ENDURE: April 24, 2013

When You Have Exhausted All Possibilities, Remember This: You Haven’t.  Be Persistent!

Have you ever looked at the self-help section at the bookstore? It’s jammed packed with books aimed at improving your life. And the overwhelming theme - whether we want to lose weight, improve relationships, our performance at work, change careers, organize, etc. - is that to improve our lives, we need to embrace a positive attitude.

This is no secret, or miraculous discovery.  In everything we do and say, our approach to challenges, and the way we present ourselves to the world - most guru’s agree that the positivity of our attitude has a  major impact on our abilities to succeed.   BUT, who said being positive is always easy?

There are so many events in our lives that make it difficult to remain upbeat and looking on the brightside.  Does this story sound familiar?....Your plate is completely full and bam, the boss adds another helping of critical tasks? Or at home, when all is finally in order and wham, some monkey wrench presents itself and throws the world into disarray, sometimes causing physical, mental, or emotional pain and hardship....and no matter how much we try....it’s just not fair!  We’re all there at times, and it’s incredibly difficult..some may feel even impossible, to keep perspective and remain positive?  So what’s the answer?  Well, for many, including Pro-Activity Fitness Nutrition Specialist, Gina Strouse, who was recently charged by Pro-Activity’s own internal “geek squad” (we’ll let you guess who’s represented there) to read The Energy Bus as part of our first “Book Club”....all signs are pointing to PRACTICE..especially when it’s hard!

A little background....The Energy Bus is a refreshingly light story with some simple, yet applicable and powerful principles!  The main character in the book has so much negativity that he is essentially destroying all the good around him and life just doesn’t seem to be on his side.  Already facing an incredible amount of stress at work and home, the unthinkable happens...car trouble forces him to take the dreadful bus to work.  But unbeknownst to him, this bus, known as “The Energy Bus”, and bus driver “Joy” and her passengers help him see the light, teaching him easy ways to turn things around.  A fun and quick read for sure!  At least, so we thought.....

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“I had heard of this story through many of my colleagues and immediately rolled my eyes  It’s not that I wasn’t interested, but let’s just say my sarcastic side has this amazing ability to deflate the tires on silly metaphoric buses!  I decided I’d put off reading it (or actually listening to it while training for my upcoming Half Ironman Triathlon) until the very last minute.  And as I trudged through the workouts, I continually found myself  trying.... turning it on...knowing I should...turning it off....knowing I would (at a later date)...until it finally hit me....I HAD TO GIVE IT A CHANCE....I had to consciously (and sometimes verbally) tell myself to TRY....If I’m to learn, I must be open to it...to listen and comprehend rather than just hear....I had to challenge myself to open up...to push through negative thoughts...to come to terms with the ways my sarcasm has, for far too long, forced my mind closed on things where the value isn’t as initially apparent on the surface.  It was hard...actually, damn near impossible the first few times (judging by how many times I shut it off)....but deep within me, I wanted to learn....I wanted to take a step forward in establishing a more positive outlook...to eventually master the concepts....so I took a baby step, and tried again...and again....and again.  At Pro-Activity we talk a lot about the concepts of readiness, or ones stage of change in pursuit of a more fulfilling life, and in so many ways I could extrapolate my experiences with The Energy Bus to things I discuss with my clients seeking improved nutrition and fitness.  When I started, I understood that the Pros outweighed the Cons, although not clear by exactly how much...I was willing to experiment a bit and give the book and it’s concepts a shot...but only with consistent practice, even in the face of my sarcasm and its eager brother “negativity” have I been able to move forward, baby step by baby step with a more open and positive mindset.” - Gina

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Sometimes in life, we have to do something that we know will make us better, but because it’s different than our norm we’re quick to close down.  Interestingly however, according to some research conducted  by “behavioral change” experts, making some important changes in life, like quitting smoking, on average takes more than 6 attempts, while other research suggests forming new habits may take an average 66 days of consistent practice.   So, when you try to change your eating, exercise or study habits, or stop smoking, or attempt to incorporate something new into your life, or just change your attitude, know that it may not happen the first day or first few times you try. But, if we keep at it, accept that it is the right thing, ENDURE the time and possible failures it takes to get there, and  PRACTICE,  we CAN push forward and grow!

Thank you Gina for showing us another real-life example!

Always Believe,

~Joe G.

MOVE: April 23, 2013

I PLEDGE.....

