Fitness - How to Develop the Attitude
During a catalogue search at my local library, I came across this title: "Fitness without Exercise - The Scientifically Proven Strategy for Achieving Maximum Health with Minimum Effort." This book by Bryant Stamford and Porter Shimer really misses the point. After all, fitness is more of an attitude than a destination.
I found another title for a book that is a better concept and is one with which I completely agree. "Walking: the Pleasure Exercise," a book by Mort Malkin. Actually, during my research at the library, more than 20 per cent of the items had *walking* in their titles when I used *fitness* as the search-word. Makes sense, doesn't it?
Walking is naturally one of the best places to start creating a Fitness Attitude. For one thing, it gets you outdoors, and that's good for the fitness of your head! In addition, it uses all the large muscles in your body, it's low-impact, and it doesn't require any special equipment. It is something you are already expert at doing, and your body is perfectly designed for it. Hooray! You've got an awesome place to begin on your way to having a Fitness Attitude: Go for a walk every day.
Now, I'm going to make a confession. Even though I place a high value on health and nutrition and fitness in general, I sometimes have to really make an effort to get out the door with my walking shoes on. Today, for example, it was rainy and cold. I had a back-log of emails to answer, and had eaten a heavy lunch. It would have been really easy to make a very good case for staying indoors by the woodstove with my computer screen glowing away.
At a time like this, momentum helps. I feel weird when I have to miss my daily walk because over time it's become a part of my life. It easier to walk consistently when you make it a routine, or you have a ritual to help you get out the door. A routine will also to carry you along. Decide on a length of time for your walk, rather than setting a distance. Then, go! Some routes will become your standards, and then you won't have to plan - which is one of the benefits of a routine. Used appropriately, routines free your thoughts, so you can contemplate topics more interesting than whether to make a right or left turn at the corner.
Good for you, if you use a treadmill, gym, or other walking strategy such as mall walks. Still, if you can possibly make arrangements, spend at least some of your walking time outside. Time in the open air is part of fitness as an attitude.
Which brings up the question of food as it relates to the attitude of fitness. Generally, when you are eating foods that have a good natural basis, (like salads that aren't drowning in some oily vinegar dressing, or a vegetable stir- fry that isn't heavily glazed with high-sugar sauce), you don't crave garbage non-foods like my personal favorite: red licorice. Still, the packaging of 'snack foods' and the ease and portability they afford in our frenetically paced culture means that sometimes, you're going to eat junk. Once you've established your Fitness Attitude, though, processed 'foods' stop being a staple in your diet, and that's a better fit.
As you put attention on fitness, your life will soon include the pleasure of walking daily and a natural hunger for whole foods that are nourishing to you. A Fitness Attitude isn't complicated, and you'll feel better. You simply will.
Helen Norse has written on a range of health and fitness topics. She is contributing author to Health First News, the best on-line health information resource. Be sure to refer to all Helen's articles at: http://www.healthf.com/
Related Articles:
Fit For Life - A No Nonsense Look At Fitness
Now, more than ever, becoming fit for life should be your mantra. Obesity is becoming more and more a problem. According to the F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America (2005) report, about 119 million Americans, or 64.5% of adult Americans are either overweight or obese. Consequently, a rise in obesity-related diseases such as type II diabetes, breast and colon cancer, gall bladder surgery and cardiovascular diseases has been seen. So do you really want to be come an obesity statistic or would you rather take that step now to be fit for life?
Effective Natural Bodybuilding for Fitness and Health
It is very important to keep your body fit nowadays. More and more people are suffering from different medical conditions because they don?t get the right amount of exercise. This is why you must undergo a natural bodybuilding regimen to develop your body muscles.
What The Heck Is The Fat Flush Fitness Plan?
If you haven?t previously heard about the Fat Flush Fitness Plan you?ve been missing out on a potential weight loss program that has been very beneficial to many. But first let?s explained what it is.
Workplace Fitness: Tongue-In-Cheek
According to the Oxford Dictionary of Current English, to speak with one's tongue in one's cheek is to speak insincerely or ironically. This phrase dates back to 1748 when it was cool to show disdain or disrespect for someone by putting your tongue inside your cheek to make it stick out.
AtHomeFitness.Net : Your Source for Premium Discount Fitness Equipment, Now Online
In addition to their local Arizona stores, At Home Fitness recently created their online sales presence at AtHomeFitness.net.
A Fun, Lucrative And Healthy Job ? Fitness Instructor
A fitness instructor is a hot job lately. It?s even been showcased in a TV reality show where a fitness instructor has this outstanding life, working out with her celebrity clients. The show really shows you about the lifestyle of fitness instructors and how dynamic and challenging the job can be. Have you ever thought about becoming a fitness instructor and living that kind of life? It sounds not only healthful to your body, but also seems fun and lucrative.
Kick-Starting Your Progress-Fitness
Experiment with new exercises and activities to keep your body and brain stimulated and avoid reaching a training plateau. For one week at the gym, do not allow yourself to use the machines that you normally use. Using different machines will provide a new challenge and you will feel bits working that you never knew you had.
Physical Fitness Flexibility Training
Becoming flexible involves maximizing your range of motion and stability. Flexibility training helps to increase blood flow and it also reduces the risk of potential injuries. There are three traditional stretching exercises that will help improve flexibility: static, dynamic, and isometric/PNF. These techniques should be incorporated into your workout routine.
The Interconnection Between Bodybuilding And Fitness
Enthusiasts of bodybuilding know of the hard work that is required to achieve and maintain the sculpted bodies for which they aspire. A regimented diet is certainly a large component of bodybuilding ? cutting fat and focusing on lean protein to feed the muscles of the body and maximize nutrition. But when it comes to achieving the ideal look that most bodybuilders are after, the connection between bodybuilding and fitness is undeniable.
New Fitness Equipment at Wholesale Prices at Thefitnessequipmentstore.com/63937
Thefitnessequipmentstore.com offers new fitness equipment at wholesale prices. The website offers warehouse-direct treadmills, ellipitcals, upright/recumbent bikes, multi-gyms, and more.
How To Get Six-Pack Abs - The Pinnacle Of Physical Fitness
Representing, as they seem to, the pinnacle of physical fitness and muscularity in men, there is really little wonder that most men profess to want six-pack abs. Yet, despite this widespread desire, very few men actually succeed in reaching this goal.
Fitness Together Muscles up Global Franchise Strengthens Placement in Top Franchises Rankings
Fitness Together, the world's largest personal training organization, has moved up in Entrepreneur magazine's three Top Franchises rankings. The announcement was made by company CEO Rick Sikorski.
Fitness Together moved up in the "Franchise 500" ranking. The company weighs in at #77 for 2007, compared to #118 in 2006. In the "Top Global Franchises" category for 2007, Fitness Together was ranked #72. In 2006, it ranked #96. Lastly, the international fitness franchise was ranked #41 in the "Fastest Growing Franchises" category. Last year, it placed at #52.
New Online Forum Helps People Work Together to Achieve Their Health, Fitness and Weight Loss Goals
Jump4Health Inc., the most trusted name in mini-trampoline exercise, fitness and education, has formally launched a community forum to help people connect with others to achieve their health, fitness and weight loss goals.
Rider Fitness - Targeted for Equestrians
What you can do to become a better and more efficient riderPart #1 - Cardiovascular FitnessThere are many things each of us can do on a regular basis to improve our riding and better our horses. You do not need a lot of equipment or expensive gym memberships, you simply need a few minutes every other day.
2-Minute Fitness
Why would I want to write about yet another fitness program? There are so many out there. There is no escape from fitness programs whether you watch TV or read a magazine or newspaper.