"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." – ANAIS NIN
Recently I was walking through some streets in New York City. It seemed quite chilly for April as I adjusted my scarf around my neck. Passing by different Brownstones, I noticed frozen plants everywhere – dead looking vines hanging from window sills and brown foliage around the base of trees hundreds of years old. But then I noticed new plant life spurting up from the ground, seemingly random in the midst of the dead plant life - almost to say, “look at me – I’m new, I am small, but I am full of life.” Turning the corner, I saw trees bursting with beautiful spring blossoms that exploded with color on what seemed like an otherwise bleak morning.
Springtime is my favorite time of year. It represents a time of renewal, rebirth, new life and rejuvenation As Easter just passed, many celebrated a time of new life. A friend of mine recently shared a story about her daughter who just gave birth to her first child. Witnessing new life coming into the world is truly a miracle. A child is nurtured from the time of conception and once he is born, even more nurturing takes place. The cycle of life is interesting - the anticipation builds up throughout the months, and once that new life is brought forth – whether it’s a small plant, a flower, or even a child – it is one of amazement.
We all want to be nurtured to some degree; however, just as much as we want to be nurtured, we must nurture ourselves. You may have fallen behind on resolutions that you made in January and you’re thinking to yourself – “Why bother – it’s already the middle of April.” However, every day you step forward by doing something positive to improve your health, you make a huge difference not only now, but in later life as quality years are added. Just as that new blade breaks through the hardened ground to eventually become a flourishing plant, you too can break through your procrastination of becoming a fitter you.
Let this be your season of new life and new beginnings. As you know by now, it is my passion and purpose to help others in their quest for fitness. You only have one body, but you have lots of opportunities to treat that body as it deserves. I encourage you to “spring forth” to a healthier you – I’m here to help encourage and provide options for a fitness plan that will work uniquely for you.
Enthusiastically,
Joe Gigantino Jr.
"A gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment."
Attitude - A Life Altering Gift
"If you don't like something, change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it." ~Mary Engelbreit
“You need an attitude adjustment!” How many times have you heard those words or spoken them? How true they are, because attitudes are just that – adjustable! There are no set-in-stone rules that tell you how to react as situations unfold in your life. Almost always, you have the choice as to which type of attitude you will have. Suppose someone pulls out in front of you in traffic and you get upset. That person didn’t make you angry – you made the choice to feel angry all by yourself. People or circumstances cannot 'make' you feel anything at all. But many of us often don’t take the time to think things out. We simply react, many times in a negative manner.
Your attitude is the first thing people pick up on. Just as yawning, complaining or even crying can be contagious, so may enthusiasm, excitement, and curiosity be a positive viral condition. Your attitude can 'infect' others and ultimately affect the end result of a situation.
If you want to live a longer, healthier life, then you need to develop and maintain a positive attitude. You have the power in you to change the way you think, what you believe and the choices you will make. In doing so, you are open to changing your life! Yes, you can actually improve your life and your body by having a positive attitude and a positive belief system. What kind of attitude have you had about exercising? Have you felt like you have so far to go that you feel overwhelmed in reaching realistic goals?
Start out by:
1. Making a conscious decision to change your attitude about your exercise program.
2. Write down ‘reachable’ goals and expectations, then share them with others. This helps you become accountable.
3. Stretching yourself to a new level as you reach these goals by doing something you may not be comfortable doing at first. You’ll feel so good about yourself and your body when you accomplish those things.
4. Getting a partner – be accountable to someone else; help motivate each other.
5. Rewarding yourself – once you reach even short term goals, reward yourself
You can make positive changes in your life, but it starts with you. Once you’ve made the conscious decision to make positive changes, whether it is starting an exercise program or changing up your existing fitness plan, the benefits will start rolling in. It is so worth it – remember to think it, speak it, live it, be it! I am here to help inspire and encourage you along the way.
“You need an attitude adjustment!” How many times have you heard those words or spoken them? How true they are, because attitudes are just that – adjustable! There are no set-in-stone rules that tell you how to react as situations unfold in your life. Almost always, you have the choice as to which type of attitude you will have. Suppose someone pulls out in front of you in traffic and you get upset. That person didn’t make you angry – you made the choice to feel angry all by yourself. People or circumstances cannot 'make' you feel anything at all. But many of us often don’t take the time to think things out. We simply react, many times in a negative manner.
