It is fair to state that this year has been a particularly challenging year for me. Money became a critical issue because I have been unable to find a path forward as a speaker, writer, or consultant. The publishers…
Sharing the introduction of my story of my “run in” with a seriously large pickup truck on July 24, 2019 with you, my reader, has opened up my thinking about not only what I hope to accomplish with this series, but it has also inspired me…
I am certain all of us have thought at one time or another: When a health crisis comes into my life I will certainly be able to come back from it – better than ever! This thought was present…
What does it mean to be fit or “be in shape”? We set fitness goals for a variety of reasons that are important to us at the time but in the long run is really losing weight a lasting goal? Do we really ever regard the “real” point of becoming fit? Probably not. Getting older means losing “something” in most people’s minds (mobility, independence, freedom to do what we love to do etc.). It however doesn’t have to be that way. If we think in terms of performance based goal setting and being able to do all the things we love to do over time – regardless of age – we will find that getting older doesn’t have to mean “getting old”. I would like to share with you what I consider the seven keys to fitness that if we maintain over time we will be able to be not only functional but vibrant and healthy as well.
I have always maintained that if I remained fit for life that I would be training every day toward becoming an “evolving athlete” – capable of “doing what I want, when I want – without getting hurt”. This is as good a definition of what it means to be fit to me given my track record as a fitness professional. Taking time today to evaluate what you REALLY want from your fitness activities is probably a good idea and worth the effort and time up front so that you can access the benefits that you TRULY want from your training program. Here are the seven keys to fitness that will make your efforts worthwhile:
#1. StrengthStrength is a cornerstone of any fitness program. How we build strength over time is dependent on our effort and focus at being consistent in all we do. I started a weight training program in college with the help of the varsity football team at Syracuse University in 1965 and learned the basic principles of strength training with their help. I am still using those same methods and training principles today 50 years later and the secret to my success is clearly defined methodology and consistency of effort. I record all my results in a written log and am now in a training mode for my 70’s that will enable me to be able to run well into my 80’s thanks to my resistance training program. What do you want to be able to do as you age? Strength training is THE foundation for healthy aging.
Endurance is being able to do an activity – any activity – over time without tiring and running out of fuel. Endurance is training for the heart and the cardiovascular system and enables us to be able to do more in our lives without tiring. Running is a key activity that I have engaged in since 1964 and has remained a cornerstone of my training program since then. I am doing 7 mile runs at a variety of speeds and currently have accumulated a body of work that has stretched over 70,000 miles. Since 2000 I have run 23,500 miles and I know these results because I have recorded each of my workouts in detail in a runner’s calendar and know where I have been, where I am in my training and where I am going. I want to be able to run a 6 minute mile on my 80th birthday in 2026 and current results say I will be able to do it – barring injury or illness. My book on healthy aging is simple but not easy. Pick what you love to do and keep doing it – and continue to learn more about yourself every day. Be a student of your own life and never stop learning!
Power comes from being able to retain “explosive” ability over time. Old people lose their power and never regain it because they may have known they had it in the first place. Power is both mental and physical. It resides in the mind as well as the body. Many forms of exercise help us retain our power from yoga to dance (yes dance) to tai chi – and of course weight training. I use several exercises in my own programming for this purpose – from pushups, dips, bench press, leg press, weighted ab work, lunges, squats and other exercises that allow me to retain the power in my body. My “mindfulness” work is embodied in my meditation and visualization (imagination) work that I am committed to doing daily. I also use sprint workouts in order to increase my anaerobic threshold which determines my ability to engage as many of my “fast twitch” muscle fibers as I can. So far I am doing 250 pushups, 1000 crunches, and running sub 6 minute miles while still bench pressing 250 lbs. for my “power set”. If I maintain these results over time I WILL retain my power as I enter my 70’s next year.
Most of us lose speed after we leave our 20’s. If we have struggles with health issues we most likely never thought of speed as a part of our lives. Injured joints, soft tissue damage and other debilitating issues will prevent us from ever being fast but it is still worth our time to try and improve our speed of movement. I love to run fast and I will always have this aspect of fitness in the front of my mind as I train my body in the future. I love sprint workouts and will most likely keep the track in my sights going forward. Right now running indoors suits me and I am making real strides in developing leg speed and maintaining a “rhythm” that I positively love. What will you do to address speed in your programming? Seek to rise to a higher level of achievement and see what happens to your confidence!
