Sex is a great way to start the day, as is any form of exercise. Unlike the former, which is by far one of the most invigorating ways to burn calories(on average, 30 minutes takes off toasted hot dog bun) most regular forms of exercise such as push-ups or other areas along those lines are generally seen as tedious, which makes them difficult to sustain for the long term while building repetition and muscle tone.
In my opinion, the reason why most would be healthy people fail in their quest is because of the too much too fast mentality, which is that initial drive people have of "alright, this is it, I'm going to do it for real this time! This easily fades for most of us and burn-out occurs which leads us back to that mediocrity which got us here in the first place. So, it's in the interest of promoting what I view as a positive approach to a long term goal that I would suggest a different approach, which is designed to help keep yourself or your friends and loved ones on a healthy track to success while not getting "burned-out" along the way.
In the beginning, you'll want to start out slowly at first, and when it starts to get boring or difficult, just quit for the day. Overtime a lengthy workout can be beneficial, but at first, I've discovered that it's very important never to put the concept of working out in a "tedious" category which can occur when someone tries to do too much too fast. So I'd say do whatever you must to keep in fun and when you're starting out, keep it short. If you can begin thinking of working out as a great part of your day, then who's to stop you from getting in shape and feeling much better over time?
For those really seeking a healthier way to live, a great deal of change can occur with food choices, whether you're on a budget or not. For those with a little more free cash on hand, try substituting Pomegranate juice for Coffee in the morning. At first, this may result in headaches(for the truly coffee addicted), but these headaches will only reinforce how dangerous caffeine is, and the energy you receive from the Pomegranate will greatly enhance your feeling of well-being(take it from a former caffeine addict). When I learned the reason why caffeine works, it turned me off from it right away. When caffeine enters the body, it reached the liver, which upon receiving stimulation, panics and sends endrophins to the brain which responds by working overtime and stimulating the body with excess energy as it reacts to a perceived "emergency" situation(from the New England Journal of Medicine, 2002). How is this healthy? Why is not more widely known I wondered. Well, coffee is a multi-billion dollar industry, and then you think about it, the answer is clear.
There are still many options for coffee lovers like us out there, though! For those on a budget, I would recommend trying De-caf and just making it a point to stick with it. As a singer, this was a professional choice I eventually just had to make as caffeine will dry out my throat. In a competitive city like LA, well I just can't afford to put myself in second place with all the talent out here. With the great taste of coffee and a good wake-up routine in place, I was gradually able to get by soley on this, with no need for caffeine(though I make it easier on myself with Hazelnut Creamer and sugar substitute). For those with weight loss tied to coffee in mind, choosing De-Caf over regular will still keep that laxative effect we all enjoy without damaging you liver or wrecking havoc on your nerves. Taking it slow it good advice, and I wouldn't endorse it if I didn't follow it myself.
Helping a parent or friend workout can be a bonding experience as well. Be polite about it though, and always be friendly. Never make the person you're attempting to help feel bad about their choices which put them in an unhealthy situation as it's very possible they're only excercising their own freedom of choice to live the sort of life they want to, which is fine. Actually, if this last part is true then it only makes getting in shape easier. While they are doing some light running, pushups or any other form of excercise, they're probably going to be easily disappointed as they're trying something completely different from their normal routine, and understandably so. Why then shouldn't we, the interested make every effort possible to surround them with however much we can that they, or we enjoy as they begin a courageous journey towards better health? Why not find out what their favorite music is and put in a cd or I-Pod for them, or buy them the best tasting/healthiest subsitute for something unhealthy that they adore which still contains as much of what they like as possible with the smallest amount of healthy ingredients? This will gradually ween someone away from an unhealthy lifestyle without going too far too fast which as most health experts would agree, is the #1 chief reason why diets and excercise aren't followed thoroughly over time. In the end though, your friend or family member will always be grateful for what you've done for them provided you do it love and respect, for anything like when handled incorrectly will make someone retreat from a positive situation and will reinforce the comfort which comes from a 'known' set of circumstances, such as junk food, tv, etc.
Just a few thoughts, because when I see people in Hollywood walking around on their third energy drinks just to have a normal levelling for their day or those who don't think they can eat healthy on a budget, well to be honest, it bothers me a lot because I can't help but care. Have you ever, for instance tried shopping for food at the Giant Dollar Store? Not only do they have a four pack of Chicken Breasts(highest protein with the least fat of any meat) for 1.70! In a regular store like Ralph's, Kroger's, Vons or Trader Joe's this would cost you a minimum of 7.00. It's true and it's important that people understand how simple it is. While canned fruit may not be the most healthy way to get your 5-6 servings a day, it's still better than fruit snacks, and a rate of 2 for 1.00 with each serving costing $00.25, well who would argue? Of couse, if money wasn't a problem I'd be among the first to hit Whole Foods, but that all comes later. The point is, I feel great, and it wasn't so hard to get here.
Little by little, day by day, I managed to turn myself from a half-pack a day smoker, frequent drinker, and someone who complained about never having enough time for exercise into a smoke free, extremely healthy occasional drinker of good wine(with all the money I've saved from non-smoking), and a daily exerciser and work-out enthusiast. I feel great and so can you but I didn't always and I had no understanding of why this was.
I've been able to accomplish better health by not taking on too much too soon and not making too big of a deal about it(as this will make one too aware of the difficulty of their goals), and not telling too many people what I what I was doing as I did it(for the same reason as before, and plus, praise can distract one from their goals). The point is this, you can do it, and there's no reason to believe you cannot. Just take it slow, have fun with it, and keep your mouth shut about your actions. After a week or two, when you think of the old ways, you may ask yourself why you would want to sabotage all the good work you've already done, and this may be all you need to stick with it full time. Keep it to yourself though, as nothing is more fun than just showing up somewhere people haven't seen you in a while and looking great better than you have in a long time. Trust me on this folks, I've been there. Other than that, be great to each other and have a fantastic day!
Make it Happen-
Robert-Allen
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