Your attitude is the first thing people pick up on. Just as yawning, complaining or even crying can be contagious, so may enthusiasm, excitement, and curiosity be a positive viral condition. Your attitude can 'infect' others and ultimately affect the end result of a situation.
If you want to live a longer, healthier life, then you need to develop and maintain a positive attitude. You have the power in you to change the way you think, what you believe and the choices you will make. In doing so, you are open to changing your life! Yes, you can actually improve your life and your body by having a positive attitude and a positive belief system. What kind of attitude have you had about exercising? Have you felt like you have so far to go that you feel overwhelmed in reaching realistic goals?
Start out by:
1. Making a conscious decision to change your attitude about your exercise program.
2. Write down ‘reachable’ goals and expectations, then share them with others. This helps you become accountable.
3. Stretching yourself to a new level as you reach these goals by doing something you may not be comfortable doing at first. You’ll feel so good about yourself and your body when you accomplish those things.
4. Getting a partner – be accountable to someone else; help motivate each other.
5. Rewarding yourself – once you reach even short term goals, reward yourself
You can make positive changes in your life, but it starts with you. Once you’ve made the conscious decision to make positive changes, whether it is starting an exercise program or changing up your existing fitness plan, the benefits will start rolling in. It is so worth it – remember to think it, speak it, live it, be it! I am here to help inspire and encourage you along the way.
Purpose and Passion
Last Thursday I was so inspired after hearing a talk from the CEO of a company called TriVita, that I started writing this blog right there on my yellow pad in the midst of the meeting. “Purpose” and “Passion”, he kept saying it over and over. I knew right then and there what my newest venture would be. I thought to myself, “I have helped thousands of people get into shape over the last 20 years in the health club industry, and now I want to help millions get into shape using the Internet.”
I decided that it was time to launch a new blog site: www.workout.com where I can speak to millions of people about the benefits of exercise and staying in-shape. I will have it up and running in the next 60 days - my commitment to you and to myself.
My Purpose: To help others achieve what they want out of life.
My Passion: To motivate people to start working out.
This new blog will help me accomplish both my purpose and my passion. Have you ever thought about what your purpose and passion is? A great way to start is to ask your self, “Why am I here?” “What special talents did God give me that I can share with others?” For some of you, it might take some time to think through. And for others, it may hit you like a bolt of lightning, as it did me while I sat in the chair listening to Michael Ellison speak. Whenever it comes to you, write it down, look at it, read it to yourself and read it out loud. Put it in a place where you can see it daily.
I have been living my purpose and passion, but it wasn’t until I heard someone else talk about theirs that I took action and wrote mine down on paper. I now have that piece of paper in my wallet and will always carry it with me.
As you read this, I hope you’re also thinking about your purpose and passion. If I can help anyone of you get started on a workout program or help motivate you to keep going with your routine, please let me know. If you are having trouble with your purpose or passion, I have a few things that might be helpful in getting you started.
Enthusiastically,
Joe Gigantino Jr.
"A gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment."
I decided that it was time to launch a new blog site: www.workout.com where I can speak to millions of people about the benefits of exercise and staying in-shape. I will have it up and running in the next 60 days - my commitment to you and to myself.
My Purpose: To help others achieve what they want out of life.
My Passion: To motivate people to start working out.
This new blog will help me accomplish both my purpose and my passion. Have you ever thought about what your purpose and passion is? A great way to start is to ask your self, “Why am I here?” “What special talents did God give me that I can share with others?” For some of you, it might take some time to think through. And for others, it may hit you like a bolt of lightning, as it did me while I sat in the chair listening to Michael Ellison speak. Whenever it comes to you, write it down, look at it, read it to yourself and read it out loud. Put it in a place where you can see it daily.
I have been living my purpose and passion, but it wasn’t until I heard someone else talk about theirs that I took action and wrote mine down on paper. I now have that piece of paper in my wallet and will always carry it with me.
As you read this, I hope you’re also thinking about your purpose and passion. If I can help anyone of you get started on a workout program or help motivate you to keep going with your routine, please let me know. If you are having trouble with your purpose or passion, I have a few things that might be helpful in getting you started.
