New Years Resolutions are the talk of the town this week. Everybody wants to know what you have resolved to do or not do this year. This question is usually followed by a smirk and comment that it probably won’t last til February. But if you are after a permanent change there are some simple steps to help achieve your goals.

Make your goals attainable
Each goal should be attainable. They will not always be easily achieved but shouldn’t be too easy. Set your goals so that it will take some effort to reach them but not so lofty that you get discouraged.

Set a deadline
Set a deadline for your goals. It can be an anniversary, class reunion, big event, or just a random date. As long as you have a specified deadline you can judge your progress effectively.

Break your goals down
After setting a long term goal and having a final deadline, break it down into smaller goals and deadlines. This could be bi-monthly, monthly, or even weekly. This will provide you with a good gauge of your progress.

Reward yourself
Reward yourself for your accomplishments. Make your hard work worth it. Take yourself out on a shopping trip to get some new clothes. Or if you your goal is to wear some of your old clothes, wear them out to your favorite restaurant for a nice treat. It is a reward for your hard work and dedication. Enjoy it.

Face failure
Failure will find you. No matter what your goals, somewhere along the way you will falter. It is what we do after failure that makes us successful. If you fail, reset yourself and get back on the path to your goals.


MAKE YOUR GOALS ATTAINABLE
SET A DEADLINE
BREAK YOUR GOALS DOWN INTO SMALLER GOALS
REWARD YOUR ACHIEVEMENT
GET BACK ON TRACK WHEN YOU FALL



YOULL NEVER HIT A HOMERUN IF YOU NEVER STEP UP TO THE PLATE. YOULL NEVER CATCH A FISH IF YOU NEVER PUT A LINE IN THE WATER. YOULL NEVER REACH YOUR GOALS IF YOU NEVER TRY!!

Where Are You Going?

With just a few weeks left before 2010 hits, take a look back at the goals you set for this year. How many have you accomplished? How many were thrown away? How many have changed? How many times have you overachieved?

As I look back at my goals that I set at the beginning of 2009, many have not been met. Does that mean I haven't been successful or that I haven't met my goals? Not at all. Many goals have changed. Some slightly and some completely. Adaptations and adjustments are constantly required as life happens and changes. A few have been completely dropped and others have been added as I reviewed and set new goals every few months.

The majority of folks set goals, a.k.a. New Year’s resolutions, at the beginning of every year. But most are forgotten by the end of Jan. So why wait til 2010 to start? Begin now. What have you not accomplished this year? Set a short term goal to reach by 2010. Set longer short term goals for 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Set long term goals for 5 and 10 years. While a lot of these will change with time, knowing where you want to be is critical in success.

Review and set new goals at a minimum of once a month. It doesn't take long but will help you to stay focused and allow you to make minor needed alterations.

"If you don't know where you’re going, you will wind up somewhere else." - Yogi Berra

Be Better
- Brooks Tiller

One Question, Many Answers

Check out the latest blog from fellow Physical Therapist Mike Scott at http://mikescottdpt.wordpress.com/. Great information from top fitness and health professionals, as well as me.

I am what I eat ate

If we are what we eat, and what we eat is what it ate, then we are what we eat ate. Yeah that is a little Yogi Berra-ish but its true. A burger is not just a burger anymore. A chicken is not just a piece of chicken. Knowing where our food comes from is very important. Animals that are not fed what they were created to eat are not as healthy as those that roam free. Pumping our future food full of antibiotics and hormones is not natural. Antibiotics are needed when disease is present (probably not good to eat things that are so sick that they need a lot of antibiotics). Living in small confined areas and being mistreated causes stress no matter what species. High stress can wreak havoc on the body. So if what I eat is mistreated, living in poor conditions, stressed out, full of antibiotics to fight disease, raging with hormones to grow faster so there is less time to get sick, while eating a less than optimal diet; then what does that say about me? I am what I eat ate!!

