, back flat. Raise an opposite leg and arm to hip and torso height. Hold for 10 seconds, build to 30.

PHASE TWO
Perform four sets of six reps, with each side, holding each rep for a count of two.

PAYOFF
Strengthens the muscles along the spine, the upper back, and the glutes.






Back Extension

Start face down on a Roman chair with your legs hooked and lift your torso up until it's parallel to the ground; your back should be straight, not arched. Hold. Start with 45 seconds, build to three minutes. (The focus is on muscular endurance, not pure strength, so don't add additional weight.)

PHASE TWO
Do four sets of six reps.

PAYOFF
Improves strength and muscular endurance of the erector spinae and other back extensors.







Swiss Hip Extension

Start sitting upright on a stability ball, then walk your legs forward so the ball travels up your spine until it reaches your shoulder blades. With your arms extended out to the sides, lift your hips up until your torso is parallel to the floor. Then lift one knee about 45 degrees, lower it, then lower hips toward the floor, and repeat on the other side for one set. "Don't be frustrated if you can't do this well at first," says Kline. Do three sets of five to seven reps, with two minutes rest between sets.

PHASE TWO
Same as above.

PAYOFF
Mimics the running motion, but on an instable surface (the ball), engaging the hip flexors (psoas, iliacus) and extensors (the glutes) to work together with the abs and back to stabilize the body.






Dynamic Strength


Dumbbell Walkouts

Holding a pair of moderately heavy dumbbells (about 10 pounds more than you'd use for biceps curls), take small steps forward for 10 seconds and backward for 10 seconds. Breathe naturally. Do three sets, with one minute rest between them.

PAYOFF
The weights help activate the core to stabilize it as you walk, the same action you want to occur when you run.






Erect Lateral Bends

Place a pole or bar across your shoulders and hold with both hands. Keep your weight on your heels, your knees slightly bent, and tip your body to the side, taking the bar down toward your ankle without bending forward at the waist. Repeat on the other side. Try to keep a tempo of three seconds down (lowering the bar to the side), one second back up to a standing position. Do three sets of five reps on each side, with two minutes rest.

PAYOFF
Builds muscular strength and endurance in the obliques and the quadratus lumborum (a deep back muscle).







Turkish Get-up

Lie on your back, and raise a light dumbbell (about the weight you'd use for shoulder presses) with your right arm held above you. Then stand up, keeping your arm straight the entire time. Lower back down, finishing the move the way you started. "No matter how you stand up and get down, this recruits many of the core muscles," Kline says. Do three sets of five reps (with each arm), with two minutes rest between sets.

PAYOFF
Gets the core and legs working together, because holding a weight above your head activates your entire core while your leg muscles are busy getting you up and down.







Body Curls

Hang from a pull-up bar, palms facing away from you. Without using momentum, use your core to curl your body up until your knees are between your arms (you'll be almost upside down). Hold a second, then lower slowly. If these are tough, drive one knee up to initiate the move, says Kline. Start with one to two reps, build to four, then add a second set, with 90-second rests in between.

PAYOFF
Works total body flexion--the abdominals, hip flexors, latissimus dorsi (the back), and biceps.








Double Leg Hops

This is essentially a standing broad jump. From a standing position, jump as far as you can; use your arms to pull yourself up. When you land, jump again for a total of three without stopping. Do three sets, with two minutes rest in between.

PAYOFF
Forces the hips to work in concert with the core muscles to stabilize the trunk from push-off to landing.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

LIfe keeps moving forward!


What a thought for today!!!!! I want to open a new door today - where will it take me! I urge you to do the same! Lets LIVE really LIVE today and see where it takes us!!

Hope everyone has a blessed and beautiful Friday!


Picture this. You're standing on conveyor belt. It's carrying you down a long, narrow hallway. Each side of the hallway is lined with closed doors, small signs hanging just above their frame.

The messages on those signs is something that you need to pay close attention to. Very close attention.

The speed of the conveyor belt isn't too fast - slow enough to let you comfortably open and step through one of the doors - but not much time to question your choice.

After a few moments, a door has passed you by forever.

Peering down the long hallway you see the belt is heading toward a larger door marked 'EXIT.'

You have a fair amount of time before you reach this door, but make no mistake, you are forever moving toward it.

What is written on Those Signs???

After a few minutes, your curiosity gets the best of you and you focus intently on the writing above each door.

After passing a few doors trying your best to make out the small writing, you realize that each sign contains a personal goal, a change you've always wanted to make or a dream you've always wanted to achieve.

This corridor is your life.

Each door is an opportunity for change, for happiness, for success. Everything you have ever wanted to be, do, and have is represented by each door along the corridor.

And just like life, the longer you wait to step through the doors, the greater the chance that they'll pass you by.

Eventually nearly every door will be behind you, impossible to enter. I say nearly because only one will remain - the one at the end of the corridor.

Before we move on, I have a question for you.

Do you know what would be written above each door? Do you know what you really want today, tomorrow, and ten years from now? If you don't know what you want, you'll never get anything more than you have right now.

But don't worry! If you only know that you are dissatisfied with what you have now, all hope is not lost. There is great power in dissatisfaction; it's the beginning of change and improvement.

A Fact You Must Realize
We aren't talking about a hypothetical situation. You don't have forever to do something about the things you want. But very few like to face this fact head on.

Deny it all you want - it's true.

A great deal of my work is in honesty and truth - these are the cornerstones of motivation. It's much more than getting excited and running out the door with a big grin on your face. It's about letting the facts of life hit you and drive you toward a better life.

Today I want you to let the facts hit you. I want you to think about that hallway, and what signs would hang above each door.

I want you to look to the end of the hallway, toward the exit. Think about that. Think about the fact that you do not have an eternity to experience all the things you want to experience.

Recognize the fact that you may actually never become the person you know you are fully capable of becoming - if you fail to act.

Most people live life as if they'll be around for the next thousand years.

'Yeah, I've got goals, but what's the rush?' they think.

But the real winners in life, the ones who illuminate every room they enter, attract success in everything they do, and simply love being alive, never hide from the truth.

The use it to motivate them toward the things they want.

What You Need to Do Today

I want you to take just a few minutes today to think about the corridor, the conveyor belt, and the doors lining your hallway.

Really think about it.

The point isn't to make you feel bad - it's to inspire you with a sense of urgency and excitement. It's to make you realize the truth and use it as motivation for the rest of your life.

Think about that hallway, my friend. Think about it.

If it scares you a little, that's a good thing. Fear is a powerful motivator. But what do you do next? For many people, they get the urge to do something different in their lives but don't know what to do with the feeling.

The drive soon dissipates and eventually disappears.

This doesn't have to happen to your goals.

You have a choice to make at this very moment. You can continue to travel down the corridor of your life without making a move toward any door, or you can break out of the routine and start living life at an entirely new level.

Regardless of your choice, you'll eventually reach the end of the line. I suggest you open as many doors as possible before that time arrives.

Jason M. Gracia