what are your health habits?

John Dryden famously said, "We first make our habits, and then our habits make us."
Confucius said, "Men's natures are alike; it is their habits that separate them."
And Aristotle noticed that, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."
It's pretty clear that the habits you adopt will shape who you are.
When it comes to your body, the two habits that define your physique are your eating and exercise habits. In fact, everyone that you know who is in great shape has dialed in these two important habits.
If you aren't happy with your body, then simply adjust your eating and exercise habits. Here's how to adopt a habit:
Making a Habit Use these seven steps to create a life-improving habit.
1) Decide on the ONE habit that you would like to develop. It's tempting to pick up 3 or 4 healthy habits, but choosing just one new habit is realistic and doable.
Here are some healthy habit ideas: Do not eat after 7pm each night. Bring your lunch to work instead of eating fast food. Exercise 4 times a week after work for 45 minutes each time. Only eat fruits and veggies as your afternoon snack. Get up early and exercise for an hour each morning. Work with a personal trainer 3 times a week.
2) Write your new habit down on paper. Also include your 3 main motivators for developing this new habit, the obstacles you'll face, and your strategies for overcoming these obstacles.
Here's an example: My new habit is to work with a personal trainer 3 times each week. My 3 main motivators are 1) to feel confident in my bathing suit this summer, 2) to have more energy, and 3) to fit into my skinny jeans. The obstacles I will face are 1) not having the energy to go to my session after work, 2) not having enough money to pay for sessions, and 3) not having my spouse's support. I will overcome these obstacles by 1) doing my workouts before work instead of after work, so I have more energy, 2) cutting down on frivolous spending to ensure that I can afford it, and 3) asking my spouse to join me so we can get in shape together.
3) Commit fully to your new habit, in a public way. This could mean posting it on Facebook, or simply announcing it at the dinner table. Put yourself in a position where you'll be embarrassed to give up on your new habit.
4) Keep track of your progress. You could keep a detailed journal or simply make a check mark on each calendar day that you successfully exercise your new habit.
5) Keep yourself publically accountable. This means either status updates on Facebook or verbal status updates at the dinner table. Your friends and family are in a position to offer you support, so don't shy away from those close to you.
6) When you fail, figure out what went wrong so that you can plan around it in the future.
7) Reward yourself for your success. Once your new habit becomes second nature, usually in about 30 days, feel free to add a second habit by going through the same 7 steps.
I'd love for my fitness program to become your new healthy habit! Please let me know about your success.
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Things To Look For In A Personal Trainer

Regular exercise is key to getting in great shape and staying that way. While many people can exercise on their own and get excellent results, others need a little bit more motivation to achieve their goals. Hiring a personal trainer is one way to ramp up your exercise program and get the results you want from your exercise program. When hiring a personal trainer, there are a few things you should look for before putting your money and your body on the line.
Before hiring a personal trainer, be sure to ask if he holds an accreditation or certification. The National Committee For Certifying Agencies or NCCA, certifies professionals such as personal trainers, nurses and therapists who provide excellent care. Your trainer should also be certified in CPR, in case you begin to feel unwell during exercise sessions. While many personal trainers do not have a college degree, it is helpful to hire one that has extensive education in anatomy and physical fitness. Personal trainers who are independent contractors should also carry liability insurance. While many trainers are employed by fitness centres, many are contractors who work for their clients. Failure to carry liability insurance could cause you to be liable for any injuries your trainer receives while working with you.
The personality of your personal trainer may also affect the results you get from training sessions. Many people need someone to push them to exercise harder, while others are self-motivated and need less instruction. Find a personal trainer you can relate to and who pushes you to get the best results possible. Avoid choosing a trainer who works you too hard, making you extremely sore for days on end. While it is normal to have some muscle soreness after exercise, you should be able to move around and complete daily tasks after exercise sessions. Personal trainers should also answer any questions you have regarding your exercise routine. Avoid hiring a trainer who dismisses your questions or avoids giving you direct answers.
Hiring a personal trainer can help you achieve your fitness goals more quickly than working out on your own. However, it is important to realize that you must do the work yourself to get the best results possible. Always come to training sessions dressed in women's sportswear or activewear and be ready to exercise. Bring water with you and write down any questions you have for your trainer, so you can make the most of the time you have with this fitness professional.

Powerful Methods For Muscle Mass Increase That Are Always Effective

Muscle mass increase is something that a lot of people around the world struggle to achieve. Most people don't know how to accomplish this goal, but there are some powerful and effective methods you can use to easily increase your muscles.
 Once you know these methods, if you start utilizing them immediately you will be able to get yourself started on the path of achieving this goal. The following are the methods that are always effective for helping any person increase their muscle mass.
 One: Make a big change to your eating habits - One of the most vital things you need to do for building muscles, besides exercising is eating a healthy diet. The right foods are essential for your body to have the nutrients it needs to build muscles.
 You can't continue eating junk food and expect to achieve your goal because that will never happen. Only with the proper foods will you be able to make this goal achievable for you.
 Some of the various foods that you want to add to your daily diet include lean meats like, turkey, beef and chicken, whole grains, fish, fresh vegetables and fresh fruits. You also need to make sure that you eat 6 meals each day instead of three big ones.
 You want to eat your breakfast, lunch and dinner like you normally would, but in between you want to eat at least 3 healthy snacks. This is important because it keeps your metabolism working to build up muscles and for burning fat.
 With each meal and snack, make sure you are also drinking plenty of water so your body stays well hydrated.
 Two: Do the right exercises for you - Every person is different in the exercises that their body's can handle. You need to come up with an exercise routine that works out your entire body in one week's workout time.
 The best way to do that is through research online or by talking to or hiring a professional personal trainer. Either way you choose, the right exercises is imperative to achieving your goal of increasing your muscles.
 A few of the staple exercises you can begin with include squats, bench press, pull-ups, rows and dead lifts. These exercises focus on the major muscles of your body.
 Three: Rest - The body has to have time to rest properly in between your workout routines in order to increase muscle mass. Your body is not building muscles when you are exercising, but when it is at rest.
 This is something you have to realize so that you can understand how imperative it is that your body gets as much rest as it needs in order to help you accomplish the goal you are after. Always make sure you rest every day, but especially on the days when you are not working out at all.
 With these powerful and effective methods in mind, you are now ready to begin achieving your goal of muscle mass increase. Don't try and rush this process because it will take time to do it right, but it will be well worth it for you when you see a noticeable difference in your muscle mass over time.
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