Enthusiastically,
Joe Gigantino Jr.
"A gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment."
The Ultimate Equalizer
This past weekend, I had the chance to catch up on some of my reading. After finishing an interesting book on time management, I began jotting down a few notes on some of the tips I learned from the book. In mid-sentence, I had one of those “eureka” moments - One of those rare moments where I have total clarity in my thought process. I immediately wrote down this thought and decided I would include this in my next blog and share it with you.
Time is the ultimate equalizer among all men and women. There is no measurement more accurate to our equality then the number of hours each day.
The more I thought about this, the more sense it made. It’s true that every day provides an opportunity – we can choose to take advantage of this opportunity by being creative and productive, or we can choose to waste that day.
Don’t think for a moment that I’m some eternal optimist who simply always sees the good inside of the bad situations. In the past, I’ve personally had my share of “opportunity doors” close and these doors always represented times in which my progress was halted. What I learned from this eureka moment is that doors or obstacles don’t have to slow us down, they simply redirect our momentum.
If a commitment to working out and living healthier has been an obstacle in the past, I hope you can see that the ultimate equalizer, TIME, would argue that today – right now – marks an opportunity to once again achieve success!
Time is the ultimate equalizer among all men and women. There is no measurement more accurate to our equality then the number of hours each day.
The more I thought about this, the more sense it made. It’s true that every day provides an opportunity – we can choose to take advantage of this opportunity by being creative and productive, or we can choose to waste that day.
Don’t think for a moment that I’m some eternal optimist who simply always sees the good inside of the bad situations. In the past, I’ve personally had my share of “opportunity doors” close and these doors always represented times in which my progress was halted. What I learned from this eureka moment is that doors or obstacles don’t have to slow us down, they simply redirect our momentum.
If a commitment to working out and living healthier has been an obstacle in the past, I hope you can see that the ultimate equalizer, TIME, would argue that today – right now – marks an opportunity to once again achieve success!
Your Life is Now
So, I have to admit something… I typically don’t look forward to my morning cardio. In fact, it seems more like punishment then anything else. The funny thing is that I know that when I am done, I feel like a million bucks! I expected this Monday morning to be no exception, but it was.
I had forgotten my book at home so I decided to put on my Ipod and pass the tine listening to music. I wasn’t searching for anything in particular, just a beat that I could pedal to. I have a variety of music on my Ipod but the first song that came on was by Michael Buble (not usually a song I would want to do cardio to) but I started to really listen to the lyrics and got me thinking. I guess the song could be interpreted in different ways, but I saw it as an opportunity to re-start or re-commit to something important in my life. It made me start to think about what I was focusing on, and if it was really important at this time in my life. It caused me to recalibrate the way I was thinking about things going on in my life.
What made this morning so much different than the typical Monday morning was that after a half hour of cardio, I made several promises to myself and thought I would share two of them with you. I promised that I would place a higher value on people and their choices; and I promised that I would always attempt to take the highest (and most rewarding) road.
My hope is that after sharing this with you, you will also make a few promises to yourself. For those of you that want to share them, please post them for all of us to read. I would love to hear your story! By doing so, you will make changes to ensure those promises come true. For many of you, I hope the promise will be to re-commit to health, fitness, working out and being more disciplined with your eating habits. To those of you who make this promise; my promise to you is that I will do everything in my power to help! Remember, regardless of how many times we have fallen short or not followed through with something, it’s in the past. The promise we make today is the one you will keep, your life is now!
Remember… “Your gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment!” - Joe G.
Enthusiastically yours,
Joe Gigantino Jr.
I had forgotten my book at home so I decided to put on my Ipod and pass the tine listening to music. I wasn’t searching for anything in particular, just a beat that I could pedal to. I have a variety of music on my Ipod but the first song that came on was by Michael Buble (not usually a song I would want to do cardio to) but I started to really listen to the lyrics and got me thinking. I guess the song could be interpreted in different ways, but I saw it as an opportunity to re-start or re-commit to something important in my life. It made me start to think about what I was focusing on, and if it was really important at this time in my life. It caused me to recalibrate the way I was thinking about things going on in my life.
