Give up to Keep up

         Written by Dana R. Arevalo

"It is is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them" ~ Ben Franklin.

Congratulations if you made it with me to day two.  I woke up this morning and tried to procrastinate. I am so sore but I did it! I feel great too.   I am slowly learning that if I don't stick with something it is easy to give up.  However, we don't want to give up good habits and routines.  But today's assignment is to give up something that is or can keep us from our goals.   Come ON there has to be something that you can give up in order to keep up.  Keep focused.

I have decided to truly give up something that is nutrition related. Bagels and bags of chips.   I have formed a recent bad habit of eating a bagel in the morning. I kept telling myself, today is the last day. Well Thursday I thought it again and Friday yet again I had another bagel.  If I fall off healthy eating it is hard for me to remotivate myself.  While both diet and exercise are extremely important, I notice instant improvement when I am eating healthy. How about you, what are your thoughts?

Another sign was **Friday afternoon** I went to a vending machine during lunch and attempted to purchase chips. Twice placed 1 dollar into the machine and twice the chips got stuck.  No more chips for me. :-). 

My entire point being, if we can get rid of the bad habit now it will make our goal easier to achieve so that we can keep up! Good luck everyone!! I will check in tomorrow.

Thank you for reading.

69 Days till Summer

99% of the Failures come from People who have the Habit of making Excuses....~ George Washington Carver.

By Dana R. Arevalo

I am never lacking motivation, however, I am good at making excuses and procrastination when it comes to exercise.  The top excuse on my personal list is TIME.  I have come to the realization that my excuse is getting old.  With that said...what are you waiting for? I'm done waiting.  For the next 69 days I am going to motivate the HELL out of anyone who decides to visit me.  Let's stick together and achieve the body and health that we deserve. Remember we are in control.

First rid your mind of negativity.  We cannot thrive in a negative environment. My first assignment to you is to please figure out what completely psychs you out.  Music and influential people do it for me. 

Let's recap quickly.  1) Rid negativity 2) Psych yourself. Quickly make a playlist of music that you can blast while working out. 

Next, be accountable.   I am including my sister with me for the next 69 days. I plan to push and motivate her and vice versa. It is very important to continue no matter what happens to the other individual. Hopefully, you can stick together. If for some reason they stop DON'T stop.

Have a goal. Our goal is a better body by summer and we have nothing stopping us for the next 69 days.  Let's do it!

As a short goal, today I started by doing squats.  I want to be able to complete 100 plus squats on a daily basis (with proper form).  I already completed my workout earlier this morning and am ready to make some suggestions.  

Set a timer for 5 minutes and start squating. Many people try to cheat and do not perform full fledged squats. I happen to love squats so I am not a cheater. The best way to practice is to pretend you are about to sit on a chair when going down into the squat and hold this position for 3 to 5 seconds and then release and go back into a standing position.  As we become more familiar with the exercise I will post a video. I was able to do 75 squats within the five minute time period.  I then continued and did 4 more sets according to an application I found.  I am definitely feeling it. But its a step in the right direction. The app is called "Squats" Rittr Labs. So far, after completing some brief research on exercise applications I found that particular application most helpful for squats. But if you find another one let us know. 

1) Rid Negativity.  Whether it be a person or a habit, drop it/ them.  No one wants to hear a complainer every day.

2) Psych yourself.  Music. Motivational quotes and inspirational people. Attract positivity. 

3) Accountability. Work out with someone. Be responsible for motivating them and them you. Hold yourself accountable towards your goals. 

4) Goals. Have an end result and continually focus on it. 69 Days to a healthier body and mind.  

5) Find an app. Find an application that can help you remain accountable and keep track of your workouts and more importantly your progress!

Good luck today!

