In the first part to this article I showed you how your health and fitness results are a direct result of your health and fitness decisions. You are responsible whether you like it or not. In this second part to the article, I share with you how saying you are not responsible robs you of your health and fitness power, while taking responsibility, give you all the power you need. Plus I share the one big step you need to take as soon as you have taken responsibility.

When you do not take responsibility for you health and fitness, you rob yourself of the majority of your power over your health and fitness. You may say “I am this way because of my genes, or my metabolism.” Well what influence do you have over your genes or metabolism? Very little or none. If you grant power over your health and fitness to external influences your outlook is bleak. You have no chance. The world is a scary place, and you are at its mercy.

On the other hand, if you say “My genes and metabolism are just an influence on me, and I am ultimately responsible for my health and fitness” you claim back your power (didn’t you feel a little of that power as your read those words?). The world is a brighter place and you can for the most part, chose what you do, where you go, and what you achieve.

Those who have taken responsibility for their health and fitness are plain to see. They are the sports stars, and athletes that are idolised (don’t you have a favourite sport’s hero?), or those fit people that you know which everyone takes notice of and admires. Every one of these people has taken responsibility for their health and fitness.

Once you tell yourself that you are responsible for your health and fitness, and that you are able to work with influences such as genes, metabolism, or the lingering effects of past illnesses or injuries, you must take THE FIRST BIG STEP.

What is this first big step? It is to start getting yourself a health and fitness education.

Most people’s health and fitness education stopped the moment they left school, or college. Your health education should be a life long study, rather than just a few years in formal education. Rather than your teachers being responsible for your education, you need to realise that you need to be responsible, and responsible on an on going basis for the rest of your life. It is only by acquiring this knowledge will you know how to act to ensure that you become healthy and fit and remain so for the rest of your life (like me learning about the effects of smoking on my sight).

And it is not difficult. Taken a little bit at a time over the rest of your life, it is easy, and becomes, enjoyable and second nature. Health knowledge is all around. In newspapers, magazines, on the television, books, and on the internet. And as soon as you tell yourself that you want to learn what you are reading, you will automatically take more in and remember it more. And the more times you read something, the more it sinks in. Make yourself the habit of reading every health and fitness article twice. You’ll be amazed at the results.

What about the maze and masses of often conflicting information out there? Well, I can tell you from experience that this is a little bit of a myth. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you’ll find that the maze is not as big as you expected it to be.

So decide today to empower yourself by taking responsibility for your health and fitness, and start getting your lifelong health and fitness education.

The Federal Trade Commission complains that many groups make false claims or rather unsubstantiated claims about certain health foods, which may not do much of anything. Actually in looking at the total picture this is rather hilarious in that the Federal Trade Commission has never once been able to prove that it has actually reduced fraud.

In fact I have never seen one scientific research paper proving that the FTC actually helps consumers, not one, from any reputable University research department. I have never seen any empirical proof they crime, fraud or misrepresentation has been reduced by the FTC. This is not to say that their claims are not real when they state they are helping the consumer. It is to say they cannot prove it. And since they cannot prove it then by their own rules, they cannot say it right? Fair is fair, let’s be honest?

Indeed I dare to ask the question is the United States Justice Departments Federal Trade Commissions Consumer Protection Division attacking and suing Health Food Companies because of the claims they make that they believe to be false or because they have been persuaded too by politicians who have been paid under the table by drug company lobbyists?

That is my final question; no other questions your honor. Think on this 2006.

Lance Winslow

The Tour De France, arguably may be the hardest sport of all time, and Lance Armstrong probably one of the most conditioned athletes ever. But, how is it possible for a man on the door step of death to be able to overcome cancer, return and win seven races in a row? Only in the end, retire on top as a winner he so right fully deserves.

How many wonder? How can any human being bounce back after such set back and compete let alone win one of the hardest sporting events possible? Why, others will ask? Why would a man want to put is mind and body through such tests? Is it a new lease on life? Is it a second chance, or is an obsession in the soul?

Many who live to compete in sporting events marvel at those who consistently rise to the occasion. But, all of us like a story. A story of triumph, especially when it has to do with human will power.

Being a fitness buff I always like to categorize what certain characteristics one may have in order to do what they do. Let’s look at a few that Lance Armstrong probably has:

1. Passion: You have to be sold out to doing what you want to accomplish. You understand at the start that you will have good days and not so good days.

2. Respect for the sport: You understand that the sport is much larger than you. You have the attitude each day that it is you chancing the sport not the sport living for you.

3. Willingness to learn: Each day will be an opportunity to learn something about you, the sport and the process.

4. Work smarter not harder attitude: It is not the one who necessarily works the hardest day in and day out. It is the one who continues to learn how to be more efficient in their craft.

5. Master the mental game first: The biggest and most challenging events, courses and obstacles are not the ones we run on but the ones we think upon. You must first win over the events in your head before you can win on the paths to victory.

6. Know when to quit: Winning has a lot to do with how you bow out as much as it does to entering your first event. Compete for the sport, not for your ego!

7. Learn from the best: Always have someone to whom you can learn more things about your sport from.

8. Surround yourself with winners: You are only as good as those around you. Develop a good support team around you.

9. Eat to Win: Practice great nutritional habits. To be at your best, you must fuel the system that will take you there.

10. When others say no, you say yes: Refuse to be normal. Be the best you can be. Never settle for less than you can give.