What made this morning so much different than the typical Monday morning was that after a half hour of cardio, I made several promises to myself and thought I would share two of them with you. I promised that I would place a higher value on people and their choices; and I promised that I would always attempt to take the highest (and most rewarding) road.
My hope is that after sharing this with you, you will also make a few promises to yourself. For those of you that want to share them, please post them for all of us to read. I would love to hear your story! By doing so, you will make changes to ensure those promises come true. For many of you, I hope the promise will be to re-commit to health, fitness, working out and being more disciplined with your eating habits. To those of you who make this promise; my promise to you is that I will do everything in my power to help! Remember, regardless of how many times we have fallen short or not followed through with something, it’s in the past. The promise we make today is the one you will keep, your life is now!
Remember… “Your gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment!” - Joe G.
Enthusiastically yours,
Joe Gigantino Jr.
Creating Willpower
What is willpower? Have you ever tried to define it? My guess is no. In fact I believe the reason we don’t ask this question is because we can blame willpower if we don’t follow through with our goals. We prefer to allow the mystery to exist. Haven’t we all heard someone say that they either didn’t have enough willpower or somehow lost their willpower?
Many of us still believe that willpower comes and goes with the wind. It’s unpredictable with uncertain loyalty. Although it seems rather odd, I witness many people using willpower as an excuse to cushion their fall from reaching goals.
Willpower: is energetic determination…and that’s it!
The first thing we all need to realize is that willpower is available to each and every one of us. It’s not handed out at birth based on your genetic blueprint or later in life based on size or smarts. It’s truly there for the taking and it’s FREE. It’s important to realize that based on your lifestyle (conditioned or habitual behavior) you should be able to determine your level of willpower. What do I mean by this? Well, I ‘m sure we all understand that the longer we habitually do something a certain way, it is that much more difficult to change. Whether it’s sleeping patterns, watching TV, exercise or how we eat.
Examples:
For the person who routinely gets up at 6:00am and starts their day off with a brisk walk; it would be reasonable to assume that they would have the willpower to successfully begin an early morning workout program with a trainer at the gym. Another person who routinely sleeps in would be at a different willpower level and would most likely fail if they tried to establish the same early morning training program at the gym. A more realistic expectation would be for the latter person to gradually build their willpower by setting their clock to get up a half hour earlier each day. As this first step becomes conditioned (usually 3-4 weeks) they then are ready for the next step. Along with my first person that regularly got up early, they too (after 3-4 weeks) are ready for the next step in their progression to reach their goals.
I have personally used this system of creating willpower to accomplish the goals I’ve set for myself. These simple steps of progression can make huge differences! Understanding the concept of willpower can make great positive influences on your life. Stop saying “I don’t have” or “I can’t” and start saying, “I do have the willpower to…” “I will!”
As we begin a new week, my hope is that each one of us recognizes exactly what level we’re on. Let’s “set our alarm clocks ½ hour early”. As you prepare yourself for the next step, we would enjoy hearing from you. Please leave your comments so we all can benefit on how ‘creating willpower’ is bringing you closer to your goals.
“A gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment.”
Joe Gigantino Jr.
Many of us still believe that willpower comes and goes with the wind. It’s unpredictable with uncertain loyalty. Although it seems rather odd, I witness many people using willpower as an excuse to cushion their fall from reaching goals.
Willpower: is energetic determination…and that’s it!
The first thing we all need to realize is that willpower is available to each and every one of us. It’s not handed out at birth based on your genetic blueprint or later in life based on size or smarts. It’s truly there for the taking and it’s FREE. It’s important to realize that based on your lifestyle (conditioned or habitual behavior) you should be able to determine your level of willpower. What do I mean by this? Well, I ‘m sure we all understand that the longer we habitually do something a certain way, it is that much more difficult to change. Whether it’s sleeping patterns, watching TV, exercise or how we eat.
Examples:
For the person who routinely gets up at 6:00am and starts their day off with a brisk walk; it would be reasonable to assume that they would have the willpower to successfully begin an early morning workout program with a trainer at the gym. Another person who routinely sleeps in would be at a different willpower level and would most likely fail if they tried to establish the same early morning training program at the gym. A more realistic expectation would be for the latter person to gradually build their willpower by setting their clock to get up a half hour earlier each day. As this first step becomes conditioned (usually 3-4 weeks) they then are ready for the next step. Along with my first person that regularly got up early, they too (after 3-4 weeks) are ready for the next step in their progression to reach their goals.