I watched Food, Inc. this weekend with my family. It is a very interesting and informative documentary. I recommend it to anyone that eats. The movie runs about an hour and half with an added 30-45 min of extras. Having read The Omnivores Dilemma which is a 464 page in depth look at food by Michael Pollan, Food, Inc. is a quick eye opening look into what we are really eating that is well worth your time. It may not change the way you eat but at least you’ll be able to make an educated decision. I’ll leave the reviews up to the critics, but I strongly urge you to watch Food, Inc. You may not see your food in the same way again. You’ve been warned.

Be Better
-Tiller

MMA Conditioning Seminar

This past weekend I presented at Matt Hughes' training camp The H.I.T. Squad in Granite City, IL. It was a great experience. The seminar was put on by Argonauts Elite Training Gym. Presenters included Shawn Nevels, Chase Karnes, Sam Luker, and myself. Here is a short video of the seminar that Chase has put together- The H.I.T. Squad Seminar.

Childhood Obesity

Children today are facing numerous risks. One that is easily preventable is the epidemic of childhood obesity. In order to fix a problem we must first recognize the cause. Blame has been placed on TV, video games, junk food, fast food, busy parents and the reasons go on and on. Growing up I watched TV, played video games, even ate candy, junk food, and occasionally got a happy meal. My parents stayed busy working full time jobs while having their hands full with me and my 2 little sisters. They took us all around town and sometimes the state to practice, games, and other activities that we were involved in.
So what is so different about kids today? One factor that is often overlooked is the lack of activity in children today. Growing up I was outside running, jumping, climbing, crawling, throwing, hitting, and playing anything until dark. In grown up world we call that a workout, but to a kid it’s just playing. Kids need to play. It is not only good for physical development but also vital for the development of their brain and nervous system. Studies have shown that active children perform better in school than their inactive peers.

Another major contributing factor is the food they are given. A 2004 study revealed that 1/3 of kids under the age of 19 years old eat fast food everyday! Fast food consumption increased 5 fold from 1970 to 2000. Where do these kids get the fast food? Kids eat junk because we give them junk. Type 2 diabetes, formerly known as Adult Onset Diabetes, accounted for 45% of pediatric diabetic cases in the 90’s compared to only 4% before 1990. A few comorbidities associated with childhood obesity are depression, high blood pressure, esophageal reflux, and sleep apnea. Even heart disease is being detected in children as young as 5 years old. 60 % of obese children ages 5-10 have at least one cardiovascular risk with 25% having more than one. These comorbidities were once only found in older populations but are now rapidly increasing in our youth.

Kids eat what they are given. Growing up I personally did not eat the healthiest food. I actually didn’t eat a lot of vegetables, but then again I very rarely ate fast food. Food packed full of high fructose corn syrup and preservatives are a detrimental factor in the modern day diet.

Preventing childhood obesity begins with us. It is up to us to improve the future. One in five kids age 6-17 is overweight. Studies show that overweight children are more likely to be overweight adults with increased health risk which results in decreased quality and quantity of life. Overweight parents are more likely to have overweight children, so the cycle continues. We must break the cycle. Be the solution and not the cause. Get out and play with the kids. Sit down to a home cooked meal. Quality time along with exercise and good food will be beneficial to all. It is more often our habits and not our genetics that we pass on to our children.

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. – Proverbs 22:6

Be Better

-TILLER

Small Changes Lead to Big Difference

Little changes make a big difference in the end. A small change now can result in a big change over time. Health and fitness industry often bombards us with the before and after pictures in advertisements but we never see what happened in between. So how do people lose 100 pounds or drop 12 dress sizes or get ripped abs? It didn’t happen over night. It took time and effort. Lots of effort and time. But it all started with one small change. Change is something that we naturally resist. Our bodies naturally reject change, especially severe radical changes. The majority of people who have successfully quit smoking did it gradually. Cold turkey often leads to severe cravings that the mind is not strong enough to resist and you’re back where you started. So if you want to make a change make it gradual.

Drinking 5 cokes a day? Start with substituting 1 with some water. You still get 4 a day.
Going out to eat everyday? Pack a healthy meal twice a week.
Sugary snacks at work? Bring some fresh fruit to work.

Take a few minutes to improve your life. Small steps will turn into a great journey to a better you.

Be Better
-TILLER