Thomas Watson, the Founder of IBM once said that, “The way to succeed is to double your failure rate.”

Many of the greatest success’s where also world class failures for a time. They just realized that success was part of failure.

Some people are so afraid of failure that they never try. I was recently involved with a business that was on the verge of failure. They brought me in to help turn the business around and to use my platform to bring attention to their business. I did bring attention to the business but the people were unwilling to do anything different or try anything new. In fact they were unwilling to do anything. They were so afraid of failing that they refused to even try. They kept doing the same things that lead them to failure but expected a different outcome. Well that is the definition of insanity, doing the same things and expecting a different result. In fact it almost drove me insane.

Before I partnered with them I wanted to make sure they were willing to makes some changes, so I met with the owners several times. I was told by one of the owners, “look at me as a tool in your toolbox. How will you use me, what will you do?” I gave him a detailed plan of action that we would act upon once I was on board and he and his partners where very excited about! I was getting constant text messages and emails because they were so anxious to turn the company around…. Until it was time to actually do something.

We were able to get incredible media attention, everything from the Wall Street Journal to Fox News and everything in between. They where told to email all these great things out to their mailing list, to let people know what we where up to. To put new programs in place that would inspire people to do business with them. To put systems in place that would allow for controlled growth. They talked a great talk, but their talk didn’t match their walk.  In fact all of their attention was on the failure.  Every meeting started by discussing how much money they were losing.  Then they expected people to come up with creative ideas or to act on the ideas they were given.  That is like dowsing the coals with water and expecting it to start.  Running a business like this is like trying to drive while looking in the rear view mirror.  You will get some distance but you will crash.

Then it happened! NOTHING!!! No effort, no change, nothing. And that is exactly what happened. Nothing. The business is no better off today then it was almost a year ago when I got there. In fact it is in worse shape because they are farther behind on their bills, deeply in debt and the moral of the employees is the in toilet.

The travesty is, this business could have been a world class organization. The investors believe in it and most of them don’t even know their money is being flushed down the toilet.

Our country was founded on risk, baptized in failure and prospered through resilience and creativity. If you want to succeed, go out and do something. If you fail, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and do something else! Don’t be insane by doing the same thing, make some adjustments and get going again, passionate about the success that will not elude you! If you have the mind set that you will not be denied your success and you are willing to keep on trying until you are a success. Then you stand amoung the great ones! The ones who strove for success, failed and kept on trying until success was theirs. The ones that would not be denied!

Don’t be denied, go out and live the life of your dreams!

The word discipline can have a very negative meaning.  For example you get disciplined when you do something wrong.

Add the word self in front of discipline and it takes on a whole new meaning.   Self discipline is the training of yourself so you can improve, so you can get better, to grow into the person you where meant to be.

I find that when the winds of change come and everything seems to be going wrong it is disciple that will turn the tide for you.  Since we are body, mind and spirit it makes sense that we should have disciplines that strengthen those 3 key areas.

1. Discipline yourself to eat and exercise properly.
2. Discipline yourself to keep your mind positive and thinking about the pure, the good, the uplifting.
3. Discipline yourself to feed your spirit. Read the word of God, pray, be around like minded people, get to church regularly.

I have always believed that if you could find out what successful people did and did what they did you would get similar results.  Find out the disciplined habits of the fit, the positive and the spiritually strong, apply those disciplines to your life and you will get similar results.  I have been studying the first two for over 30 years and the last one for almost 15 years and I am still learning and growing.

I find that getting my cardio done first thing in the morning while listening to a good upbeat Christian teaching reminding me who I am in Christ is great for me.  Then I get into the word of God and that sets the stage for my day.

Question:  Do you have any disciplines that help you that you would like to share with others?  Post them so everyone can grow!

The way you start your day, sets the stage for the rest of your day.  Since you are the most important ingredient in your success you must take care of yourself.  You have no control over the economy and little control over other outside influences but you have complete control over yourself.  If you start your day off strong and positive the rest of your day will follow suite.

You must pay attention to what you put in your:

1. Body (mouth)
2. Mind
3. Spirit

Today I want to talk about starting your day of strong and how to get and keep your body energized.  Moving is critical because you will burn fat, build muscle and engage your physiology which will position you for a successful day.  This is how I started my day today.

I got up, put my clothes on grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to they gym for 45 minutes on the step mill.  I listened to Joel Osteen while I climbed 110 flights of stairs.  When I came home I had 5 egg whites and one whole egg scrambled with 1/2 onion, 3 thin slices of turkey breast and 1/2 avocado cooked in a pan with a little olive oil.  After I ate this I had a grapefruit and my vitamins.

