Vote for My Presentation for Fitbloggin ’14! (Video Post)

by Marc A.

Everyone, I need your help! I am attending my first Fitbloggin’ conference this year and I’d like to attend as a speaker but in order for me to make that happen, I need your votes!

Please follow the link below and vote for Spark #9: Chicken or the Egg! Thanks!

Link: http://mctgn.us/1jY59UQ 

Marc A. is the editor and founder of the health and wellness blog, Dr. Marctagon™, and he also runs a tech company and blog, Marctagon™ IT where he offers his consulting services and discusses the latest news, productivity tools and technology for homes and small businesses.

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:

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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

Let's Help Raise Money for Strength Stack

"Seek to do good, and you will find that happiness will run after you."  ~James Freeman Clarke

By Dana R. Arevalo 

Hello and Welcome!  Today I wanted to focus your attention to Strength Stack 52.  I would appreciate if you took a moment to view the video and the story behind the Game of fit: Strength Stack 52.  It is a very interesting and heartwarming story with a personal twist.  

Strength Stack 52 is a program that was developed by my friend, Sergeant Michael Volkin who frequently provides us with great guest articles on fitness and his specialty,  body weight exercises. Mike Volkin is a fitness enthusiast whose job in the military was to train other soldiers   Hence, he relied on body weight exercises and became an expert in his field.  See the full story below.  

Thank you for visiting, please do come back soon!

Please pledge $1.00 and share this article with others.  

Thank you, 
Dana, Marc, & Brish xo 

3 Fun Workouts you Can Do at Home

Special Guest Post 

Written by Sergeant Michael Volkin

Posted by Dana R. Arevalo

Looking for ways to spice up your workout routine? Good, you came to the right place! Too many people approach working out as a chore, but it doesn't have to be that way. If you turn working out into a fun competition you will be surprised at how intense and fun they can really be. Here are three fun workouts you can do anywhere, even at home.

War

Get a deck of Strength Stack 52 exercise playing cards. Grab a buddy or two (or three) and deal all the cards in the deck equally to each player. Once all the cards are dealt, each player throws one card in the center of all the players, the person who threw the highest card wins that round and doesn't have to do the exercises on the cards.  Every other player must do all the exercises on each card thrown. Proceed through the whole deck….if you can make it.

Circuit Draining

Grab a pair of dice and assign 6 areas each with their own stations:

Station 1: 10 burpees

Station 2: 10 push ups

Station 3: 20 sit ups

Station 4: 20 squats

Station 5: 30 second planks

Station 6: 35 jumping jacks

You can play this game by yourself or with a group of people. Roll both dice at the same time.  Whatever the results of the roll was, complete the exercises at that station. Each dice equals one station, so if you rolled a 4 and a 6, you will be completing a full set at Station 4 and Station 6. If you are playing with multiple people, you can each take turn rolling the dice. The roller can even call one number before the roll and if that number appears, they are exempt from doing that station. Play for 20 minutes; this is a game that will drain your entire body!

Flick Em 

This game can be played with either the Strength Stack or a regular deck of cards.The goal is to get the most points. Each player has one bowl about 6 feet in front of them Shuffle the cards and deal the deck evenly among the players. Turn your cards face up.  Now try and flick the cards in the bowl.  After your cards are all thrown, count your points. If you are playing by yourself, try and beat your personal record.  You may choose to do the exercises you missed, or do the exercises you threw in the bowl. The exercise you choose is up to you. So if you threw 28 points into the bowl, you can choose to do 28 push-up, sit-ups or burpees. This game gives you a proper break (while throwing the cards) between each exercise set.

This article was authored by Sergeant Michael Volkin, inventor of Strength Stack 52 fitness cards.

Discipline and Why It's Better than Motivation

by Marc A.

Webster defines motivation as "the condition of being eager to act or work". Motivation is awesome! It's that wonderful feeling that makes you want to do exactly what it is you want to do. It's what spurs you to action. It makes you want to start eating better. It makes you go for that run or get that workout in. It makes weight loss all the more easier because your mind is in it with you. There are plenty of different types of motivations to be healthy and fit: you want to lose weight, you want to lower your blood pressure, you want to run run a race, you want to be fit, or simply you just want to improve your health. When you're motivated, life is awesome. 

However, there are those moments where motivation is lacking. Despite how much you way want to, you can't bring yourself to act the way you know you should. You know you shouldn't eat that whole cake, but you do it. You know you should get that run in today but you can't bring yourself to do it. When you're not motivated, life sucks.

There is a remedy though. Discipline.

Discipline removes your mind from the equation. Discipline keeps you in line. Discipline takes the appropriate action whether you're motivated or not. Discipline helps create a habit. Discipline follows the rules which you have set forth whether you're motivated or not. 

