Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Get brilliant on the basics

"Get brilliant on the basics" is what Vince Lombardi said when he took over the losing Green Bay Packers and a reporter asked him how he would turn around the team.


As many of you know, a football enthusiast I am not, nor do I really understand the game. However, I'm learning to follow it somewhat and I will say that I've come across some rather interesting individuals as I learn more about the current coaches and athletes as well as those from years gone by.


What struck me about this quote is that so many of us look at our weight loss and fitness journey as a mysterious and complicated undertaking. Sometimes we have to try a few different approaches before we finally find what works for us, but all in all it is a simple process and what he wrote about "getting brilliant on the basics" is so true.


If you hone your skills on the following three basic areas, you will reach your weight loss and fitness goals and accomplish more than you ever thought possible.


1. The 90/10 rule


Make healthy food choices 90% of the time. If you can't kill it or grow it then it probably isn't all that great for you from a nutrition standpoint. It may sound harsh but our bodies weren't made to process substances with names we can't pronounce. Our bodies do know what to do with fruits, veggies, lean meats and the like.


The other 10% of the time, enjoy life. Have some of the indulgences that you want and then move on. Earn them through eating healthy 90% of the time and then enjoy them.


I joke with my Weight Watchers members and tell them that our bodies only know to put "Ho-Ho" cream on our thighs for later processing.


2. Move More

Move More. Get off the couch and away from the TV and start moving. Our bodies have over 200 bones and 600 muscles that need daily use and activity if they are to serve us well. We need to incorporate cardiovascular activity and resistance training to take care of our bodies well into our golden years.


Find something that you like to do and get to it. So many different activities can be done and never feel like exercise.


3. Postive Focus


Get Rid of the "Stinkin' Thinkin". What we feed into our minds and thoughts are what we should expect to get out. Find a group or a close friend that supply you with motivational support and a place to vent. Start focusing on all the good things about yourself daily instead of the negative things. The areas that you want to improve in, work on them but don't fret over it.


It's the basics that get us hung up most of the time. Get brilliant on the basics and tell me where you end up.

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