Sounds simple and it is, you just need to get into the habit of caring for your most important asset… YOURSELF!

Was this helpful?  Let me know what else I can do to help you make 2010 your best year ever!

Eating while traveling doesn’t have to short circuit your fitness goals!

Here’s what you need to do:

• Bring food with you
• Bring protein drinks with you
• Eat at the airport or on the road just eat smart
• Drink plenty of water
• Be prepared

I was at a luncheon with Donald Trump yesterday in New York. We had Filet Mignon and it was fantastic! I flew in for the day and should have been home for dinner but it snowed.  I got delayed at Kennedy Airport for a few unexpected hours.  I was hungry and I know the longer I wait to eat the worse I will eat.  Here are a few keys to eating on the road.

• You can bring pre-made protein shots with you that are less then 3 oz so you can bring on the plane.  Several companies now make them.
• If you have to eat fast food, get the burger, chicken, etc but toss the bun.  Better yet tell them to leave the bun off this way you are not tempted.
• Bring protein cookies with you.  I make my own buy you can buy as well.  This will ease your sweet tooth and keep you satisfied.
• Traveling can make you forget to eat.  Set the timer on your phone to go off every two or three hours to remind you to eat.

Remember you have to eat and eat often to be fit, lean and vibrant.  Now you have some tips to help you to eat well while traveling.

I was asked in an interview for a major magazine yesterday how to eat to stay lean and healthy.  Eating has become one of the most confusing things in the world, but it doesn’t have to be.  You have to eat protein, carbohydrates and fats.  The key is to find out what the appropriate amount of carbohydrates you can personally handle and stay lean, fit and healthy.

Protein: You need at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.  You are better off with lower fat proteins like eggs and egg whites, fish, chicken and turkey breast, cottage cheese etc.

Fats: Good fats from olive oil, fish, fish oil, nuts, avocados,  etc.

Now the confusing part…. Carbohydrates.  I like a low or no starchy carbohydrate approach to eating.  Basically, starches and sugars—carbohydrates that are high glycemic, have a tendency to have the body produce more insulin, which in turn causes additional fat storage and inhibits fat loss. So it’s best to avoid those types of carbs and eat only low-glycemic carbs.

This isn’t a difficult diet to follow and in fact you only eat this way for 5 1/2 days a week.  What I tell people to do is to eat this way monday through Saturday at lunch time, then  you can eat what ever you want from Saturday at lunch time through Sunday… within reason and still loose fat and stay lean.  Most people want to go back to the low carb way of eating by sunday at lunch time anyway.

I kept this short, sweet and simple for a reason.  Eating isn’t that complicated.

Many people tell me that they simply don’t have the time to exercise. My response is you don’t have the time not to exercise. By properly taking care of yourself you will feel better and be more energetic so you will actually get time back in your day.

If you are effective with your exercise time you can get great results with just 3 hours a week. This of course depends on your goals, your diet and where you are right now. But if you are consistent with your diet and exercise this program will get you into the best shape of your life.

When it come to resistance training and cardio timing is everything!

The benefits of resistance training (lifting weights) and cardio vascular training are undeniable, yet much confusion surrounds it. Should you do each on the same day? Do you lift weights first or do cardio first? Do you do short high intensity cardio or longer slower sessions? I am sure you get the point.

We all know the key to being fit is proper nutrition and exercise. I want to lay out the most effective way for you to incorporate resistance training and cardio vascular training into your already busy life. The key to a successful fitness program is consistency and in order to be consistent it needs to work with and enhance your already busy lifestyle.

If you are doing weight training and cardio in the same session then hit the weights first. It takes 20 to 30 minutes of activity before your body uses fat for fuel before that your body utilizes glycogen (blood sugar) for fuel. If you do your weight training first you will get into fat burning much faster once you start doing cardio hence making this the most time efficient and productive way to train.

Glycogen is the preferred energy source when you are lifting weights so if you do cardio first you will have no energy for your workout. Do your weight training first, then your cardio and you will make the best use of your work out time and get the results you are after.

Turn your body into a fat burning inferno!
So many people do cardio only because they want to burn unwanted fat but this is unproductive. The most productive thing to do is to reeve your metabolism so your body is burning fat even at rest. Yes you can burn fat even when your not working out. Muscle burns fat even at rest so build your muscles and ignite your metabolism. This will give you the lean, sexy toned body you are after.

