Central Nervous System Key for Success: What do YOU want from life?

Every moment, of every day, right now and forever…the Central Nervous System is at work for you.

Targetted Central Nervous System cultivation is the key to success

Targetted Central Nervous System cultivation is the key to success

As you read this text, your brain processes the information and helps you rationalize the importance to your life. But there is so much more going on!

The Central Nervous System relays charges of information for your current posture, breathing, blood pressure, muscles and even your digestion.

The central nervous system is composed of the brain and spinal cord. Your brain and spinal cord serve as the main “processing center” for the entire nervous system, and control all the workings of your body.

Respect your Central Nervous System, for Fat Loss and Quality of Life

Take Olympic weightlifters, for example. They might train several times a day, everyday. Does this lead to overtraining?

Not necessarily. The goal of Olympic weightlifters is not to build as much muscle as possible, but to train complex, full body movements with skill and habit. There is no time to think — no time to rationalize. You do, or you do not. This is the Central Nervous System at work.

What regular people can learn from CNS cultivation…

Understand that the human body is designed for purpose and rhythm. From hormones to emotions, and muscle to digestion, we need to treat our intrinsic purpose with respect.

Listen to your body: It knows more than you…

  • Prevent Swine Flu: Healthy internal digestion with Probiotics, along with immune boosters from whole foods
  • End fatigue: Go to sleep at the same time every night
  • BURN Fat: Make healthy eating habitual
  • Build Muscle: Prime the CNS with a set of less than 3-rep Max, then perform 8+ reps for muscle Hypertrophy.
  • Reduce Stress: Emotional release techniques
  • Combat Unnecessary Anxiety: Believe in yourself

The first step is realizing that there is so much more to you, who you are as a person, than just your rational thought.

The human body is primed for survival and replication — yet, we can release from limitation. Progress shall never be halted when you realize the CNS as your ally. For that which it is, the Central Nervous System is responsible for success in all forms.

Power of the Mind

Brain Health, Memory, and Concentration: Nothing fishy about a healthy mind

Brain health reflects who you are as a person.

Omega-3 fatty acid from Fish necessary for brain health.

Omega-3 fatty acid from Fish necessary for brain health.

Our brains are the computers that send signals, receive pleasure, and allow us to follow our dreams. Without a healthy brain, you’re at risk for dementia, mental disease, Alzheimer’s, acute memory loss, fatigue, inability to concentrate, and depression.

So it makes sense to feed your brain with the right stuff!

Martek Biosciences Corp. developed an index to rate populations of all 50 states, and CONGRATS to my fellow Washingtonians in the Top 3 Healthiest Brain states, we really are as smart as they say.

Not surprisingly, the most obese states ranked worse for brain health, with Louisiana at the far bottom on the list. (View list)

How can I keep my brain healthy for life?

  1. Drink lots of pure water — at least 8 glasses per day.
  2. Make sure fruits and vegetables are a normal part of your diet: antioxidants key to brain health.
  3. Eat Wild Fish full of Omega-3 fatty acids. The Omega-3 fatty acid known as DHA will keep you sharp. Unfortunately, the American diet is largely missing in Omega-3’s. Most people should supplement with Fish Oil to get enough Omega-3’s.

Keeping your brain healthy is a lifestyle

  • Avoid smoking, alcohol, and drugs which can degrade the brain (among much more…)
  • Exercise regularly!
  • Socialize with friends. Humans are a social and emotional species, it is in our nature to spend time with others.
  • Challenge your mind by learning new things, solving puzzles, and using your creativity.
  • Reduce stress — we all have our own ways. Yoga, meditation, praying, cooking, exercising, etc.

Treat your brain well, and your brain shall treat you well.

Clarity of thought is a gift that I give to myself everyday, by eating healthy, exercising, and continually growing as a person. Healthy hobbies…working out, writing  a positive health blog, and making healthy food more gourmet than ever before.

Joy to the world, and to brains everywhere.

Power of the Mind

Study after study says: believe in YOU to lose weight

SHE believes in you...

SHE believes in you...

On point, I’ve had many heavily overweight friends who tried to lose weight.

But most gave up and went back to old habits.

However, by following through on goals and continuing forward despite negative feelings, some of them progressed and thrived.

Can you think of the difference between those who succeed and those who haven’t yet?

  1. Real life social support from friends and family.
  2. Positive support from own personal thoughts.

As Melissa and I discussed self-talk in the gym today, she remembered a time during her body transformation when her own mind turned against her. Her destructive thought went something like this… “gee my workouts suck lately. that guy HAS got to be thinking how I’m just too fat for this.

Be Your Best Ally: Thoughts DO Matter!

If any harmful thought goes “un-checked” in the mind, it will be implicitly accepted as truth by your beliefs.

That means, if you let the thought slide by, it might as well be true because now your brain thinks it is.

