Archive for January, 2009

Over the last few days I have been working on a few projects that I can’t complete without doing some learning. The main one has been making changes and adding a few things to the website. This was a task I had on my list for a while, but usually never got around to. Not because I didn’t have time. I set aside time, but simply filled it up with something else so I didn’t have to do that day. The real reason was that I didn’t know exactly what I was doing and didn’t want to make any mistakes.

Now don’t get me wrong, I think that striving for perfection is a good thing. I think that we should always be pushing ourselves to better at everything thing we do. The problem is that I often try to do things perfect the first time around. Since many projects consist of a number of parts, making sure each one is perfect when I am still learning makes projects seem much more complex and difficult than they really are.

Like the saying goes “practice makes perfect”, and part of learning is failing. In many cases, and definitely true for myself, I tend to learn much more when I fail than when I succeed. When I fail, I am not just learning how to do it, but how not do it. In the long run this helps me to do it better and quicker the next time.

How to Stop Procrastinating

• Write down your goals or agenda and put whatever you have been procrastinating to do at the top of your list (if your putting it off, it’s probably important)
• Set a due date
• Break the project down into smaller smaller tasks. This will help you get started and make the project look sizable
• Don’t try to make it perfect the first time. Sometimes it is easier to make changes afterwords.
• Know it’s not only okay, but beneficial to fail. If you are doing something for the first time then failing will only make it easier to do the next time

So as I mentioned I have been making a few changes to the site. In the next couple of days, I will also be offering some free e-books for to subscribe by e-mail. I am a huge fan of the books, so I hope you enjoy them also.

I will also be starting the Getting Fit in 30 Day’s Challenge on February 1. To get all of the details as I work towards this goal, please follow me on Twitter.

As always, I would love to hear your comments on the subject.

We have all seen the ads. Lose 10 pounds in 5 days, lose fat without changing your diet, get ripped in 15 minutes a day, get the body you have always been dreaming of with our new magic pill. The ads always tell us it can be so easy and  usually display a picture similar to the one at the top of this post. Let’s face it. We all want to be in good shape. People sped huge amounts of money each year on make up, clothes, food, tans, and exercise programs to make themselves look and feel better. The advantage of getting in shape over the other things, is that you not only look better, but you feel better. You have more energy, motivation, and confidence. So can the results that everyone talks about really be achieved? This is what I plan to find out.

The problem with most weight loss or body shaping programs is that most people stop doing them after only a few days or maybe a few weeks. The beginning is always the most difficult because you body is revolting against the changes. I plan to compete an entire 30 days of training and see if I can get the body they always show in the pictures. I am not trying to go for a body builder body, but I will try to gain definition and increase muscle size though out my body and try to gain the famous “6-pack” everyone always seems to be trying for.

Now the point of my test is two fold. One is to try and get in great shape. The other is to see if it is possible to get in shape within 30 days living within reasonable means. For instance, anyone can probably get in good shape in a month if they are training 4 hours a day 6 days a week. For obvious reasons, this isn’t possible for the majority of people and therefore realistic. It is also doubtful that anyone would stick with that plan for a very long time. To keep this program possible for anyone, I have come up with a list of requirements.

Requirements

1. Must not train more than 5 hours per week. This seems like reasonable amount for someone with a job.
2. Will not use any expensive machines. Any equipment used must be easily attainable and cheap.
3. Can not join a gym or receive any personal training
4. No significant changes to my diet. To be fair, I eat relatively balanced meals. However, I am not going to drastically change my diet for this workout.
5. No pills or supplements

The Plan

Lose fat weight and create a toned body in 30 days by using methods that require either no equipment at all (push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, etc) or cheap equipment that can be purchased at just about any store (exercise ball, pull up bar, dumb bell weights, etc).

The Program

I will be using “The Truth About Abs” program in conjunction with some of my favorite exercise routines to try and achieve my results.  I will start the program on February 1 and stop on March 2 exercising no more than 1 hour per day 5 days a week. (I’ve never actually tried this abs program, but it is actually very well written and comes with a number of bonus books. I will do a full evaluation of the program in 30 days, but if you would like to check it out now, you can find it here.)

Documentation

I will be taking pictures of myself through out the process and may even do a few videos a long the way. I will also try and keep track of my basic diet. I will also keep track of the types of exercises and how my body is adapting to them. If you would like to get all the updates, and not just the ones I make post on the blog, please follow me on Twitter.

Final Notes

As I mentioned, the point of this challenge is to see if I can get a toned/muscular body in 30 days on a a schedule that anyone could accomplish. I would like to mention that I am someone who eats relatively well and am in decent shape. By no means could I run a marathon, but I could run a mile. During this challenge I will try to lose some of by body fat and put on enough muscle to have a six pack and a toned body.

Wish me good luck and please feel free to leave any comments you may have.