Cardio does have it’s place in a well rounded fitness routine. The two most productive times to do cardio are first thing in the morning and directly after you work out with weights. If you wake up in the morning and do cardio you will be burning fat much faster because you have been fasting all night and your glycogen is low so you will burn fat for energy sooner. The next best time is directly after lifting weights for the very same reason. In fact at AIHF Wellness we tell many of our clients to just start off with an early morning walk to kick start their metabolism and to get into the habit of exercising. Also cardio has many other health benefits for your lungs, circulatory system, blood lipid profile, etc. so it shouldn’t be over looked.

So you need both forms of exercise in your routine and the way you schedule it is up to you. You could lift weights three times a week and then do your cardio directly after lifting weights and get into fantastic shape. In fact I did this with a group of ten people all way out of shape and had them work out three days a week for one hour and within a few months they where all in great shape and within six months they all had abs.

The basis of the routine was simple. They would do ten minutes of abdominal training as a warm up, then lift weights for 30 minutes and then do 20 minutes of cardio. On Monday they did Chest, Shoulders and Triceps, Wednesday was Legs and Friday was Back and Biceps. I did change it around every month or so to make it interesting but that was the basic routine that they used go get into incredible shape.

Now I am going to lay out a very effective three day routine. You can do abs as a warm up or after your weight training, it is up to you. Also depending on how much body fat you want to loose will depend on how much cardio you do. If you want to loose the fat faster you may want to do cardio after your weight work out and on your off days. But if you eat well and do this three days a week you can and will get into fantastic shape. But keep in mind, the more effort you put in the better the results you will get out.

You can do this work out on Monday, Wendsday and Fridays or Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays. It is a good idea to have a day in between each work out. If that isn’t possible don’t use it as an excuse, simply work out on the days you can.

The Routine

Mondays (Chest, Shoulder, Triceps and Abs.)
Chest Press 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Incline Chest Press 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Shoulder Press 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Lateral Raise 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Triceps Press Down 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Lying Triceps Extension 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Crunch 3 sets of 10 – 20+ reps
Reverse Crunch 3 sets of 10 – 20+ reps

Wednesday (Legs and Abs.)
Leg Extension 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Leg Press 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Lunges 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Leg Curls 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Standing Calf Raises 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps s
Seated Calf Raises 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps s
Crunch 3 sets of 10 – 20+ reps
Reverse Crunch 3 sets of 10 – 20+ reps

Friday (Back, Biceps and Abs.)
Pulldowns 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Close Grip Pulldowns 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Seated Rows 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Curls 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Preacher Curls 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps
Crunch 3 sets of 10 – 20+ reps
Reverse Crunch 3 sets of 10 – 20+ reps

Now you have a good solid work out that you can do in 3 hours a week. This isn’t a magic plan, no plan is a magic plan. The whole key is putting together a plan that will work with your lifestyle and to be consistent. This is just one option for getting into great shape in the least amount of time.

Let me know how you do!!

If you invest three hours a week in yourself you will have so much more energy that you will not only have the time to do the things you have to do but you will have the energy to do the things you want to do! You are your greatest asset… take the time to invest in yourself!

The country is in a mess financially, our health care system is severely broken, obesity and obesity related diseases are destroying lives and killing people like the plaque!  Yet we have no one on the Presidents Council on Physical Fitness banging the drum to a hurting country.  At a time like this we need to energize and lift people up so they can become all they where created to be by God and if you are not physically fit everything will suffer including your income.  We need to building stronger people so the country can be stronger not the other way around.  We need to activate the Presidents Council on Physical Fitness now!

The next two paragraphs are taken directly from the The Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports website.

About The Council

The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports is an advisory committee of volunteer citizens who advise the President through the Secretary of Health and Human Services about physical activity, fitness, and sports in America. Through its programs and partnerships with the public, private and non-profit sectors, the Council serves as a catalyst to promote health, physical activity, fitness, and enjoyment for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities through participation in physical activity and sports. The twenty Council members are appointed and serve at the pleasure of the President.

History

The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports was established as the President’s Council on Youth Fitness, on July 16, 1956, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower after the President learned the results of a report indicating that American children were less fit than European youth. The first Council, chaired by Vice President Richard Nixon, included the Cabinet Secretaries as members. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy changed the name to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, expanded the mandate to all Americans as well as youth, and clarified the purpose and function of the Council. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson broadened the Council’s mission to include sports and changed the name to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Through its programs, partnerships, publications, and Web sites, the Council promotes daily moderate physical activity for disease prevention and health; vigorous physical activity, stretching, and strength training for fitness and added health benefits; and sports participation, including the values of sportsmanship. The Council collaborates with federal, state, and local agencies and with the private sector and non-profit organizations to achieve mutual goals and objectives.

