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by Jimmy Lopez I was recently introduced to a Zen Buddhism concept called Beginner's Mind. I feel that it is a very useful concept and one should apply it in our daily pursuit of a healthier self. In the book "Full Catastrophe Living" by Jon Kabat-Zinn, a very good explanation of a beginner's mind is given. The following is an excerpt from the book describing a Beginner's Mind: "The richness of present-moment experience is the richness of life itself. Too often we let our thinking and our beliefs about what we "know" prevent us from seeing things as they really are. We tend to take the ordinary for granted and fail to grasp the extraordinariness of the ordinary. To see the richness of the present moment, we need to cultivate what has been called "beginner's mind," a mind that is willing to see everything as if for the first time...An open, "beginner's" mind allows us to be receptive to new possibilities and prevents us from getting stuck in the rut of our own expertise, which often thinks it knows more than it does. No moment is the same as any other. Each is unique and contains unique possibilities. Beginner's mind reminds us of this simple truth." I know that I am my toughest critic. If I train and eat well for seven days in a row and stumble on the eighth, I will focus on the one bad day rather than the seven good ones. If I were to apply the beginner's mind than each day would be independent of the other and not a continuation. A beginner's mind will help you to appreciate the present moment without carrying negative experiences from the past or expectations of the future. Try not to simply log hours while training but to take in the experience for what it really is. The next time you are running or walking in the park look around and view as if it is the first time you are experiencing it. It should put a smile on your face. The next time you train, appreciate that you are able to do what you are doing. In our pursuit of a healthier lifestyle we will have days that we stumble. The thing to remember is to let that day go. Do not carry any negativity into the beginning of our new day. Judge the success of that day from our experiences on that particular day. To many of us are so occupied with our past and future that we are letting the present escape us. Allow yourself to appreciate your success, rather than to just point out your shortcomings. |
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Making a Change By Jimmy Lopez I would like you to imagine for a moment that your existence is represented by a ship at sea. The course that you are currently on is determined by your daily routine of exercise and food consumption. As you look out into the horizon you realize you are not completely satisfied with where you are heading. You have a choice. You can either continue the path you are on or change your course to a destination you've always wanted, perhaps a place you've been in the past. The power to take control and change your life lies within yourself. Like two ships traveling side by side, when one changes course slightly the difference is negligible at first. After some time has passed they wind up in two completely different places. Once you make a decision to change your physical self you must make subtle lifestyle changes that you can sustain over time. When you achieve the discipline to maintain those changes then it is time to build on it. Every journey begins with a first step not a leap. You must take control of your diet combined with a proper exercise program to achieve change. I feel the following points will help you if you are ready to start a new journey. Mind over Matter The right frame of mind is essential to your success. You must understand that "if it is to be it is up to me." It will be difficult at first and will challenge your mental toughness and conviction. Make it a matter of pride and refuse to be beaten. Realize that you will have setbacks, but do not dwell on them. As time goes on try to reduce your setbacks and this will be a good gauge to your success. Nike shoe company slogan is to "Just do it." It's nice but to me it doesn't capture the difficulty of the task. I would prefer that you "Never Quit!" Find a Reason Whether it is to improve the quality of your life or run your first 5k you need a reason. This will translate into purpose. Search yourself and find a reason. Try to avoid things like, " I want to lose ten pounds by Timmy's wedding." To many times I have seen people do this, achieve their goal and revert back to their old ways. When you reach your goal set a new one, build on it. We go through life once, make the best of it. Try to live without fear and regret by forging your way. Make Subtle Dietary Changes Going cold turkey works for very few people. Shoot for one dietary change at a time. When you master that take on another. A simple one to start with is to not drink your calories. Try to incorporate more water in your diet while eliminating things such as soda and fruit juices. If you enjoy a glass of orange juice in the morning just cut it with water. If you are a soda junkie start a limit per day and gradually reduce it. Remember this: You will never out train a bad diet. Begin an Exercise Program Start an exercise program and try to incorporate more physical activity into your life. If exercise is new to you, then seek out help from professionals. The minimum recommendation for exercise is three times a week for one hour each session. This is a minimum, something to build up from. If you are a sedentary person than the reality is any sustained physical activity would be beneficial. If you can walk to carry out a chore, do it. Take the stairs rather than the elevator. Your body will react positively to an increase in activity. It is an amazing creation. Build on the Positive Focus on what you are doing right. It's not about where you are right now, but rather the direction you are facing and where you will be in a week or a month. Create your own momentum. Momentum is a powerful thing, we hear about it constantly in sports to describe teams that are having success. In the game of life let the momentum you create carry you to victory. |