Agility is an elusive quality and many of us never really train for it because it is hard to simulate agility in a training program. Athletes must all have some form of agility or quickness to play their sports at the highest level so they routinely add agility drills to their off season programming. It takes effort and desire but can be a real asset to any training regimen. Seek out new ways of addressing this skill set and see how you might incorporate some agility training into your program and see what happens. Personal trainers and group fitness instructors can – and do – use agility training as a part of their instruction. I am thinking about this aspect of fitness as well and have not yet decided on a course for myself yet so I am still an “evolving athlete” too.
Balance is a key to becoming fit and implies not only physical balance but mental and emotional balance as well. Being balanced means that we can more easily respond to life’s challenges and roll with the punches as change enters our lives. Being physically capable of balancing our bodies is a worthy goal. Yoga is a great way to learn to balance the mind and body. The poses help you acquire a “sense of self” in space and time. I use yoga as a part of my stretching routine to “release” tension from my joints and muscles following my training. I find breathing exercises to be useful in calming me and balancing my mind with my heart and is also a soothing way to address stress in my life. Use basic principles of achieving balance in your life and you will go far and be healthy along the way.
#7. FlexibilityI saved flexibility for last because it captures for me the essence of health and fitness. Being flexible in our thinking and in our physical being is a reward for all our hard work. I am more open to change in my life than I ever thought possible. “Change is the only constant in the natural order” is one of the important lessons I learned from a favorite teacher over 30 years ago and only now am I finally beginning to truly understand this concept as change accelerates in my own life. “Feeling in control” of our lives is important but when we realize that what we love today may change in our lives tomorrow we become more adaptable and willing to change so that we can continue to grow and expand in consciousness. Life is bigger than we can imagine and if we become flexible in body we can save ourselves from injury and if we become flexible in our thinking we can become healthier – and happier – grateful for all that we have been given.
The seven keys to becoming – and staying fit are: Strength, endurance, power, speed, agility (quickness), balance and flexibility. Where do you fall short when it comes to your own fitness? Where do you feel you need to improve your training? What do you REALLY want to accomplish with your training? Looking good is fine but what do you want to DO with your training? I want to travel, water ski, play with my grandson and teach him to be active, empower and inspire audiences to make positive changes in their lives, write more books and articles on healthy aging and live a fulfilling and rewarding (and meaningful life). Time is precious so use it well and gain your freedom to be all you were meant to be!
Reprinted with permission from Nicholas Prukop.
Nicholas Prukop is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer & a Health Coach and fitness professional with over 25 years of experience. His passion for health and fitness comes from his boyhood in Hawaii, where he grew up a swimmer on Maui. He found his calling in writing his first book “Healthy Aging & You: Your Journey to Becoming Happy, Healthy & Fit” and since then he has dedicated himself to empowering, inspiring and enabling people of all ages to reach for the best that is within them and become who they are meant to be – happy, healthy and fit – and be a part of a world where each person can contribute their own unique gifts to life.
Technology really has changed our lives for the better – and for the worse. The implications of our emerging and overwhelmingly sedentary lifestyle are now only beginning to become apparent to us as we see the obesity crisis emerging as the first “real” medical and health emergency of our time. The long term consequences of this evolving – and expanding – process will be a challenge that we will ALL be affected by on some level in the years ahead. Diminished life expectancy and quality of life, the increasing numbers of people who will suffer from a wide variety of preventable chronic diseases, and finally, the premature loss of life WILL be significant if we can’t find a “way out” of this complex predicament.
Being physically active was always a part of our societal makeup in the first two hundred years of our history due to the nature of work and the lives we had to lead just trying to survive in a world without conveniences and support networks that eventually came into being in the second half of the 20th century. In the last twenty years of my lifetime, the world has turned into the “sitting of America”. What are the underlying problems we will be facing and how can we address them in order to effectively solve them? That is the question, isn’t it? The answers will emerge over time in the “dialogue” that WILL eventually occur among the parties that CAN help bring about permanent and positive change to people’s lives. Part of the answer lies with each of us in the fitness profession. We MUST define for ourselves how to “translate” what we love into “doable” solutions for those we train and teach. We have to become the change “we wish to see in the world” – one person at a time.
