the_fake_webmaster
01-10-2007, 04:06 PM
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TOPIC: What Is The Best Way For A Beginner To Kick Off Their New Year’s Resolution?
For the week of: January 10th - January 16th
Tuesday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).
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We all know that many people have claimed they want to lose weight, be healthier, build a better physique, etc., but actions speak louder than words. Now that we’ve decided what we want to achieve this year it's time we take action.
What is the best way for a beginner to kick off their New Year’s resolution?
What is the best training environment for this person to start their New Year off with (home, commercial gym, etc.)? Why?
The first time in a gym can be nerve-racking for anyone. What should a beginner do to settle in and feel comfortable in the gym environment?
What are some diet tips they can use to get them eating healthy without being turned off?
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Thanks.
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mr.genetics
01-10-2007, 05:01 PM
The best way to start off a new years resolution is to not make it a "new years resolution" but a lifetime resolution. Get to the gym with the additude to change things for the betterment of ones self for a lifetime and not just 2007. Get in the gym and immediately put your nose to the grind stone so to speak.
The best environment for one to venture into in my opinion is a commercial gym. Although they may be scary at first and highly intimidateing, the feelings will subside and you will find that there is a safety net of people that you can fall back on for answers to any nagging questions or issues you may have in regards to you training, diet etc. Commercial gyms also have a larger variety of equipment which just allows you more tools to use in your journey whatever it may be.
In order to feel comfortable in a new gym environment you need to just put yourself out there and be accessable to people. If you are shut in and scared to talk to people then they will sense that and you won't have much social interaction unless you initiate it in the future. My suggestion would be to talk to people and get to know the members that share the same love that you are ventureing into.
As far as diet goes just remember that there are many different things that are tasty and nutritious to the body. You don't have to suffer with poor tasting diets to achieve what your after. The number one thing you have to remember is that physiques are made in the gym, and in the kitchen, so a clean and healthy diet is essential in order to obtain maximum results.
If you follow these things that I have outlined, you will be on the right track to life changing things. The sky is the limit so keep at it and all the best.
HerveDuchemin
01-13-2007, 05:28 AM
The whole idea behind a new years resolution (NYR) is a little funny, because the very nature of a NYR is founded with the wrong mindset. Let me explain.
When you TRULY make the choice to get in shape, you set the goal in your MIND, and it has to be backed by a BURNING desire. If you set the goal in late November or early December, and say "I'm not going to start until January 1st", you are really stating that you are too lazy or that your desire is not strong enough to start NOW. You push it off and use NYR as an excuse to not start immediately. If your mindset was right, and the desire was TRUE, you would begin as SOON as possible, because you would have a ardently self-lit DESIRE FLAME UNDER YOUR BUTT which wouldn't go away, or allow you to "push off starting" your lifestyle change until January 1st. You would be DYING to wake up early to get your meals ready. You would be DYING to get into the gym early and get a head start on things. If that internal, burning motivation isn't there, then you are not in the correct mindset and are likely to fail. If you knew that you could make 1 million dollars by working for 2 months, would you start 2 months from now, or TODAY? This being said, the BEST way to start a NYR would be as soon as the thought enters your mind, even if its BEFORE the new year! But of course, the BEST way isn't the only way.
As for diet tips, there is something that must be understood about food. A large percentage of the country has absolutely no control when it comes to the foods they choose to put into their mouths. In a mental battle between right and wrong, the mind is a funny thing, and will almost always push you toward the wrong choice. Hence, you must master your mind, and direct it to “proper” action. You must do what needs to be done in order to achieve your goals, for no other reason than “because that’s just how it has to be”. You must do the right thing, “because it is the right thing to do”, and because you made a conscious choice to do what is right. Then, and only then, will you be able to walk with the sheer, honest confidence that radiates from within the individual who sets inviolable standards for him or herself. If you can maintain these standards 90% of the time, then the remaining 10% of the time where you falter, will be attributed to human error. We are not God. We are only human, and will occasionally falter as humans do. But the true test is how you pick yourself up and recover from your mistakes, as well as what your attitude is both during the recovery process, and thereafter.
Food can be compared to a drug. It has an effect on chemicals in our brain, and throughout our bodies, thereby affecting our mood and behavior. If we constantly make poor and unhealthy food choices, it will almost always be evident in the way our body looks, as well as in our behavior and attitude as well. If, on the other hand, we curb our “addiction” to unhealthy food, and “train” our brains to desire to function off of healthy foods, we will look better, feel better, sleep better, and have a better mental disposition overall. Going back to the percentage analogy, if a healthy diet is in place 90% of the time, our bodies will be properly fueled to go through life the way they were designed to, and the remaining 10% of the time will have a nearly negligible impact on us.
As with cessation of drug or alcohol use, the decision to “quit” eating unhealthy foods on a regular basis, begins in the mind. YOU have to make the conscious decision to change your eating habits, and YOU have to have a burning desire to do so, because you know that it will get you closer to your end result of having a fit-looking and healthy body. YOU must train your mind to eat for nutrition and NOT for taste 90% of the time. And YOU must UN-train your brain to desire junk food, except for 10% of the time, where it won’t matter. This is NOT an easy task, and may be even more difficult than quitting cigarettes. But the end result, is that you will change the “internal chemistry” of your body. Eventually, you will desire only healthy, nutritious food, and so will your taste buds. Your brain will be re-wired to support eating habits conducive to maintaining a lean, healthy-looking physique. Finally, after changing the internal chemistry of your body, the most important thing to understand is that the 10% of the time that you DO eat garbage, you will know how bad it is for you, because you will literally feel SICK to your stomach when you indulge in such foods! It may take you a while to get to this point, but once you are there, you will be forever thankful that you made the change!
As for feeling comfortable in the gym, it helps to get a mentor, and support group and ask as many questions as possible. Use the bb.com forums, read the stickies, and post questions when you are in doubt of anything. Myself, and many others will be happy to answer any legitimate questions you might have, and we have a lot of experts on this forum ranging from trainers, to expert contest prep people, to ketogenic diet experts!! In addition, seek out people at your gym who have a good reputation amongst fellow members, and do your due diligence. Stay informed, and your apprehensiveness will disappear!
max_d_
01-15-2007, 02:16 PM
Good luck to all! I did my best.
lionelxxl
01-15-2007, 08:01 PM
Good luck to all the rest!
NoNameNecessary
01-16-2007, 08:04 PM
Good luck everyone!
My entry can be found below.