We all may never accomplish what Lance Armstrong has overcome; however, we all have our own journey’s to pursue. Achieving them is maybe more of a matter of will rather than what each of us are dealt with. For today you may say, how come? Tomorrow you may think how far?

Greg Ryan is a high profile fitness expert and former employee of Kathy Smiths. Best selling author of the Changing from the INSIDE book series. Discover the common sense way to lose weight with out dieting. A proven formula the doctor’s DON’T want you to know about. For FREE MINI COURES click here http://www.resolutions.bz

The Tour De France, arguably may be the hardest sport of all time, and Lance Armstrong probably one of the most conditioned athletes ever. But, how is it possible for a man on the door step of death to be able to overcome cancer, return and win seven races in a row? Only in the end, retire on top as a winner he so right fully deserves.

How many wonder? How can any human being bounce back after such set back and compete let alone win one of the hardest sporting events possible? Why, others will ask? Why would a man want to put is mind and body through such tests? Is it a new lease on life? Is it a second chance, or is an obsession in the soul?

Many who live to compete in sporting events marvel at those who consistently rise to the occasion. But, all of us like a story. A story of triumph, especially when it has to do with human will power.

Being a fitness buff I always like to categorize what certain characteristics one may have in order to do what they do. Let’s look at a few that Lance Armstrong probably has:

1. Passion: You have to be sold out to doing what you want to accomplish. You understand at the start that you will have good days and not so good days.

2. Respect for the sport: You understand that the sport is much larger than you. You have the attitude each day that it is you chancing the sport not the sport living for you.

3. Willingness to learn: Each day will be an opportunity to learn something about you, the sport and the process.

4. Work smarter not harder attitude: It is not the one who necessarily works the hardest day in and day out. It is the one who continues to learn how to be more efficient in their craft.

5. Master the mental game first: The biggest and most challenging events, courses and obstacles are not the ones we run on but the ones we think upon. You must first win over the events in your head before you can win on the paths to victory.

6. Know when to quit: Winning has a lot to do with how you bow out as much as it does to entering your first event. Compete for the sport, not for your ego!

7. Learn from the best: Always have someone to whom you can learn more things about your sport from.

8. Surround yourself with winners: You are only as good as those around you. Develop a good support team around you.

9. Eat to Win: Practice great nutritional habits. To be at your best, you must fuel the system that will take you there.

10. When others say no, you say yes: Refuse to be normal. Be the best you can be. Never settle for less than you can give.

We all may never accomplish what Lance Armstrong has overcome; however, we all have our own journey’s to pursue. Achieving them is maybe more of a matter of will rather than what each of us are dealt with. For today you may say, how come? Tomorrow you may think how far?

Greg Ryan is a high profile fitness expert and former employee of Kathy Smiths. Best selling author of the Changing from the INSIDE book series. Discover the common sense way to lose weight with out dieting. A proven formula the doctor’s DON’T want you to know about. For FREE MINI COURES click here http://www.resolutions.bz

Have you taken responsibility for your health and fitness? No. Then you need to. If you don’t illness and lack of health will take responsibility for you. In this first part of a two part article, I explain your current health and fitness is a direct result of your actions and decisions.

Who has influence over how fit and healthy you are? Whose decisions and actions have brought you to the level of health and fitness you have at the moment? The answer to both these questions is “You do” and “You.”

You are responsible for your health and fitness. You and no-one else. “What about my doctor, or gym instructor? Is it not their responsibility?”

No! They are merely responsible for prescribing or advising in very specific circumstances, and usually to correct a problem. Correcting a problem does not create health and fitness, it just removes a problem. You are responsible for your health and fitness, not your doctor or gym instructor.

It is very important for you to realize that the levels of health and fitness that you will enjoy (or suffer from) in the future, will be down to the decisions and actions that you take. It is your responsibility.

Your current and future health and fitness is not the result of chance. You have got the results you have chosen, and you will have the results you chose.

Look at these figures. Smoking, poor diet, and lack of exercise reduces your life span by a decade (not doing exercise for 30 minutes every day reduces you life span by 5 years).
You decide not to exercise, not to eat healthily, and you decide to smoke. You decide to die a decade early.

You decide to exercise for half an hour a day, eat a good diet, and be a non smoker. You decide to live an extra decade.

Your actions are like picking up a stick. You chose to pick up a stick by the near end, but when you pick up one end of the stick, you also end up picking up the other end. The two ends are inseparable. When you make a decision, you chose to act in a certain way today, here and now. You know the here and now result. The other end of the stick is often years off. The effects of your decision will be felt in the future but are for now out of sight (and out of mind?).

Let me give you an example. When I used to smoke, I picked up the near end of the stick, i.e. satisfying my nicotine craving. I also unwittingly was picking up the negative health effects of the other end of my decision. If I had kept smoking, one of these effects would have been to possibly go blind in my later years (smoking is one of the biggest causes of premature blindness in the western world. It was this fact that prompted me to successfully give up smoking).

So, you are responsible for your health and fitness results, and no one else. Where you are today is the direct result of what you have decided in the past.

In the second part to this article, I will show you how you weaken yourself by not taking responsibility, and how you automatically empower yourself when you do take responsibility. I also share the FIRST BIG STEP you need to take as soon as you have admitted, “I am responsible.”