The world is complicated by different and opposing points of view. The “post Bush years” have shown us conflict and anger on levels never before seen in our political discourse. We now call it “gridlock” and throw up our hands at the very mention of healthcare and reform. The truth is that approximately 80 million people born into the “baby boomer” generation will be reaching 60 years of age (including my daughter who was born in 1971) in the two decades ahead.
I see the need to have community based “conversations” about the delivery of healthcare to people and how to make it affordable and accessible – and most importantly – understandable. I became a personal trainer in 1990 with my first client and during the period of 1988 to 2011 I did NOT have health insurance because I couldn’t afford it due to the nature of my uncertain and fluctuating income – AND the cost for coverage for those over forty.
I never made a “comfortable” living as a trainer because I was always struggling to build my client base, which as we all know, tends to expand and shrink depending upon a wide range of variables including the state of the economy (and jobs), people’s motivation to hire a trainer, personal finances, and other related challenges. I was in my mid forties by the time I transitioned to the fitness profession and was already “old” and a part of the higher risk age groups that tend to pay significant percentages of their income to cover their health insurance costs. I am NOT informed – even today – as to what I will do in the future regarding this issue even though I now have Medicare and a companion program through Blue Shield to help cover me in the event something unexpected happens to me. I am now covered by health insurance and relatively well informed on health and fitness issues and that still DOES NOT qualify me to be a primary resource for solving this problem. However, I WILL make it my business to be a “part of the solution” and this time I am counting on the fitness profession to NOT be an “afterthought” in the discussion! How does that sound to you? It will take, as Hilary Clinton said a while ago in one of her books, “a village” to tackle this massive challenge.
In my book, I describe (what I BELIEVE will work) a concept whereby we bring the “major players” to the table in order to “seize the moment” and save lives in the process. First, we ALL have to agree that it is NOT OK to just “let people die” because they lack health insurance. Second, we have to agree that prevention means MORE than “testing” for diseases and that learning to make better choices (and establishing new priorities) in our daily lives, becoming conscious of our challenges, and FINALLY taking responsibility for all of them is CRITICAL. Third, we have to understand the MAIN ISSUE to be handled WILL be about MONEY (and how to pay for medical services) and we will have to always remember that lives will be at stake with whatever we decide. Fourth, it will take a “cooperative effort” on all our parts – and compromise – among the major “players” (the insurance industry, medical profession, government at ALL levels, the pharmaceutical industry, business and corporate America, health related non-profit agencies, and finally, each of us in our own communities) to decide what it is we are going to do “to fix the system” so that it works for ALL of us – not just a few of us.
My health insurance program over the past 45 years has been my exercise, fitness, and running program – even when I was covered at work during my corporate years. In the intervening years from college to the present time, I have NEVER been in the “system” because I stayed healthy. I am the EXCEPTION – not the rule. What do we DO with all the aging people who aren’t like us – or me – when the time comes to treat them for “whatever ails them”? This is the BIG question we will be facing in the years ahead as we age and I AM betting on my approach with HEALTHY AGING as being one of the KEY components of the solution! Will YOU commit yourself to this journey with me today? NOW is the time and THIS is the place! We ARE the ones who truly CAN make a difference – and save lives in the process!
Reprinted with permission from Nicholas Prukop.
Nicholas Prukop is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer & a Health Coach and fitness professional with over 25 years of experience. His passion for health and fitness comes from his boyhood in Hawaii, where he grew up a swimmer on Maui. He found his calling in writing his first book “Healthy Aging & You: Your Journey to Becoming Happy, Healthy & Fit” and since then he has dedicated himself to empowering, inspiring and enabling people of all ages to reach for the best that is within them and become who they are meant to be – happy, healthy and fit – and be a part of a world where each person can contribute their own unique gifts to life.