How do you create discipline? Simple (not easy), just do it. Don't give your mind a chance to talk you out of it. Better yet, tell your mind to shut up. So often we rely on our minds to dictate what our bodies should do when we should be doing it the other way around. We think ourselves out of it. Sometimes your body has to step in and just say "shut up, I'm going to do this and that's final!" Let your body convince your mind. Do it enough times and eventually it becomes a habit and it becomes automatic. You, my friends, will have created discipline!

Motivation is based on how you feel, motivation is fleeting. Discipline, once created and fostered, is automatic. Your degree of motivation becomes less of an influence and as your level of discipline increases, motivation can even become a non factor. You just know to do it and you just do it.

This can apply to all areas of health but it especially applies to health and fitness where so many of us lack discipline AND motivation. If you're motivated right now, awesome, go get 'em tiger! However, if you're not, go do it anyway. Give it a shot even if you don't want to. Then do it again. And again. Develop that invaluable discipline. You body, and even your mind, will thank you.

Marc A. is the editor and founder of the health and wellness blog, Dr. Marctagon™, and he also runs a tech company and blog, Marctagon™ IT where he offers his consulting services and discusses the latest news, productivity tools and technology for homes and small businesses.

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!

5 Ways a Father Can Engage their Children in Fitness

Posted by Dana R. Arevalo 

Presents a "guest" post written 

by Ken Meyers

Being a father is more than merely handing out discipline and enforcing the rules. You need to lead by example. Your children are likely going to pick up habits and interests based on what they perceive from you. If you want them to live healthy lives when it comes time for them to go out into the world on their own, you need to prepare them on how to stay fit and eat healthy.

1. Gaming Consoles - Many families have gaming consoles within the home. Consoles that are tailored for actual movement by the player can be greatly entertaining as well as helping yourself

and your children keep physically active. Some families will buy products such as the Wii or the Xbox with the Kinect sensor for no other reason than to get exercise while playing games. Don't be surprised if one of the games for the Xbox winds up knocking you down a peg. Some of these games are physically grueling and will push you to your physical limits.

2. Outdoor Sports - If your child is coming to the age of school sports, what better drill partner is there than Dad? Practicing with your child not only helps you create a bond with him or her, but it can help you keep in a decent physical condition. You don't have to push your child to partake in school sports, however. A fun game of soccer or basketball during your free time keeps the competitive juices flowing.

3. Landscaping - You'd be amazed at the response you would get from your children if you decided to do some landscaping with them that peaks their interest. If you don't have the money

to invest in a family swimming pool, there are a variety of projects you can do as a family to get the creative juices flowing and add physical activity. Build a waterfall in the front yard, put together a brick fire-pit for barbecues  or construct a small stream with a foot bridge in the middle of the yard filled with goldfish.

4. Competition - Family leagues can be found in a variety of venues from bowling to golf. It doesn't matter if your family is any good, but it's getting out of the house and staying physical.Golf competitions could give yourself and your children a reason to hit a bucket of balls three times a week before the big tournament. Softball can be used to hold practice sessions between each game. It's all about staying mobile.

5. Eating Properly - Fitness isn't only about keeping yourself active. Eating the right foods can help keep your bodies mobile and trim. If one of your food staples consists of cupcakes, there is a good chance your children will use it as well.

Fitness starts with your own example of how to eat healthier. You don't have to go on a diet, but substitute some of those "bad" foods with something that can promote a healthier you. Although children won't admit it, many of their mannerisms and habits will come from the father figure in their lives. If you spend your time lounging on the couch and not putting effort into being alive, there is a good chance they won't either. Become active yourself and show your children that there is more to life than the "Guide" button on the television remote.

About the Author:Ken Myers is an expert advisor on in-home care & related family safety issues to many websites and groups.  He is a regular contributor to www.gonannies.com. You can get in touch with him at kmyers.ceo@gmail.com.

We're Back

Welcome Back! 

 

I ask that you kindly bare with us for a couple weeks.  After numerous attempts, that is numerous unsuccessful attempts, for now 365daysofhealthandfitness.com will be utilizing 365daysofhealthandfitnes.blogspot.com for the time being. Please be sure to leave off one S in fitness when searching for us :).  We are making every effort to fix the old site as it contains a wealth of information on fitness, health, exercise motivation and much more.  The site took over two years to build and maintain and we will not let it go! 

Over the next couple of days we will be adding design etc.  But we still have all of our wonderful contributors and support! 

With that said -  let's discuss procrastination - what's keeping you from moving forward with you health and fitness goals? 

I have a big list... The only way to cure it is to start small and think small.  My biggest mistake is over thinking. What is yours?  Let's work together to push procrastination away.

 

 

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As always, thanks for visiting and come back for Motivational MONDAY!
 
Dana and 365 days of health and fitness contributors!

xo