Self awareness tip #17: When you feel bad about your body, ask yourself questions that begin with “what?”

  • What is it about this situation that makes me feel the need to be self-conscious?
  • What would it be like, if I could align for a moment and feel overwhelmingly positive thoughts about myself?

Even though it’s not always easy to question your deep seated beliefs, Friend,  the key lies in being open to yourself, thereby guiding you forward in understanding so many more truths.

This new enlightenment will bring the gift of further advancement, if you choose to accept.

Self acceptance: Just one more reason why fitness adds QUALITY YEARS to our lives.

Power of the Mind

Knowing who you are makes weight loss easier

What makes you happy?

How does your behavior reflect how you really feel on the inside?

What do you most value in life?

All of these questions improve self awareness — knowledge of the self. Knowing these things can be a great tool to aid in weight loss, new research shows.

Patients who were able to improve their self-awareness were more likely to lose weight than those who were not

Even though clinical psychologists are a great benefit, there are many ways to improve self awareness on your own.

Self awareness is developed through practices in focusing your attention on the details of your personality and behavior.

Think of learning to be mindful and self aware as learning to dance. When learning to dance we have to pay attention to how and where our feet move, our hands and body motion, what our partner is doing, music, beat, floor space, and other dancers.

Making changes in your behavior is much easier to do when you catch them early in the dynamic, before the momentum of thought and emotion has gathered steam.   The changes in your mind, and behavior become simple and easy steps when you develop self awareness.

What part of me wants to write this blog right now? How do I feel about my readers? What motivates me to spread useful information?

Self-awareness. How your emotions relate to your behaviors and how your thoughts influence understanding.

For myself, self-awareness has been an incredible motivator for physique transformation and nutrition. Not to mention how I interact with others.

To all readers everywhere, I know that you can learn so much more from yourself, than you could ever learn from me.

But keep coming back anyway 🙂

Power of the Mind

Is the WORLD Happy With Your Body? (depends who’s asking…)

I think as the story goes, girls want to grow up and marry a charming prince, but boys just want to become a hero.

Little Sally, at four years old enjoys role playing with barbies — it’s the complexity of human social relationships that fascinates her budding mind. She tries to make the barbie look pretty, because she already knows that looks attract.

Owner is only four years old, and already preparing for matrimony.

Owner is only four years old, and already preparing for matrimony.

Next door to her, Jimmy…a five year old boy with propensity to ram toy fire trucks into LEGO’s — demonstrates influence over his environment.

These two young ones will grow into personalities with unique desires and expectations. Despite different strengths and weaknesses, eventually they will all reveal vulnerabilities about their body image.

Why do we have so many preconceptions about how others perceive our physiques?

Truth is that…some people have extra chins, others have veins, cellulite, a little hair — you name it. Some people are just incredibly insecure about their CALVES even…!

Factors influencing beliefs about your body:

  • What you think OTHER PEOPLE feel about your body.
  • What other people ACTUALLY FEEL about your body.
  • Shouldn’t it only matter how YOU FEEL about your body?

I realize that a lot of us aren’t perfect in every way. Welcome to life.

But there’s NO point feeling bad about it!

Especially when a sliver of happiness is an inch away.

Seek life at the head, and take a step forward.

Actually, take lots of steps! (See Getting FIT with Walking) 🙂

My point is that you can implement one healthy habit at a time, and you’ll start feeling better already as you come closer to your body’s full potential.

With results, comes satisfaction.

I think all efforts are boosted by some self-understanding. Pause for a moment, and then ask yourself…what do you really value and what are you going to do to achieve those values?

As a young male, I am consistently exposed to images of masculine avatars. During my adolescence, it was Arnold, Stalone, Baywatch. Now it’s sports stars, pop culture icons, and anything that sells.

But then I realized that we’re not all that different at all. Even though toned beach bodies will remain in syndication for years, you can be sure that each actor has had some certain body insecurity.

It makes NO sense for a top level beach body actor to worry about their body. Just as it makes no sense to WORRY about yourself either. It’s quite human to have vulnerabilities, so why not instead emphasize that which you’re most proud of.

Hasselhoff to crew: Focus on my manly chest, but please dont show my puny calves.

Hasselhoff to crew: "Focus on my manly chest, but please don't show my puny calves."

The TRUTH is that we learn more from success than we do failure. The more success you have, the easier it will be to maintain a healthy weight.

Get off your butt.

Focus on the goal.

And, take it one step at a time.

Physical fitness supports all aspects of social and personal life. Whether you want to be a sports hero, or meet your prince charming, I’m with you for the journey.

But right now, I must visit my local gym, Bally’s Total Fitness, to train my body closer to its full potential.

Until the next time, my friend…

CNN — why we eat too much, and how to get control

Power of the Mind