I am a creature of habit. I have always struggled with change throughout my life. I fought it and rarely embraced it until I was forced to acknowledge I was on the wrong path and needed to make a change. In my personal life, I held onto my marriage long after it ended creating unnecessary pain and anguish for all of us. I have learned that to RESPOND to the changes in my life is a far less traumatic way to live than always REACTING to the “fluid” circumstances and uncertainties of life.
Comfort zones, habits, and fear – the “Big 3” of life’s impediments to lasting and positive change in our lives need to be embraced for what they are: “False Evidence Appearing Real” – FEAR. I see this today as I have seen it repeatedly over the past 2 decades with my clients. We seem to end up being FORCED to change our ways rather than willingly and knowingly taking the steps necessary to move us forward to a more fulfilling life. Let’s take a look at a model for change that has begun to work for me.
The principle behind change is that the universe is always in a state of flux. Nothing in this reality remains the same – especially as we age. One of my former teachers stated that “the only constant in the natural order is change” and yet we fight the changes in our lives and often label them “bad” or “good”. Even positive change brings new stresses into our lives – stresses that can fuel our creative “juices” and enable us and empower us to grow in ways that we could barely imagine. Being willing – and ready – to embrace change allows us to imagine with feeling what is possible. This can create new paths to a future that can embolden and encourage not only ourselves but others as well.
We all have to understand that we can’t control what is NOT ours to control and “let go” while embracing what it is that we DO have the power to influence. The next steps in my journey are being written RIGHT NOW as I type these words. The same holds true for each of us so let’s be BOLD and embrace change as a friend and see what can happen when we partner with change for a higher purpose.
Habits and comfort zones rely on each other to keep us from fulfilling our promise. I have lived for years with the notion that I didn’t possess the “right stuff” to leave a lasting mark on this world.
My daughter Lisa is a “big thinker” and strives for excellence in all aspects of her life even as she has had to struggle over the past three years with life’s inevitable challenges at a very crucial time in her life. I am proud to say that she is confident and hopeful and continues to trust her instincts making me feel very proud of her at this critical moment in time in her life. She has what I didn’t have at her age – an indomitable spirit that continues to believe in her own innate ability and talent. To her comfort zones are only “resting places” – not residences.
I have learned that my fears were of my own making and today I know that we can only improve our lot in life if we are willing to risk acting “in spite of our fears”. Remember that fear is nothing more than “false evidence appearing real” and our clients need that reassurance every day as they attempt to change something significant in their lives.
We need to KNOW deep inside ourselves that we indeed CAN make a difference and move our clients – and all those we want to serve – one step closer to their OWN new reality. May we each benefit from the changes that we are experiencing right NOW in our OWN lives so that we can help others achieve their own victories as well!
Article reprinted with permission from Nicholas Prukop.
Nicholas Prukop is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer & a Health Coach and fitness professional with over 25 years of experience. His passion for health and fitness comes from his boyhood in Hawaii, where he grew up a swimmer on Maui. He found his calling in writing his first book “Healthy Aging & You: Your Journey to Becoming Happy, Healthy & Fit” and since then he has dedicated himself to empowering, inspiring and enabling people of all ages to reach for the best that is within them and become who they are meant to be – happy, healthy and fit – and be a part of a world where each person can contribute their own unique gifts to life.
I have never stopped believing in the power of a vision that captures one’s imagination and fuels a deep seated passion to make a difference in life and leave legacy of contributions that is remembered long after we are gone. The idea of creating a vision that fuels my desire to live life fully forms the foundation for a life that is built on purpose and serves to open doors of opportunity for others as well.
In the context of aging healthfully we can draw from the idea that “pulling us forward’ is an inner desire to NOT live life on the “edges” but become completely engaged and energized by what it is that we do on both the professional and personal levels. I believe in the power of a vision that yields purpose and also creates a deep sense of responsibility and accountability to one’s goals. This idea of creating a vision is at the heart of how I view my life now. I have spent a lifetime making decisions about both personal and professional matters that were limiting and not empowering. When I finally created my vision I learned I had become committed to my purpose and felt free to live my dream without fear –or reservation.
