Motivate Me

Motivate Me

Phoenix age 7

I am often times in discussions where motivation is the subject matter. At the root of all these meetings there is always the perennial question; how do I get more?

 How do I become more productive?

 How do I become more effective? 

How do I become more passionate?  

I am motivated

There are Techniques used to get people inspired and in my opinion some of the most effective methods are created by the advertising industry.   The television is a fantastic medium to study the art of getting people inspired to take action; buy.

an empty nets is not always a bad thing

When dealing with motivation every new and better way requires a back story.  We must look at where we have been before we can understand where we are.   By understanding our history and current position we are better prepared to discern what we do and do not want in our life.   The single most important aspect of making change and becoming motivated is to know what we want.

i want the

ball here

Common methods used to motivate:

Problem/ Solution:

·       Soap commercials are perfect examples of the effectiveness in successfully designed triggers that stimulate positive change. The tee up to every pitch is focusing on an undesirable situation; stains and dirt.    Carpet, dishes, teeth, clothes, pets, cars, driveway, decks, sidewalks, walls, gutters, hair and body are all worthy and deserving of being cleaner and the soap manufactures have an easy solution to every problem.

Imagery

·         The weight loss and fitness industry is famous for its use of sexy fit models.  Beautiful images eliminate the need for words and subconsciously we desire and imagine ourselves morphing into the same beautiful presenter.

The Ball Player

  

The personal presentation

·         Speaking directly to the issue at hand and making a presentation that stimulates both rational and emotional movement.  

The Negative Close

·         Examining all the negatives in our life. This is an effective method because it is often times easier to see what we don’t want than it is to know what we do want.

A special meal

      Short term rewards

·         Setting immediate short term goals is also a proven method of keeping sight of one’s mission such as planning a getaway, buying a smaller size garment, or some other personal reward.

Retro reminders

·         This is when we have an article of clothing or picture of a period in our life that we do not want to return to such as the huge trousers we once fit in or a photo depicting our obesity.

No matter what method we choose to use, one or all; they are all effective if we want them to be.

an inner self

The secret to true long lasting motivation

The real secret to staying motivated when personal growth, health and fitness are concerned is to stop looking for reasons why and start living the dream.  It is the journey to self awareness that makes life interesting, challenging and an adventure.   The process of discovery and exploration of what we truly believe cannot be accomplished in a day, a week or even a year.   

The process of understanding what I am willing to eliminate from my life and what I am willing to accept as a normal part of my daily living is discovered while traveling a long and winding road of trial and error.   I have been on a journey to self actualization since the early 1990’s and I am still uncovering truths that lie deep within my psychic. 

I am not willing to give up pasta

There are cookie cutter weight control systems available; they require exercise and a prescribed menu. Some of the food choices are packets of prepared food, others are powders and some are just normal balanced meal plans that eliminate one or more food groups.  I say whatever floats your boat; if it gives you the results you want is healthy and effective, go for it. 

My refusal to sacrifice many of the foods I know I should or could makes controlling my weight more work but hey, I like to have my cake and eat too;  Let’s get motivated!

ice cream birthday cake yum yum

Go have some fun,

Geo

il fallimento è un mito

Maestro

Bali Cremation

A Maestro is a Master, a composer, a conductor, a teacher an individual who is directing the transition of transformation.  

constriction diet

Over the course of my weight control experiments I have not always been my best director and have tried some fairly off beat approaches to compose the right composition to reach my conclusion.  A few examples of failed scripts would be

·         The cookie diet:  I thought this would be great, the biscuits came in 3 flavors and my choice was dark chocolate.  I could eat them while I worked as an outside salesman and did not need to stop for lunch.  I tried this for a month; got constipated and gained 5lb/2kg.

·         The Chocolate shake diet:  I liked this one, all I needed to do was carry a few cans of chocolate shakes in a cooler and pop a tab a few times a day. They were offered in several flavors and had a long shelf life unfortunately after trying to follow that meal plan for a month, I gained weight.