Strength in Weakness

"Perhaps I am stronger than I think" - Thomas Merton

              By Dana R. Arevalo

Find strength in weakness.  As I sit here I wholeheartedly admit there are times I feel weak. Words and feelings associated with weakness: flawed, broken, failing, impaired, or fragile.  We are taught, to hide our weakness.  Being weak, however, doesn't make one useless.  It is my goal today to get us to change this negative mindset. It is time we embrace weakness and find strength in weakness.  

Learn from mistakes and failures...no matter how many times it takes. There is no perfect way to do anything.  Do what works for you, even if it means trying over and over one million different ways. Speaking for myself, if I am faced with a difficult challenge, or any task for that matter, I find a system that works for me, myself, and I. What works for one doesn't work for all and vice versa. Failing makes us stronger and mistakes should make us try harder and differently, until WE feel comfortable and at ease. 

Find peace in difference. Being different makes us unique. Learn to be comfortable with who you are; embrace your difference.  Being different is what makes us beautiful people (inside and out). The world could be very cruel and judgemental, it doesn't mean you have to be. Turn your cheek to those who judge. There is no need to change in fear of being different.  Never change for anyone. Be your different beautiful self.

Purge negativity. Negative thoughts actions, and people cause uneasiness, anxiety, worry, and pessimism.  One foolproof way to get rid of a negative idea, practice, or person from your life would be to write out why or how it/they affect your life. If it is a person, you can write a letter to that person all of the reasons why they cause negativity and why you can no longer be a part of their life. You do not neccessarily have to send the letter, it is a positive exercise to let everything out. 

Finally, it is ok to say "NO". Don't compromise yourself for anyone. Don't feel bad when you cannot or do not have the time to help someone or do something extra at work. Many people take advantage of weakness, once you start something it becomes an expectation or a new duty that you do not need.  Remember, find strength in weakness.

Click here for more positive ideas.

Non-existent Fitness Routine

"Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday" ~ Don Marquis 

Written by Dana R. Arevalo 

Welcome.  It is the New Year (2014) therefore, you are probably expecting me to report wonderful changes and happenings with my fitness routine.  Problem is I am such a procrastinator, my fitness routine is non-existent.  Today, I do not entirely come with ALL bad news. I am disappointed in myself for the non-existent fitness routine but not completely, as I have been watching what I eat.  I believe with my eating habits in check when I kill procrastination and begin a fitness routine I will be on the right path to a killer body. You definitely cannot have one without the other; healthy eating works in conjunction with a healthy fitness routine.   

Let's take a minute to refocus on healthy eating. There is much controversy over what is more important diet vs exercise.  If you followed my writing in the past, you know, I hate the word "diet" as it reminds me of something that is unhealthy or forced.   If my child ever needed to lose weight, I would never mention or ask them to diet...I would say let's change our eating habits to "healthy eating" habits.  While I think healthy eating habits work in conjunction with a fitness routine, I think grasping the eating habits come first before the fitness routine. It may just be my preference, but I find changing both at the same time never works. I also feel it is more difficult to change eating habits than grasping a fitness routine and I am a firm believer in tackling harder steps first.  

Celebrity fitness trainer, Bob Harper, of the Biggest Loser, reports, "Diet is the MAIN factor when it comes to weight loss".  In the article he admits that he used to think differently.  Reality is, that no matter how much you exercise, if you eat poorly it eventually takes over.  Don't you agree?  

So, what do we do?  How do we change?  My suggestion is, complete one small task every day for the next 365 days!  Whether it be something for nutrition or fitness let's do it.  This will be the year that #365daysofhealthandfitness works for both you and I!  Let's make it as simple as waking up 20 minutes earlier than normal to fit in a power walk.  Don't think we have time? Let's make time!  

Oh, procrastination!  How do we kill it?  It is a work in progress. Here are some tips:

Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

Report in with your ideas or progress!