Here is my vision as it is currently written: “Healthy aging is a consciousness issue. It is not merely the death of our cells but is a complex and dynamic process that is grounded in change as life unfolds for each of us. The challenge as I see it is discovering the potential that lies within each of us to become all that we were meant to be mentally, physically and spiritually. This potential can carry us to living lives of fulfillment, peace, and prosperity if we remain present during each moment of our lives – living consciously. Learning about who we are from the ‘inside –out’ while acting upon our choices in the present moment, enables and empowers us to live a life of great accomplishment. This is my vision of a world that is possible.” Implied in this statement of purpose is the idea that my health and my evolving needs as I grow in time are dependent on the present circumstances as I understand them.
Supporting this vision is what I call my ‘core beliefs’ that define WHO I am as a human being – and as a professional. Some of these beliefs are:
My values are clear. Without my health I can accomplish nothing in my life. This notion fuels my desire to train mentally, physically and spiritually each and every day in order to expand the borders of my consciousness and be of service in ever expanding ways.
I have lived in my “shell” a long time and now I feel the presence of growth in all areas of my life. These articles are helping me to clarify my message and become more than I ever dreamed possible. It is about time after all I have lived 66 years, right? The programs I develop around these ideas will form the nucleus of what it is I am here to do (including publishing my book – no excuses!). I am also going to be “pushing back” a bit against the increasing influence of technology in our lives because every moment we spend tweeting, texting, checking our iPhones and communicating constantly online pulls us away from the ‘moment’ – the present – and this is only point of power through which we can change our lives for the better.
The world is “attached” to technology now and we no longer acknowledge each other – we are just too busy! Make the time to meditate, imagine, feel, think and enjoy your life. If prayer works – pray by all means. Making time to take the “inner journey” everyday will make a world of difference in how you view and live your life – now and in the future. This work has paid off in spades for me. I am running faster and getting stronger everyday because I have taken the time to be with “me”. I have begun to prioritize my needs as they become apparent to me so that my life continues to move forward with meaning and purpose enabling me to be able to maximize the time I have left – whatever that turns out to be. (Remember the 6 minute mile on my 80th birthday?) Be strong and know that you have something unique in you that only you can give the world. Let your light shine and see what happens!
Article reprinted with permission from Nicholas Prukop.
Nicholas Prukop is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer & a Health Coach, a fitness professional with over 25 years of experience whose passion for health and fitness comes from his boyhood in Hawaii where he grew up a swimmer on Maui. He found his calling in writing his first book “Healthy Aging & You: Your Journey to Becoming Happy, Healthy & Fit” and since then he has dedicated himself to empowering, inspiring and enabling people of all ages to reach for the best that is within them and become who they are meant to be – happy, healthy and fit – and be a part of a world where each person can contribute their own unique gifts to life.
The most basic question each of us can ask about our future lives is this one: How do I want to be old? Now at 72 I can look back on my behavior, choices and priorities from my past and can see that I DID in fact value my life and the gift that it is to me in the present. My visit the week before my father’s death in 1983 from cancer had a great impact on my future choices moving forward. I was 37 at the time and looking back on my experience with him in the hospital I now realize that it was indeed a “wake up” call for me.
We all have moments like the one I am describing here in our lives that catch our attention. It is important to know that when we DO experience loss or change on a large scale that we become “active participants” in responding to the circumstances that are presented to us. We need to take action – positive action – in order to alter the course of our lives. It is through adjusting to the changes and challenges of life as we grow into maturity (and hopefully wisdom) that we can appreciate what we have been given.
Recently I read an account of a tragic story involving a Costa Mesa Fire Captain who was preparing for a triathlon he had entered. He was riding his bicycle on the sidewalk near his home training for the cycling phase of the competition when a driver in a van ran up on the sidewalk and struck and critically injured the captain. He was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for severe head – and brain – trauma but the doctors were unable to save his life and he died on the Monday following the Saturday incident. The driver of the van was found to be on a variety of drugs and had other prescription medicines in his vehicle. He was arrested at the scene and later charged with murder following the death of the fire captain. He left a lovely wife and three beautiful daughters behind.
The point of this tragic event is that it caught my attention when I saw a picture of his lovely wife and the three young daughters he left behind. This example of tragic loss serves as a reminder to me of how our lives can be altered in an INSTANT – permanently. I felt this loss deeply for some reason and even though I did not know the man I am feeling grateful for my OWN life today – and hopefully everyday. (Last night a mass shooting in 1000 Oaks took the lives of 12 students and wounded scores more – and so it goes on!).