·         The Baby Raw Carrot Diet:  I don’t think I will ever forget the day I tried the baby carrot diet.  I kept a small bag of carrots next to me and throughout the day I munched on small orange sticks, by the time I returned  home I had consumed 2 bags of the little lances; I was bloated, and had the most severe chest pain I had ever known; I thought I was going to die.  After a few orange stools, and forced regurgitation I was off the carrot diet.

The truth is all of the above diets are able to provide success stories, and I believe that any diet works if the participant is willing to follow the plan the way it is composed.  In all of my failed attempts there is one common denominator; I tried.

they know who they are

I am vs. I’ll try

History is proving that whenever I enjoy success it is because I start whatever project it is that I want to see completed by saying, I am.

·         I am going to build a drainage system; never done it; did it.

·         I am going to refinish the bamboo furniture; never done it; did it   

·         I am going to drop 110lb/50kg and keep it off, never done it; and I am doing it.

New Adventures

The mind set of “I’ll try”

·         Diplomacy:   Often time I am invited to a social engagement that I have no interest in and commit with an “I’ll try” which of course means don’t plan on seeing me.

·         Medical:   Medicine is not an exact science consequently when I’m ill I find myself saying:  “I’ll try” and sometimes it works.

·         Training:   I am often times trying new ways to tweak my physical training and try new methods in the process.

Whenever I use the word try I am prepared for failure and do not expect to see a definitive conclusion.

I am a dancer

The mind set of “I AM” equates to a soulful commitment.  When I say; “I Am”, I am making a promise to myself and I am defining who I am, and what I am made of.   When I make a commitment, I am going to do everything possible to see, that I do what I say, I am going to do.

everyone is unique

We are all our own directors and Maestros and teachers.  The script we follow is a direct result of our own composition and the choice of notes and music we choose to create is a personal preference.

There is truly is no reason to be defeated in the journey to ultimate health and fitness. With every trial there is error and with every commitment there is success. At the end of the day life is a big hoagie sandwich with a large variety of flavors waiting to be sampled, compiled and devoured.

Go have some fun,

three amigos

Geo

ik ben

The Whole of Our Being

All roads are not the same

Back in the 90’s there was a motivational speaker who’s sales pitch started with his sad story of being broke, over weight and out of hope. The other day I read an article about a personal trainer, who is making himself fat.  He wants to know what it is to be overweight and better understand what fat people go through while dieting.  There was a bodybuilder on an infomercial selling an Ab Buster, who was involved in an auto accident, got fat, and depressed before he dropped his weight and created his miracle machine.   Then there are the maternity gurus, woman who gained weight during pregnancy and now coach everyone on how to drop weight.   I am not invalidating any of these people or their accomplishments.  If a person is able to make the transition from being fat, overweight and out of shape to fit and healthy that is wonderful and deserving of bragging rights.

success

My issue is with fat coaches and diet promoters who believe all fat peoples bodies respond the same way.  It is not true, everyone is different and people who have been in the battle of the bulge for more than 7 years will drop weight considerably different than people who have been fat for 12 months or less. Why? Metabolism; the long term fat persons metabolism is slower than of others.

Four life bodies:

·         Energetic body:  Projects our aura and allows us to sense objects without touching.

·         Physical Body: The shell that is us and what we see in the mirror

·         Memory body:  The foot prints in the sand that is our life.

·         Emotional Body: Our feeling self; mood.

There is more to dropping weight than burning more calories than we eat.  Everyone is unique and we have to address the whole of our self if we are going to make lasting change.   

wake up and start moving

The memory body and the physical body play a great roll in the effectiveness of a weight reduction program.  If we have been fat for a short term our memory body remembers what it was like to be thin and will kick start the metabolism to return to that state of being where as if it has been a long time since the body was thin the memory may not remember what it is to be thin and the process then becomes more of a conditioning process.  It is the same as two people returning home, where one has been away for a week and the other for 10 yrs. They both know how to return but remembering how requires more effort from the one who has been away for the longer time.