OK I am back…

Since 1956 the President of the United States has taken the Presidents Council on Physical Fitness seriously.  I am not saying our current President isn’t.  In fact I don’t envy President Obama or any other president for that matter.  They have the toughest job in the world and with the state of our world currently I know President Obama is a very busy man. All this being said the state of fitness in our country is at an all time low and I believe this plays a huge roll in the economy of our country, corporations, communities and individuals.  It has gone way beyond a cosmetic issue to a social and economic issue that can not be over looked any longer.

The Presidents Council on Physical Fitness is just what we need right now to encourage and lift up an unfit nation.  As many people die every year from diabetes as from HIV/AIDs yet you hear nothing about it.  Type 2 Diabetes is preventable and so are all the other lifestyle related diseases people are suffering through and I feel this council can not only raise awareness but give people common sense solutions to help improve their health and lives, in turn effecting the country’s health care system and economy.

I have called and emailed offering my services with no response.  What do you think?  Do you think this is important?

This is a reprint of an article that was in the Wall Street Journal today (Jan. 17, 2010)   Jonnelle did a great job interviewing me and was very gracious with her time and to include me in the article.

Get Fit on a Budget

By JONNELLE MARTE

Are money and motivation getting in the way of that resolution to exercise more and lose those pounds?

There are ways to reach those goals on a budget. And many employers and health insurers offer the push you need to get started.

Some employee wellness programs offer cash incentives and premium discounts to individuals who get health-risk assessments — which determine an individual’s overall health and offer advice on how to improve it — or participate in exercise programs.

Dollars and Pedometers

Health assessments aren’t just for older workers with medical risk factors. Younger employees, who tend to be healthier and fitter on average, also can use them to help make sure they stay that way.

Kaiser Permanente, a health-care organization, offers appraisals to members that evaluate a person’s nutrition, weight management and pain management, among other things. And employers offer incentives for employees to partake. In California, for instance, some companies pay employees $10 to $200 for completing the online appraisals.

“The kinds of incentives we see most commonly are incentives intended to get people to start thinking about their health and caring about their health,” says Christine Paige, senior vice president of marketing and Internet services for Kaiser.

Some employers entice workers to join activities such as walking programs with cash or raffle entries. In some instances, the company provides pedometers for employees to record progress.

Meantime, many companies offer partial reimbursement for gym-membership costs. Others are rewarding the outcome by lowering premiums for individuals who attain certain health goals, says Ms. Paige. For a young person on a tight budget, a lower premium can make a big difference.

Check with your human-resources department and insurance company about available wellness-program incentives or discounts.

Flexibility Can Pay Off

Here are some other resources for reaching your fitness goals on the cheap.

Aetna has a free application for the BlackBerry smartphone aimed at college students and twentysomethings. It has a calorie tracker and daily nutrition and fitness tips, such as instructions for decoding food labels or for doing different exercises. The iPhone has free apps that track calorie intake.

At AetnaStudentHealth.com, college students and twentysomethings will find tips on quitting smoking, eating healthier and other issues.

If you plan to join a gym, shop around and look into rates at university gyms that accept outside members. Also check if your alma mater offers discounted rates for alumni, says John Rowley, director of fitness and wellness at the American Institute of Healthcare & Fitness, in Raleigh, N.C. Other lower-cost options are community gyms, such as the YMCA.

Ask a gym manager if you can get a discount or special rate for working out during offpeak hours, he adds.

A gym membership not an option? If you have a cable-TV subscription, take advantage of workout routines offered through on-demand services or on fitness channels. And improvise when it comes to equipment: Food cans and water bottles can be used as weights, Mr. Rowley says.

This is an article that I was in interviewed for, for SmartMoney and then it was reprinted in the Wall Street Journal by Kelli B. Grant  It got so much exposure I thought I would put on my blog for my readers.  I hope you enjoy it.

By KELLI B. GRANT

Keeping a New Year’s resolution to get in shape is no easy feat. The first hurdle often is finding a gym membership that’s fiscally fit.

Half of consumers who don’t belong to a gym say the costs are the primary deterrent, according to a 2009 survey from market researcher Mintel. Factoring in initiation fees, the median annual cost for a new gym member is $775, according to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, a trade group. Ongoing members pay slightly less than $43 per month for an average $511 annually.

In many cases, new members can cut their gym membership costs by as much as 50%. Here are some ways to do it.