I believe we live in the present to the degree that we respond to life’s events consciously – even if they are not specifically for us – and that healthy aging occurs in this moment. I thought I would share some of my thoughts with you on this important subject so that you might also appreciate YOUR life and your OWN journey in greater depth. It is through our own pain – and that of others – that we are allowed the opportunity to face our own mortality – and appreciate in greater measure the gift of our OWN life. The three principles of healthy aging that I will share with you – and practice – are physical, mental and spiritual. Let us NOT let a moment pass where life is rendered insignificant but instead recognized as precious and valuable.
CYCLING: I just completed a wonderful bike ride after getting the bike repaired following a silly minor accident yesterday that could have been totally prevented (lesson learned). It represents what I call the “endurance” phase of my training program. It covers both time and distance over a beautiful course and strengthens my heart and cardiovascular system for the years ahead. This part of my training is purely recreational and covers about two and a half hours of my training time per week. I look forward to riding my bike because I am not setting any particular goals other than to enjoy my time riding. I love just being on the trail and feeling the breeze in my face and seeing the beauty of nature as I ride by.
RUNNING: I have been a runner since 1964 and have accumulated over 65,000 miles over that span. It is the foundation from which I “grew older and not old”. It is as close to my heart as breathing itself and I am now focusing on increasing my speed while running between 5 and 7 miles 3 days a week. I am now able to average under 6:00 per mile pace for the distances I use and am doing so on a treadmill to save wear and tear going forward. Cycling has helped my running immensely and my legs are stronger as a result.
RESISTANCE TRAINING: I spend up to two and half hours total each week training on free weights and machines for both power and strength. I do 17 exercises and multiple sets per exercise twice a week. The strength I gain from this activity is priceless and if any of you wish to be able to function well as you are getting older this is the activity I would strongly recommend. The three phases of fitness training I do bring me joy and peace. I am strong, fast, adaptable and flexible and know that what I am doing in my 70’s will prepare me well for my 80’s!
CONSCIOUSNESS: I believe in the value of “being conscious” – that is “being present and aware” in any moment. Receiving input from your daily activities can help you to make conscious – and healthy – choices going forward. If you are constantly staring at your I Phone as I see so many doing these days then you are NOT present – and life is literally “passing you by”! Remember for consciousness to play a part in your life you have to take the time “to listen to your thoughts” and assess “where you are” at any point in time. It is an activity that requires your attention and can be easily accessed simply by “noticing” people and their behavior around you.
Smiling is a great way to “become present” because when you are smiling at someone – and thanking them – you are practicing “being in the present”. Acknowledging those around you is a good way to begin developing the mental skills and focus that will be required of you as you grow into your “older” self. I know this because it is the path I have chosen in my own life – and it works!
I refer here to the search for purpose and meaning in life and not a particular religious path or faith. My own spiritual training and practice began in 1985 and has continued to this day. It is a principled practice based upon the Science of Mind formulated by Ernest Holmes through his teachings and book (The Science of Mind) and it has guided my choices and development as a human being for the past 33 years. It has been a priceless and integral part of my life and each day I spend time in meditation and (affirmative) prayer work in order to listen for inner guidance and prepare for the times ahead.
This part of my life is the key to being “aware” of the gift of my life and is the reason I was able to be so touched by the captain’s death. I did not have this foundation when my father died in 1983 so now I am always aware everyday that my “life can indeed change in an instant”. I am not saying we have to obsess over the fear of something happening to us but I AM saying lets remember to be grateful in every moment of our day. This aspect of our life’s journey – the search for purpose and meaning (and our place in life) – is essential if we are to live a life of accomplishment and fulfillment. CHOOSE your OWN path wisely and if you choose NOT to, at least you will know that you made that choice and you will have to be accountable – and responsible – for it in the future!
In reflecting on the meaning of my life as a teacher, author and speaker, I have come to the conclusion that the reason I have arrived at this point in my life is that I made CONSCIOUS choices that supported the actions that led me to be able to share this knowledge with you today. In the words we choose to use, the thoughts we entertain, the beliefs systems that we embody, the choices that we make and finally the actions that we take, we are either preparing for a future of contribution and significant service – or we are not.
