Weekly Wednesday Quotavation

This quote is one that I agree with but also disagree with.  I am a firm believer that in order to make progress in fitness you have to take risks, or push yourself harder than normal,.  How will we ever know how much we can accomplish if we never challenge ourselves.  This doesn't, however, mean that you have to push yourself so hard that you jeopardize safety or health.

"If you don't make mistakes, you aren't really trying" - Unknown

Attitude - which one do you have?

All of us have an attitude, the question is, is it a positive attitude or negative attitude?  The type of attitude you have can affect how you live your life and the things that happen around you.

Believe it or not, having a good attitude is a choice.  Having a good attitude will lead to positive circumstances. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true, in such, that if you have a negative attitude, negative circumstances will occur.

Attitudes can be changed but only if a person wants to alter his/her state of mind.  According to James Patterson, PhD., FACSM, "people are either the master of their situations or the victims of their attitude".  You can make your attitude whatever you want, you just have to be willing and choose to change.

So why do people have different attitudes?  "All people are born as distinct individuals, with certain characteristics that can affect the attitudes that they hold", says Patterson.  There are, however, other factors that ultimately affect which type of attitude each of us develops.  Some of these factors include your temperament, environment, self-image, how you look physically, your family, and the success you have in life.  In fact, a person is more likely to be successful and be happy in life if they carry a positive attitude.  Have you noticed that you are able to achieve more when maintaining a positive attitude?  If you tend to look at most things negatively, you will probably experience much less success.

One key component of a positive attitude, is that you learn to deal with failures.  You have the ability to see the positive benefits that can be gained from setbacks/failures, etc.  A perfect example of this is a quote from Michael Jordan, arguably the most talented athlete ever to play basketball, and one of the greatest athletes of all time.  "I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career.  I've lost more than 300 games.  26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed.  I've failed over and over and over again in my life.  And that is why I succeed".  


Attitudes can be contagious too.  What I mean by this, is that others like to be around those who have a positive attitude, and those with negative attitudes are usually avoided by others.  Positive people tend to display a level of energy that attracts others.  Think for a second why you like certain people and why you dislike others...makes sense doesn't it?

Our attitudes can also determine the outcome of our actions.  If you stay positive during a certain project or event, it can help ensure success in the end.  I can attest to this from my own personal experience.  During the days I was racing 24-hour solo mountain bike events, I used to think more negative thoughts during the late night /early morning hours of the race.  Instead of saying to myself, "I have only completed 12 hours", I would say, "I've already completed 12 hours and only have 12 more to go".  A simple fix in my thinking allowed me to get through those rough hours much easier.  Another simple thing I did (which was recommended by a former coach of mine, Thomas Chapple) was to post a mantra (positive saying) on my stem so that I could look at it and be reminded of positive thoughts.  I would write things such as "be strong", "I am a fit athlete", or "I finish Top 3".  Keep a positive attitude and good things will eventually happen.

According to Patterson, "a person with a positive attitude sees an opportunity in every catastrophe, whereas an individual who harbors negativity tends to see a catastrophe in every opportunity.  The key is to make the most of every situation.  Positive people respond in a positive way to their circumstances, whatever they might be".

I hope this has given you some food for thought.  Pay attention to your attitude at work, with friends, and during an event you participate in.  If you find that it is more negative than positive, just know that you can change it by choosing to do so.  Just like all things in life, it takes time to make a change.  Very few things happen over night.  Now stay positive in life and with your goals...whatever they may be.

Weekly Wednesday Quotavation

This quote was shared by a friend...

"If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning". - Gandhi

Here is another similar quote from Mahatma Gandhi, who was one of the most pivotal figures in India's history.

"Strength does not come from physical capacity.  It comes from an indomitable will".

Heart Health

Did you know that February is American Heart Month?  Most of us probably were not even  aware of this.  So in my efforts to educate and inspire, I felt the need to write about how to improve our heart health.

"According to the American Heart Association, heart disease (including stroke) is the leading cause of death for both men and women.  In fact, heart disease kills an estimated 630,000 Americans each year".  I'm going to repeat this in case you think you misread it, heart disease kills an estimated 630,000 American each year!!!

The most common heart condition in the USA is coronary artery disease (CAD), which occurs when there is a build up of plaque in the coronary arteries.  As the plaque builds up in the arteries, it begins to thicken and harden, causing our arteries to become narrow which is known as atherosclerosis.  Atherosclerosis decreases the amount of blood that can be delivered to the heart, causing chest pain or discomfort.  Over time this will cause the heart muscle (yes the heart is a muscle) to weaken and can result in abnormal heart rhythms.  Even worse, if the arteries are completely blocked by plaque build up, it may result in a heart attack.  "Nearly half of all heart attacks happen to people who look to be in great shape", says Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen.

By now you may be asking yourself who is at risk (or am I at risk) for heart disease.  Some of the major risk factors for heart disease include:

    *those over age 50

    *family history of heart disease

    *a sedentary lifestyle

    *smoking

    *high blood pressure

    *elevated cholesterol levels

    *diabetes

In order to prevent heart disease, you may have to make a lifestyle change or continue to live a healthy lifestyle.   To help reduce your risk of heart disease, try quitting smoking, begin to exercise regularly (minimum of 30 min. 3 times a week), and eat healthier meals that include less saturated fats.  In a recent  Danish study of 49,000 women, those who ate fish high in Omega-3 fatty acids were 90% less likely to have heart disease than the non-fish eaters.  Now that is an alarming statistic. 

"The United States Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends a periodic lipid profile for men aged 35 and older and women 45 and older".  This is a blood test that measures your total cholesterol levels and highlights the amount of LDL (bad) and HDL (good) cholesterol.  Here is some useful cholesterol information to help you decide which foods you should eat and which to avoid.  Remember it's always best to discuss any changes with your doctor first.

Inflammation can also play a role in causing heart disease.  Inflammation can be caused by eating a poor diet; eating foods such as sugary foods (soda, pastries), and highly processed foods can increase the number of LDL cholesterol.  

Johnathon Fialkow, MD, FACC, FAHA, FABCL, Medical Director of EKG, Stress Lab and Cardiac Rehabilitation at the Baptist Cardiac and Vascular Institute in Miami, FL says that "any condition that causes inflammation can increase your risk of heart disease".  Here is a list of foods to eat that help minimize inflammation in the body.

    *Eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day

    *Minimize saturated fat intake (hydrogenated oils, whole fat dairy foods)

    *Eat plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids (fish, fish oil, Omega-3 eggs, flaxseed)

    *Limit refined carbohydrates (white rice, bread)

    *Eat plenty of lean protein foods (chicken, fish, turkey)

    *Avoid processed foods

If you are at risk of heart disease or know of someone who is at risk, exercise and strength training should be incorporated into your regular routine.  According to Dr. Michael Shapiro, Director of Preventative Cardiology, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Radiology at OHSU, "people with heart disease who do not exercise are taking a greater risk".   It's been proven that exercise improves your quality of life, gives you more energy, and decreases your risk of cancer, stroke, and osteoporosis.  What more motivation than that do we need to exercise?  If you are new to exercise you can start with 5 minutes and do it several times throughout the day (aim for a total of 30 minutes).  

So now that you have a better understanding of what foods help prevent heart disease and some of the risk factors that cause heart disease, let's all do our part to make this a very healthy American Heart Month.

Weekly Wednesday Quotavation

This week's quote is one that is so powerful in the fitness industry.  If there is one quote that motivates you, make it this one.

"Insanity:  doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results" - Albert Einstein