140kg/308lb

The Metabolism is what makes us burn fat and drop weight; the speed in which it burns energy directly affects the results of our efforts.  

Taking control of the metabolism:

·         Feed it: eat small and eat often; every 3 to 4 hrs. Food is fuel if the body has fuel it will burn fat. Eat the right fuel such as whole grains, fruits, beans, herbs, and spices. Healthy fats such as olive oil, soybean, nuts and seeds. White meat, fish, lean proteins help build muscles and drink water.

·         Train it: change up the pace while exercising rather than doing a long 30 minute stretch do 7 minutes, speed up for 90 seconds then return for 15 minutes and repeat the process or do split trainings 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening. Changing the heart rate has great long term effects on speeding the metabolism.

 

·         Condition it: Finally once the weight is off keep it off for at least seven years; studies have suggested that after conditioning the metabolism for seven years it works on auto pilot.

Tempura with miso soup

I am not a fan of any type of deprivation based weight control program.  I believe we are all unique and special with our own stories and motivations.  Making the choice to take control of the way we live by being responsible in our behavior and accountable for the results of our efforts is empowering and one of the greatest benefits of a successful weight control system.

Go have some fun,

Geo

Wir können besser mit dem Alter

The Identity Crisis of Water

With the mixed messages we receive on the dangers and benefits of water I am beginning to think that it suffers from an identity crisis.   On one hand we are raised to fear it and on the other we are constantly told to use it.  I’ve lost count of all the times I was told, I was going to get sick if I did not get out of the water, to not swim alone, to cover up, to take an umbrella, to stay away from water.  Then I was continually badgered to use water; wash my hands, wash behind my ears, brush my teeth and flush the toilet.  Then in school it was romanticized with stories of the fountain of youth, exploring and discovering new worlds. 

Our perception of water has been programmed in two mental spheres the emotional and the rational. In my opinion the amount of water a person enjoys could be a direct result of which sphere enjoys the most control over our behavior. 

cousins popee and dax

When I first arrived in south East Asia I celebrated my 40^th birthday on a small island called Gili Trawangan, east of Lombok Indonesia.  I remember one of my first conversations about the Indonesian language; I was soaking some rays on a powder white beach, watching the crystal clear waves roll to shore when an acquaintance looked over to me and said:” the Indonesians have a great word for water:” air.”  

It was one of those “hmm” moments innocuous yet with the potential for complex thinking, and deeper meaning.   

sun tea

Reasons to drink water:

Weight Control:  I went on a diet one of the 1^st things I was told to do was drink water. It was explained to me that water was the easiest and fastest way to flush fat from my system.  Water suppresses apatite and has no calories.

More Efficient training:  water controls the body’s temperature and feeds the muscles while we train stimulating better performance and reducing fatigue.

Protects the Kidneys:  drinking plenty of water dilutes the salts and minerals that urine could turn into solids, preventing the development of a kidney stone

Clearer Thinking:  More than 80% of the brain is water, so it stands to reason that keeping the brain fueled helps with its functions such as concentration, memory, and alertness.

Rejuvenates skin:  The largest organ is skin and it likes water.  Keeping our skin hydrated helps with its elasticity, color, health and regeneration.

Regulates the Bowels:  Healthy menus have plenty of fiber, fiber and water are the winning combination in stimulating an efficient bowl system typically constipation is the result of insufficient water intake.

Pain free living:  Staying hydrated keeps the muscles and joints lubricated, the muscles are more efficient, grow stronger and reduce the risk of cramps and sprains.  Drinking water helps relieve the pain from headaches and back pain.

Affects our Mood: being properly hydrated keeps the body firing on all its cylinders, the more efficient  our body functions, the  less fatigue and stress is directed to our vital organs, the heart pumps better, blood flows more easily, we experience less pain and the brain feels happy.

Water is Life:  water is to our body as it is to the planet; a majority of our physical being.  We can survive much longer without whole foods then we can without water.  Water is a natural medicine.