I encourage you today to “notice” something that gets you thinking about your own life today – and remember to appreciate all that you have been given today – and every day. Noticing the story of the firefighter’s death made me realize how blessed I am and with every step I take, every thought I think, every choice I make, and every action that results from this process, I am appreciating all that I have been given so that I might share what I have learned with you! Take the time today to reflect on what might occur in your own life and how you would respond to the events and changes that are occurring today. I know that a loving father’s family is thinking about this very thing in the aftermath of his tragic loss. BE WELL!
Originally posted on healthynewage.com. Reprinted with permission from Nicholas Prukop.
Nicholas Prukop is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer & a Health Coach, a fitness professional with over 25 years of experience whose passion for health and fitness comes from his boyhood in Hawaii where he grew up a swimmer on Maui. He found his calling in writing his first book “Healthy Aging & You: Your Journey to Becoming Happy, Healthy & Fit” and since then he has dedicated himself to empowering, inspiring and enabling people of all ages to reach for the best that is within them and become who they are meant to be – happy, healthy and fit – and be a part of a world where each person can contribute their own unique gifts to life.
In the fall of each year, as summer fades from our view, we often find ourselves having to work diligently to “restart” our fitness activities in preparation for the holidays – and the year to come. As the seasons change to shorter days and cooler weather becomes a reality, we have to “re-think” our fitness plans/goals and address the changes that are coming – thoughtfully and carefully – in order to ensure continued growth and results.
Being able to understand the “cycles” of life and how the changing seasons affect us is important in programming your fitness activities for the balance of the year. Success comes when we plan and evaluate again what it is we want to achieve with our fitness activities and then “re-set” our priorities to account not only for the change in the weather – but our lives as well.
I will share with you some tips on how you might maintain your momentum when it comes to fitness programming following the summer months of mostly fun activities that don’t fit the mold of “exercise”. Remembering exercise can be a form of “play” is important when transitioning to the fall and winter months that lie ahead. Let’s be creative and hopefully this article will spark a thought (or two) or maybe an idea that might help you move into the fall and winter months ready to continue challenging yourself – and not just “working out” – or “exercising”.
The key to transitions in life – as well as with fitness activities – is the thought that goes into planning the program. Very often, the mind conceives of an idea that captures what it is we REALLY want to get out of our fitness activities but the heart never gets fully engaged in the plan. We THINK our way to a new plan, but do we ever really FEEL our excitement about the plan (and its possibilities) as well? This question relates to having exercise BE FUN so that you return to it again and again.
I connect my mind (thoughts) to my heart (feelings) every day when I go into my “quiet time” – visualizing and then appreciating the training I have planned for the day. What is missing in my opinion – and the most common reason people quit on their fitness activities – is that they never connect the mind – which conceives the plan – to the heart – which “experiences” the plan. If you love what you are doing – you will do it for life – just as I have done with my running program over the past 52 years.
Technology is killing physical activity and squeezing out the present moment. I see this every day at my gym: people mindlessly peddling on a stationary bike, watching TV, looking at their phones and completely disregarding the activity – and the moment. No wonder people are bored – and quit – they are not present and have no way of knowing if what they are doing is in any way fun – or useful to their purpose (if they have one in mind at all). Smart phones DO NOT need to be in the gym or constantly with us. Taking a break while we exercise is a GOOD thing. This is a time for you to enjoy and promote your own well being. Let’s release the stresses of life for even a few minutes – and learn something new about ourselves in the process!
You should connect your mind to your body BEFORE starting your training session so that you can enjoy what you have chosen to do. This inexactly what I do. This way, I first “see” with my mind’s eye and then experience it in my imagination before I even get to the gym to train. When the “hard” days come – and they will – (especially when you have been away from planned fitness activities for a while), you need your heart and mind to communicate regularly with each other to ensure success with your plan.
When I say everything in life starts with a thought and gets carried out into the world through the feeling side of our nature, I am saying that life is constantly communicating through our senses – thought, feelings, and intuition. With thoughts and feelings working together in harmony, you will not have to make excuses or have any regrets later because you are totally committed to your purpose. This is true personal power.
