Motivation–an Inside Job

What motivates you?  This is still one of the main things that each of you individually needs to answer.  For each of us, we as individuals need to evaluate our own abilities, and at the same time, incorporate these abilities into our life’s objectives.  “What you can concieve you can achieve.”  One of the more critical issues when it comes to motivation is restructuring our own attitudes, and using this to achieve true success.  Anything worth having does not just happen.  It takes effort, and effort requires work.  Once all is said and done, that work can return rewards that will fulfill our lives, make us happy, and allow us to appreciate who we are as individuals.  The hardest part of regular exercise is not the exercise, it is the regular.  It becomes much easier when you make exercise a habit.  It then becomes a part of your day, your routine, and you just plan for it. 

A quatation by Aristotle sums this up:  “We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Keep moving!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day #:  1570

How are the New Year’s Resolutions Going?

I have never seen the golf course here, with the bike trail, like this in January.  It has been great continuing to be able to use the bike trail yet this winter, and not having the snow.  It makes it much easier to go outside and continue to stay active.  How are the rest of you doing with your New Year’s resolutions to get more active, and to watch your diet?  Well, it definitely makes things a little easier when the weather cooperates.  This last week, with some of the days getting up in the 50’s, people have been out like crazy walking, biking, or running, and taking advantage of this weather.  Appreciate it, and take advantage as long as we can.

Buddy was saying, “Enough of this taking picture stuff, we came out here to go walking.  Get moving!”.  You are right Buddy, but sometimes you have to sit back and enjoy the day as well.  You all do the same.  The next few days are going to be in the upper 40’s.  Hope to see you outside!  Keep working on those resolutions.  Persistence is the key…

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day #:  1563

Happy New Year!

Once again, we have finished out another year, and ready to begin another.  Hope 2012 will be good for you.  New Year’s is also a time for people to set new resolutions.  They are determined to do better with exercise and their diet.  What it really boils down to more is a re-organization of our time.  We need to reset our priorities.  The time is there, but it may not always be the most convenient.

We often times just need to make adjustments to our daily schedule, making time for it.  Adjustments on how we are going to make the time to accomplish our goals, without making them such a burden or chore that we can’t stay committed to them, often leading to more frustration, and even less attempt at trying to make a change or difference, are not always easy.  Focus on things that have worked well for you before, and then continue to “fine tune” these even more.  Make the time.  We all have the same 24 hours in a day.  Good luck!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day #:  1557

Reflections of the Past Year

The holidays are always a good time to sit back and reflect upon this past year.  What went right?  What went wrong? What do we need to change?  What do we need to do to improve?  This is particularly true when it comes to ourselves, our health, and trying to do better with doing more exercise, and watching our diets/food intake.  Setting new goals, or adjusting old goals can be good, but instead of making ourselves commit to another goal, often times unrealistic, how about if we work on trying to improve upon what we have already done well.  This is also a time to take advantage to learn from what we have not done well.

This was my daughter, Molly, and her response to what she thought of her christmas presents this year.  This should actually be our response to what we have accomplished this year, and realize that we are not going to do everything right.  What is more important out of all of this is to realize what we have done right and appreciate it, and to keep moving forward and learn from what we did wrong.  We can all do a better job when it comes to our own health.  We can all do better with exercise and diet.  It is a continuous committment we must make, and we can do it, but it does take effort.  Anything worth having in life does not come easy.  So remember as we get ready to go forward to 2012–Stay active, spend time with family and friends, and continue to take care of ourselves.  There are a lot of people out there that would miss you if you were gone. Have a happy upcoming New Year!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day #:  1556

Merry Christmas!

Hopefully you all had a great Christmas!  The weater was great, and we got to spend some of the time outside enjoying the weather.  We spent part of it in Huron seeing Grandma and Grandpa Folk.  Then after we got done eating, it was so nice out we all went out for about a 2 mile walk.  I don’t remember the last Christmas we went out as a family for a walk!

Here we are getting ready to go.  Just waiting for Nick and Grandpa, who were out riding a 4 wheeler.  Some kids never grow up!  Hope everybody’s holidays were fun, and that you all got to spend time with your family.  Enjoy!  Stay active!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day #:  1551

Trying to have a White Christmas

Went out with Buddy this AM for a walk.  We got some snow last night, but with the upcoming temps, I don’t think it will last long.  Buddy was in the holiday spirit, and was fired up to go walking. 

From Buddy and I, we say to you all:  Hope your holidays are filled with good times, family time, and just time to do things for yourselves.  Stay healthy.  Stay active.  Have fun.  Whatever your faith, or your beliefs this time of year, it is a time for family.  Spend it well with them, and do it however you chose to do.  Happy Winter Solstice!  Merry Christmas!  Take care for now!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1548