Olympians

3 time Mr. Olympia ('76-'79) Frank Zane is one of my bodybuilding heroes, he gets the whole holistic approach to training, and he wasn't "blessed" with the monster mass genetics of modern Olympians. He's one of the best examples of 'playing the cards your dealt, well.' Training is a support system for life, not the other way around. I'm much more interested in how bodybuilders look in their older years, than in their prime. The giants you can see on the posing dais this weekend in Vegas are certainly a sight to behold, but what will their futures look like, I can't help but wonder.

How do I lose weight?

That's the question I hear everywhere. First off, don't lose weight, lose fat. Muscle, bone, and guts have weight to them, you certainly want to keep that kind of weight. Set realistic goals, and track them religiously.

Excess fat is stored emotion. Usually, fear. It's a manifestation of negativity, we're wearing our painful past when we put on excess fat. We're weighted down by the gravity of our situations. We store out "issues in our tissues." To get lean, forget the past, move on and move into a new you. Forget your story, and make a new one. If you think losing weight is only about calories in versus calories out, you're missing the big picture.

My review of What Makes Us Healthy by Caroline Myss

Caroline Myss's audio program What Makes Us Healthy? is amazing. About halfway through disc one, I found myself shouting "Holy crap!" several times. This is the heavy duty approach to spirituality. Caroline pulls no punches whatsoever. I was blown away, quite a few times I had to hit the pause button and just sort of let the messages sink in. If you are interested in a holistic approach to healthy living and healing, you need to hear this lecture. I've been drawn to the ideas of the consciousness movement for a few years now, but I've never heard it explained this well, nor have I heard anyone so succinctly describe the history of new age ideas and where we as a people stand right now, and how we'll most likely be remembered by future generations. Caroline Myss is a great teacher. There are some hard lessons she teaches over the course of these 6 cds. Frankly, some of them scare the Hell out of me, but I intend to "cowboy up" and do the work. If you like your inspirational teachings "airy-fairie" and weak in the knees, you may not want to hear all that Caroline has to say on "What Makes Us Healthy?" but I really think you need to give it a listen. She's funny, and entertaining yet tough as nails. Tougher than many a good coach, personal trainer, or drill sergeant. I was not financially compensated for this post. I received the audiobook from Hay House for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

Wishes Fulfilled by Dr. Wayne Dyer

I've read several books by Dr. Dyer over the years. My favorite was Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life, I didn't think he'd ever top it. With Wishes Fulfilled, though, I think Wayne Dyer has broken a lot of new ground, and maybe even surpassed all of his 30 plus books he's written over the past 40 years. The consummate teacher, this brilliant man, is capable of putting his own ego aside and weaving in the teachings of past luminaries from the Bible, and early 20th century consciousness leaders such as Neville Goddard, Uell S. Anderson , and the Saint Germain Discourses. The Dr. does a fantastic job of taking the huge ideas, and lofty language of the aforementioned, and boiling it down to easily digestible yet profound messages. This is an inspiring, heartfelt book. You won't feel this kind of honesty from most spiritual teachers. This is an important book, it isn't just about manifesting wishes, but creating a better world for you and yours. It's about rediscovering your true self, and potential, and then actively living it. This is an empowering book that I didn't want to put down, and will most likely read several more times. FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

Dry Erase Marker Affirmations

From non competitive weight lifters, like myself, to Mr. Olympias such as Arnold, and the great Frank Zane; many who love to forge new bodies by pressing iron, espouse upon the power of affirmations. Louise Hay's book You Can Heal Your Life, is still the best book on the subject I've ever read. I heard a seminar she did with author Cheryl Richardson a few months back. Cheryl talked about this idea, I think it's absolutely brilliant, of writing your affirmations on your mirror in dry erase marker. I've been doing it consistently, and have noticed some interesting changes in my confidence, and some other issues I've been working on. I'm a big believer in mirror work, and seeing the affirmation next to my face several times a day has had kind of a subliminal effect. It really helps new ideas sink in, in a profound way.

Here's a Thought

Why do you want to reach your fitness goals? Health and longevity? To impress someone? To impress yourself? To make somebody jealous? To prove something? Competition? Survival? Protection? Getting in shape is so much deeper than scale weight, body fat %, and six packs. The stronger your "Why" is, the more likely you are to reach your fitness goals, or any other clearly defined goals. I know you know it, I'm just reminding ya.