In order to be successful in executing your plan you must engage your WHOLE being in order to maximize your results. This is HOW you get through the fall and winter months – by preparing in advance with purpose – and setting goals you really want to achieve. In enjoying the journey – and learning more about yourself in the process – you can rest in the knowledge that your life works! This sounds pretty great to me!
The issue of adherence is being answered today through technological advances that help you track your progress and also assist you in managing your behavior. By this I mean there are innumerable devices on the market that will tell you how well you have done, whether you have met your goals and also show you what you can do to improve your results. The problem as I see it is that you are still accountable and responsible for your results regardless of how much you use technology to keep you “on track”. How much fun is that?
I solved the problem of adherence early in my life by falling in love with being active as a child and then finding new ways to engage my body – and mind – as I got older. I later came to believe in recording my sessions in writing and this behavior allowed me to learn even more about my own capabilities – and potential – in the process. I found a method for staying on track naturally that worked for me and today I have complete running records dating back to 1979. I know what I have done, what I am capable of doing – and am able to set goals going forward that are based upon my results from my past and current work.
Looking back through my running records I can learn a great deal about my current capabilities based upon the goals I have accomplished. This knowledge gives me the opportunity to set my course for the coming year – and define what I want to achieve going forward. (Run a 6 minute mile on my 80th birthday for example?) It is in the process of envisioning your goals – and experiencing the results before they occur (in your mind) – that you will succeed – enabling and empowering yourself as you move toward success. Remember that everything in life – as well as fitness programming – starts in your imagination first and then gets revealed in the “real” world through your choices and activities.
Always start with what you enjoy doing most and then add additional activities as you go. Change is inevitable and if you embrace it willingly – and allow yourself the opportunity to make new choices – you will grow in confidence and commitment to your purpose. If what you are doing seems natural and fun to you – keep going and enjoy it! If not, make minor adjustments at first – and then if necessary – more significant changes later. Nothing ventured, nothing gained is the rule here.
The internet has many options and “meet ups” are a good way to go. There are groups for running, cycling, walking, hiking, swimming, sports related activities such as volleyball and handball or racquetball – and any interest you can imagine. Meet ups are pretty much everywhere and if not you can start your own meet up group right where you are – from workplace relationships to volunteer activities to church activities – whatever suits you.
If you find people who have a common interest in what you would like to do, the group will “keep you on track” while you share, learn and build new friendships as you accomplish your goals together. Team sports – which is another way to go – (softball, basketball, etc.) can also keep you motivated and interested in your physical wellbeing by holding you accountable to a group that needs you to participate to be successful (bowling, swimming meets, road races etc…) Going through the “tough” months on your own can be challenging, so finding support with other people who care as you do is always a great strategy.
The gym setting can be challenging because you are on your own most of the time (unless you hire a trainer). The times where you can interact with others and form mutually supportive bonds with other like-minded individuals is through group exercise programs (there are many options) such as aerobic or yoga classes. Each method has value and both can be lots of fun while you learn what suits you as an individual. These and other group activities are very popular because they bring people together – enabling you to learn and share your journey together (yoga classes are particularly powerful in this way).
In the summer of 1982 when I joined Nautilus Plus after my wife left me, I went to as many as five aerobic classes a week because they were fun, challenging, and the music and moves helped me forget my pain for a while. I eventually went back to running but I never forgot the great help I received by participating in those classes. The instructors were young, enthusiastic, talented and absolutely LOVED teaching the classes. All in all it was a very positive and supportive experience that helped me get through a rough summer of questioning and uncertainty.
Originally posted on healthynewage.com. Reprinted with permission from Nicholas Prukop.
Nicholas Prukop is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer & a Health Coach, a fitness professional with over 25 years of experience whose passion for health and fitness comes from his boyhood in Hawaii where he grew up a swimmer on Maui. He found his calling in writing his first book “Healthy Aging & You: Your Journey to Becoming Happy, Healthy & Fit” and since then he has dedicated himself to empowering, inspiring and enabling people of all ages to reach for the best that is within them and become who they are meant to be – happy, healthy and fit – and be a part of a world where each person can contribute their own unique gifts to life.