Source:  

Can diet trump exercise in weight loss? (2013, August). Retrieved 1/14/2014, from http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/diet-trump-exercise-weight-loss-article-1.1430729

A Special Motivational Monday: Dana's Secret

Written by Dana R. Arevalo 

"Impossible is Nothing" ~ Nike

Ugh! Gasp! Sigh... I am so frustrated with myself.  Last year around this time I was in the best shape of my life and I sit here now and sulk because I allowed myself to fall off of my fitness path.  Lose sight of my direction.  From March until now I gained a significant amount of weight.  How? By not watching my diet and even worse....not exercising.   

When it's time to jump back into the game I give myself a million and one excuses. Over thinking freezes me in my tracks. In my mind words and thoughts leak out:  I will do it later! I will start Monday! One more bite won't kill me! You only live once!  Well all of these thoughts and excuses have built up and have caused me to "build up" fat. Where my stomach was almost flat I now have a "tummy".  I can't walk up a hill without stopping to catch my breath.   

I can go on forever but instead I rather focus on what to do to begin to change.  First and foremost I refuse to purchase any new clothes because that will only allow me the comfort to grow into them.  I don't want to be to tough on myself either because I know I will relapse from being to strict.  So how will I change?

1) Slow and steady wins the RACE.  Change things little by little.  For example, stop purchasing snacks that I tend to devour in one day.  

2) Remind myself CHANGE doesn't happen overnight.  I didn't gain weight overnight.  So results will come if one puts in the effort and has patience.   

3) Chose an activity that doesn't feel like work. I swear by this.  I've also said it before, do something you love and it will become an amazing fitness routine.  

4) Just Do It! No thinking and over thinking.  Wake up wash your face and get your a$$ outside.  I again, am going to start by walking.  Once one allows thyself to over think  results never happen.  

Who is with me?  

"I am determined to achieve lasting results", this my friends is going to be my MANTRA.  What's your MANTRA?

Thanks for stopping by Stay Tuned!

Wanted: Guest Posts

by Dana R. Arevalo 

365 Days of Health and Fitness is still working on grabbing our old site back www.365daysofhealthandfitness.com.  In the meantime write for US!  Guest posts have become so successful that at one point we had them scheduled 4 - 6 weeks in advance.  We currently have many spots to fill! 

Guest posts and blogging are also great ways to network and expose yourself! We will accept fitness, nutrition, and fitness motivation topics.  We also allow links!  Spread your knowledge.  

For any questions or concerns please contact Dana at danaarev@gmail.com please label the email 365 Days in the subject line.  I will respond within 24 - 48 hours.  Please note Dana is also available for professional writing opportunities. 

I Get so Emotional

"You are what you eat" ~ A. Brillat-Savarin

By Dana R. Arevalo 

I stop and ask myself, what could it be? 
I do not crave vegetables, fruits, or proteins; am I truly hungry? 

I do not want water, nor fruit juice. 
I desire cookies, chocolate, and potato chips; without valid excuse. 

That is not hunger nor nutritious they say. 
I try to run from the kitchen pantry, and remind myself..'you did so well today'. 

I wrestle with emotions as I move to the couch. 
I'm quickly drawn back to the kitchen, I feel like a louse. 

I grab every tempting sweet that I can find. 
The fattening and unhealthy junk that Mom scolds, 'goes straight to your thighs and behind'. 

At this point I feel as if I do not care. 
Chocolate all over my hands and face, please do not stare. 

'I get so emotional' when it comes to food. 
Emotional eating is comforting, secure; it performs miracles to grumpy moods. 

Emotional eating is solely a temporary fix. 
It can be helped if one is willing and able to listen and follow some tips. 

Begin a food diary, it will pose as a good friend. 
The food diary will help determine your triggers and put emotional eating to an end. 

Do not purchase 'junk' from the store. 
Slowly change your eating habits to form a body and healthy nutrition methods to adore. 

Thoughts of 'hunger' must be replaced. 
Find positive activities in order to keep chocolate off your face.

**This poem was written for the 365 Days of Health and Fitness readers!  I also published it on Yahoo Voices:  I Get so Emotional