I have never been very rational when it concerns water, I ignored the warnings to get out of the rain, carry an umbrella or swimming alone. Subconsciously I am drawn to water it floats my boat and is anchored in my emotional sphere; I live on an island.

Nic in the front garden

Feeling the grass between my toes; enjoy the fragrance of flowers or going for a swim are all ways I enjoy the benefits of water.  I also like to fill a glass with a few frozen cubes of the wonder fluid and top it off with a splash of whiskey. It’s all good and it is all about “air”

South island NZ

Go have some fun,

Geo


air adalah udara dan udara adalah air  
indonesian

Melancholy Drift

Brothers

 “It’s spring like here about 70 in day time, still have that suspension that winter could still happen though. It’s been a mild winter but it never seems short any more. I think of beaches in Ko Samui, St. Thomas, Cozumel, Bali, and Florida, all the ones I have had the pleasure to lie on and think of palm trees lately. I feel that winter’s here are too long or that maybe I am too old for enjoyment of the white stuff anymore. I hope this feeling of melancholy drifts away, like days of my life just floating like a single white cloud in the azure Colorado skies, from one horizon to the other. Out of the funk must come my thoughts of melancholy drift “

By: DDW.

HMMM

Moods

I am not the type of person that puts credence in what others think or say about me but I do value my own opinion.  History has proven that I would not be where I am or dare to do the things I do if it were not for the fact that I regularly tell myself;  I am special, I am able and I can do whatever I set my mind to doing. 

7 certificates in 12 months

Last week I realized that my sense of purpose has been off kilter.  I have been in a mood, some may call it stressed others may call it depressed; a rose is a rose by any other name.  Living life in a mood is similar to being a robot; going through the motions without any feeling.

Moods have physical consequences, a stress Harmon called Cortisol accumulates and is released which slows the metabolism and makes weight control more complicated.  Fright and flight causes the impulses to binge eat and drink; another road block to weight control.  Depression makes the routine of training seem unimportant and just a chore to get through which reduces the effectiveness of daily training.

The doughnut or the hole

On any given day, there are dozens of reason to be stressed, depressed or in a mood; the option is a personal choice.  What I choose to focus on is what determines my mood; am I only seeing what I need to do, have not done and my failings or am I appreciating what I have accomplished and making rational assessments of my progress?

The Tiger syndrome

decline push up

Anything short of a Victory is failing when I am being affected by the Tiger syndrome.   Tiger Woods places in the money time after time but the sports reporters only focus on the number of days and tournaments since his last victory.  I get in a mood because I don’t drop the weight I anticipate or my fat belly does not shrink the way I want.  I completely invalidate my overall progress because I am not getting what I want from the work I am putting in.  The Tiger syndrome is a sickness that eliminates the joy of all the small victories.

I did it

Steps to breaking a Mood

The single most important factor in breaking a mood is recognizing that I am in one and secondly accepting that it is a choice to be happy or sad, relaxed or stressed.

From a health and fitness stand point doing a physical assessment puts my progress in perspective which leads me back to a healthy attitude and lifestyle.

push up with the ball

A simple test includes:

·         Blood pressure: rested

·         Pulse after exertion: squats

·         Flexibility: toe touches or back bends

·         Lower back strength: Sit ups

·         Upper body strength: Pushups or pull ups

·         Balance: one legged stand

·         Endurance: how long can I go

standard push up

I can honestly say that when I was 19 years old I could not do the number of pushups or pull ups that I do today.  When I was 30 years old I did not have the stamina or the ability to match the number of sit ups  I can today.  I am 56 years old later this month; I can bench press my own body weight, deprive myself of sleep for 24 hours without fatigue, and train 6 days a week. 

Attitude of gratitude

It is true that physically I am not where I want to be and I anticipate the day that I will be.  As a fat man in paradise it is good medicine to remember where I was before.   I am special, I am able and I can do whatever I set my mind to do.  

Go have some fun,

Geo

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