Wednesday, November 4, 2009

So you decide


Introducing the Pierini DIET here

During a recent conversation with a middle-age man in training who I’m mentoring to good fitness and health, I stressed that he focus on training and eating to be an athlete. This was my seat-of-the-pants comment to give him focus in his journey of losing bodyweight and reclaiming his fitness.

Train to be an athlete and all the benefits of that hard work will result – a healthy bodyweight, physical fitness and mental clarity to name a few.

It all begins when looking in the mirror each morning, and telling yourself that you’re an athlete. It continues throughout the day in the foods you choose to eat, and how you politely tell someone “no thank you” who offers you food or a snack you choose not to eat. Like during those office holiday potlucks loaded with cakes, cookies, candies, ice cream, chocolates, crackers and chips – what I call my 7 forbidden C foods. Your “no thank you I’m an athlete” reply to their offer to “have some” is your athlete message of good fitness and health.

It continues during moments of mental weakness when you ponder skipping a planned gym workout because you’re tired. Rather than skipping that workout because you’re too weak and tired to do it all, you settle for a quick something-is-better-than nothing workout because you’re an athlete.

Author Dan Millman wrote about this much better in one of his books The Inner Athlete that I owned and read several years ago. His book looks at the psychology behind the search for athletic excellence, and shows anyone how to improve skills, accelerate learning, and unleash their athletic potential. The skills it teaches are applicable not only in sports, but in daily life -- transforming training into a path of personal growth and discovery.

The old saying that “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” applies here. Don’t be shy when telling everyone that you’re an athlete, and don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not an athlete, including YOU. Guess what? You're an athlete, whether you want to be or not – either an athlete in training or an athlete in remission.

You’re the boss so you decide.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

3 comments:

DaveFSS said...

Pierini,
I agree with the concepts, but I think if you tell people you are passing on a cookie or whatever, they may just consider you an a-hole.
You can certainly think it, though.

DaveFSS said...

I meant tell people "I am an athlete" as your reason

Pierini Fitness said...

It works for me. I think the a-hole thought is dependent on how you utter the "I'm an athlete". It's worked for me.

Try it during holiday season parties and let me know how it works for you in your circle of acquaintances, family and friends.

Thanks for your comments and your visit. Have a great day!