Try no-commitment passes

Most gyms let nonmembers visit on a trial basis for a week or two. Use passes to try out all the fitness centers near your home or workplace, says Mackey McNeill, a certified public accountant and a spokeswoman for the National CPA Financial Literacy Commission. You’ll get a sense of how each club works with your schedule and fitness needs—and several months of free workouts—before committing to a membership.

Negotiate with promotions

Many clubs offer their best deals in January, which gives gym-goers some leverage now, says John Rowley, the director of fitness at the American Institute of Healthcare & Fitness, an integrated facility based in Raleigh, N.C. Even at big chains, prices are often negotiable. Ask about all the promotional and regular pricing options when you visit.

Once you’ve collected price information for clubs nearby, approach your first choice to see if they’ll meet a competitor’s price, Mr. Rowley suggests. If you plan to visit multiple locations of the same chain, talk to managers at each location. Many clubs are franchises, so prices and available discounts can vary.

Check in with HR

Gym discounts and reimbursements are a fairly common employee perk, so check in with your company’s benefits department. Employees at the University of Kentucky save 65% on the service fee at Curves gym when they sign a $39-a-month one-year contract, paying a $69 fee instead of $199.

Energy services company E.ON reimburses employees and their spouses for 50% of the cost of attending an approved fitness facility or class, up to $25 per month.

Talk to your landlord

Landlords looking to retain tenants are increasingly willing to negotiate—and the availability of fitness facilities on the property can often help you save, says Peggy Abkemeier, president of rental marketplace Rent.com. Property managers may be willing to throw in a free membership to the building’s gym, or even arrange discounts at a nearby health club.

Review your insurance

Insurance companies typically offer some fitness club discounts. Oxford Health Plans participants get up to 30% off monthly dues at Bally’s Total Fitness, Gold’s Gyms and Curves, among other fitness locations. Aetna offers plan participants deals through discounter GlobalFit.com, which negotiates special rates. At Bally’s Total Fitness, you’d pay roughly $29 per month for a local membership instead of $55—a 47% savings.

Pay month to month

New Year’s resolutions often fall by the wayside. The health, racquet and sportsclub association reports that 42% of club members visited fewer than 50 times during the course of an annual membership. “Gyms really push annual memberships because they look cheaper,” says Ms. McNeill. “But I would be very reluctant to sign up for a long-term package and potentially waste that money.”

Start off with a month-to-month plan, and switch over to a contract for a year or longer if you’re confident that your fitness regime will stick.

The flexibility to cancel a month-to-month plan also comes in handy if the cost of a gym membership turns out to be too high for your budget, she adds.

With the beginning of a new year comes new goals and expectations.  A chance to start over again and conquer the world God has put in front of you!

When setting goals we should look at every area of our lives, if we want to be fulfilled and of value to this world.  We should not just look at the financial but the physical, spiritual, relationships, etc.

For me this new year brings a few different goals that I am very excited about.  I am working on a new book, have many business objectives, want to grow in my faith, be able to serve the world with the gifts God has given me, serve my family and see all of them fulfill God purpose in their life, etc.  I also turn 50 this year and want to get into the best physical shape of my life.

I know many want to use 2010 to get into better shape so I am going to do some posts revealing my lifestyle as I challenge myself to 50 and beyond!  Anyone who knows me, knows that I have some physical challenges due to a bad car accident so if I can do it so can you!

I know 2010 is going to be a year where God will show Himself through the faith of His people.  In order to be the best you can be you must be in shape, I know this isn’t all of it but keep in mind if your body is weak your mind and spirit will follow.  I truly believe that is why God put it in that order in His word.  You must be physically, mentally and spiritually fit and being strong physically enhances your mental and spiritual strength.

I am currently about 12% body fat at about 210 lbs. and my goal is to get my body fat in the 8% range which would be fantastic. The below picture was taken by my wife Cathy 3 days after Christmas.  I did loosen my diet leading up to Christmas and I am charging toward 50 in 4 months.  I want to be in the best shape of my life when I hit the half century mark.  I hope you enjoy these blogs as I show you what I do and how I do it.  You will see that there is no magic bullet.  Just consistency.  I doesn’t take  a ton of time but it does take some time.

So as we embark on this journey together let me know if you have an specific questions that I can answer as we move forward.  Are you on a fitness regimen and not getting the results you wanted?  Are you following a certain diet but can’t stick to it or are getting sub par results?  I am here for you and would love to hear from you!

God bless you as we charge into 2010 together!!