As we move into 2014 I will post some of the things I am looking at and thinking over.
Here's one: We often hear that nutrition is 80% of the equation when it comes to achieving fitness goals. That is somewhat true / somewhat false. It depends on who is working toward what goal and what they have done previously. It can be hard to split best practice from the diet industry when there is so much mixed information. My thought is that whole/unprocessed foods are the way to go whenever possible. Limiting sugar is good. I don't like the word diet because it implies uncomfortable restriction and my preference is to bring the body into balance so that positive changes correspond with feeling better. Here's a TED Talk on Why dieting doesn't usually work by Sandra Aamodt. She emphasizes mindfulness as a key way to become more comfortable with food.
Here's another one: One tenent of my fitness philosophy is to train for function. I would like everyone I work with to be willing to find their athleticism, in whatever capacity suits them. Recently I've been enjoying MyMadMethods.com. They've got great free workouts, a couple of free ebooks and a members area if you are so inclined.
Last one for today: The study of willpower / motivation / personal development has a lot of crossover with health and wellness. I don't think that real change happens when we force or fight ourselves. We become successful when we get more intune with ourselves and introduce ourselves to more satisfying ways of being. Having an amazing thinking pattern specialist/hypnotherapist like Heron Saline in your life is awesome. If you are going it alone, I like Omvana for this type of thing though there are many other sites out there. Don't drive while you are listening! If you want to understand willpower, there's a great book by Kelly McGonigal called The Willpower Instinct. Definitely worth a read.
On a long term note, I am making a rough study of where the leading thinkers in evolutionary medicine, health and fitness, and the psychology of motivation agree. Most of the focus will be split into three categories: nutrition, fitness, and personal development. I am always interested in your thoughts and suggestions, so please feel free to message me: carey@careyrockland.com.
