Okay, if you don’t have any athletic aspirations let me ask you this. Do you want to look and feel great? Of course you do. If you don’t, stop reading this right now, you’re wasting both our time. In actuality, looking and feeling great is far less stressful than competing in sports. The pressure of competition often times stresses athletes out and depletes their immune systems. But for the fitness enthusiast striving for optimal health, competition related stresses are nonexistent making exercising fun, casual and self-relying, while providing plenty of remarkable benefits.

I believe many of the exercise routines being sold today are missing the target and only focus on exterior results --ignoring inner health. Since so many people have let their physiques and attitudes get very out of shape, they fall easy prey to elaborate marketing ploys. However, out of embarrassment and frustration, many acquire that "I’ll do anything at any cost" attitude in attempts to regain better health and appearance.

I’m not saying that many of the current exercise routines on the market yield no results, rather, I feel they overemphasize one [or a few] points ignoring a holistic approach. But, as we all know, or worse yet, have experienced, many of these routines just don’t last, and the progress often rebounds returning us back to our original [poor] state. The reasons is that every routine, even the best ones, have their time limits and, if they are not changed or adjusted periodically, burn-out is probable, but more likely inevitable.

By learning the basic fundamentals of exercise, and looking at the body holistically, then expediting this knowledge into performing physical (fitness) activities, you’ll develop a stronger and longer lasting foundation building your castle on rock, not sand. And if you’re constantly using the scale or mirror as indicators of your progress --and no results on either are appearing-- think for a moment and determine if you feel any healthier or stronger. Chances are, if you have been exercising, you certainly have become stronger, more energetic and healthier despite the absence of any exterior indicators.

Learn your body and develop the mental attitude first then all else will fall into place (maybe a few pounds will fall out of place!). This is the basic pursuit for those who truly live the fitness lifestyle. This methodology is not a fly-by-night quick-fix-then-rebound system. This is the beginning of an entirely new you. So, if you’re out of shape and wanting to change that condition with exercise and nutrition, don’t be overly concerned [at first] to only acquire exterior results. Better stated, don’t be obsessed with an immediate external physical transformation as this has proven time and time again unsuccessful for long-term benefits. The goal is to condition the controlling (or operating) system of your body --the brain-- then navigate that knowledge which will ultimately turn your aspirations and goals into reality.

I realize this article hasn’t given you any real specifics. What I’m hoping tough is that it ignites a flame of desire which can develop into a productive relationship between you and I --remember, I’m your "go-do". In my classes, I inform my students how amazed I am that people will read manuals for their VCR’s, PC’s, 35 mm cameras, hire consultants, even take evening classes to learn how to efficiently operate these material objects. But what do people do to educate themselves to themselves? Most of them, nothing at all! The human body is a very neglected and abused organism, statistics prove that.