I have personally used this system of creating willpower to accomplish the goals I’ve set for myself. These simple steps of progression can make huge differences! Understanding the concept of willpower can make great positive influences on your life. Stop saying “I don’t have” or “I can’t” and start saying, “I do have the willpower to…” “I will!”
As we begin a new week, my hope is that each one of us recognizes exactly what level we’re on. Let’s “set our alarm clocks ½ hour early”. As you prepare yourself for the next step, we would enjoy hearing from you. Please leave your comments so we all can benefit on how ‘creating willpower’ is bringing you closer to your goals.
“A gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment.”
Joe Gigantino Jr.
The Greatest Stress Buster
I am sure we all have experienced stress in our lives that sends our blood pressure rising and heart beat racing. With busy schedules, pressures at work, kids and family commitments, more and more we are becoming a stressed out society! To add to this stress, in today’s economic times, some people have more reason to experience hardship and stress.
You see, there is an actual physiological symptom caused by stress. When you encounter a problem or something that makes you nervous or scared, your body releases stress hormones such as cortisol that prepares your body for the ‘fight or flight’. Well, I’m sure these pressures we experience on a daily basis are not life threatening and not suppose to create that ‘fight or flight’ syndrome. However, we still experience the same physiological symptoms, which can wreak havoc on the body if not addressed. Stress can weaken our immune system; and can cause a greater risk for sickness and disease, injury and emotional problems.
Did you know that one of the best ways to counteract and manage stress is exercise? Participating in exercise releases chemicals in your body called “endorphins”, or commonly referred to as a “runner’s high”, and can give you a feeling of happiness and increased overall sense of well-being. Don’t worry, you don’t have to go out for a long run to get these benefits. Many other forms of exercise will produce the same results.
Physical activity improves health and can serve as a great distraction to whatever you are dealing with. With a change of scenery, your mind can be taken away from the problem at hand and offer you a fresh perspective when it needs to be addressed again. There is also the social aspect of exercise that can offer further support in dealing with stress. Whether you are going out for a run with a group, taking a class with a friend, or working out with a partner at the gym; you can get a double dose of stress relief by combining the benefits of exercise and positive social interaction.
Whatever you are stressed with; pressures at work, scheduling commitments, kids, relationships etc, take the time to take care of yourself! Get moving with regular physical activity. It can help you have a whole new outlook on life and be better able to deal with the trials and stresses that come with it. It can save your life, I know it did for me!
Remember… “Your gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment!”
Enthusiastically yours,
Joe Gigantino Jr
You see, there is an actual physiological symptom caused by stress. When you encounter a problem or something that makes you nervous or scared, your body releases stress hormones such as cortisol that prepares your body for the ‘fight or flight’. Well, I’m sure these pressures we experience on a daily basis are not life threatening and not suppose to create that ‘fight or flight’ syndrome. However, we still experience the same physiological symptoms, which can wreak havoc on the body if not addressed. Stress can weaken our immune system; and can cause a greater risk for sickness and disease, injury and emotional problems.
Did you know that one of the best ways to counteract and manage stress is exercise? Participating in exercise releases chemicals in your body called “endorphins”, or commonly referred to as a “runner’s high”, and can give you a feeling of happiness and increased overall sense of well-being. Don’t worry, you don’t have to go out for a long run to get these benefits. Many other forms of exercise will produce the same results.
Physical activity improves health and can serve as a great distraction to whatever you are dealing with. With a change of scenery, your mind can be taken away from the problem at hand and offer you a fresh perspective when it needs to be addressed again. There is also the social aspect of exercise that can offer further support in dealing with stress. Whether you are going out for a run with a group, taking a class with a friend, or working out with a partner at the gym; you can get a double dose of stress relief by combining the benefits of exercise and positive social interaction.
Whatever you are stressed with; pressures at work, scheduling commitments, kids, relationships etc, take the time to take care of yourself! Get moving with regular physical activity. It can help you have a whole new outlook on life and be better able to deal with the trials and stresses that come with it. It can save your life, I know it did for me!
Remember… “Your gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment!”
Enthusiastically yours,
Joe Gigantino Jr
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