I recently attended a meeting at a location that I've been to many times before.  There were many familiar faces, many I consider more friends than clients per se.  I had seen the agenda before the meeting and knew it would include a serious topic, not just about numbers and statistics as meetings sometimes do, but a story about a person who had been seriously injured and was working his way back to the level he wanted to be at.  Overall it was one of those bittersweet stories in that it appeared things would turn out OK, but it was not the kind of thing you'd wish on any person or any family and don't enjoy hearing about.  

The meeting started as they often do, with a local leader saying "good morning, let's start by saying the pledge of allegiance".  Now, having grown up in a family with a military service background, and having many friends and family who have served, this is always something I take seriously, but this day it was somehow different.  With my hand on my heart I started to say the words and across my view in the direction of the flag I noticed someone in the room who was standing not at "attention", but what you might call "intention".  He was looking at the flag with head up and eyes forward, obviously taking the task of saying the pledge seriously.  He wasn't going through the motions.....he was 100% there in that task at that moment and it stuck with me.

I thought about him the rest of the day, how incredibly focused he seemed and wished I had asked him about it because I felt like there had to be a story there, it was so much more than just reciting the words.  I got to thinking about what a "pledge" really is......what it means to pledge to do something and why it should be taken so seriously.  I even looked it up.  The definition is: "a solemn promise or undertaking" - and that is EXACTLY what this guy was doing.  He was making a promise, solemnly.....and by his body language alone, anyone could see that he took his promise seriously, one of the most powerful things any person can do....he was making a commitment.

As things go, I got to thinking about the various commitments we all make and perhaps not surprisingly, my mind drifted.  I wondered about how many truly amazing achievements could be attained if each day people made a pledge to do what it takes to keep safe or improve their health or do some good for those around them in the same way as the person at that meeting pledged his allegiance to "Old Glory".  Imagine the possibilities if EVERYONE was as serious as that guy. Well, maybe it was timely, since it's time for me to put my money where my mouth is, literally......and maybe for you too. 

If you've been reading these communications this year, you know early on I pledged to my friends (and colleagues) Nick and Joe to run a 50 mile Ultramarathon and raise funds for the Mohonk Preserve in New York state with them in early May.  I have trained, but admittedly I have not taken that part of the pledge nearly as seriously as I should have and (again admittedly) I am not-at-all sure I'll be ready for what equates to running the equivalent of 200 laps on a track (if you take away the hills, rocks, sticks, debris, etc of this particular race).  In fact, up until I attended that meeting, if you'd have given me a good reason, I might have been convinced to back out......but I made a pledge.....a promise......and that means in a few weeks I'll be at the starting line.

How about you?  Maybe you're ready to make a commitment.  Maybe it's big.  Maybe it's not.  Either way really doesn't matter, it's the willingness to take it seriously that counts.  With the nicer "pre-summer" weather rolling in, maybe you're ready too.  Think-so?  Well then, I hope you'll consider clicking on one or both of the links below.  The first is to take a personal pledge.  We won't tell anyone what you promise, but we might just reach out to give you a hand in succeeding.  The second is if you'd like to pledge to our cause - raising funds to preserve the 8,000 amazing acres we'll be running through for the next generation to benefit from.

1. Take a PERSONAL pledge by CLICKING HERE

2. Donate to a good cause by CLICKING HERE

Of course, if you're not quite ready to jump in, feel free to come out to New Paltz on May 4th and cheer us on - check out http://www.rocktheridge50.org/ for details.

Whether using the links or quietly to yourself, I hope that you find the strength and endurance to stand at intention.

Have a great week,

Mike Eisenhart, PT

Managing Partner, Pro-Activity

CONNECT: April 19, 2013

A Cherished Gift, An Opportunity For Good

“You can attack us, but you will not beat us; you can try to destroy our freedom, but you’ll only make us stronger; you can inflict horror, but you cannot make us terrified. We will Fly!” - Herb Kelleher following the events of Sept 11th.

Sometimes our communications are serious, sometimes they're silly, but when we set out to write them, we always do so with the goal of writing something that tells a story and shows support for the idea that everyday, despite the seeming randomness of it all, is a chance for each of us to learn, grow and develop, which are at the very roots of what helps us, individually and as a community to achieve our goals. Whether our goals be an injury free day, a healthier year or the ability to do meaningful things over the course of our life.  And, even though we wish every story was one of triumph and happy-times, we know that even in the most senseless acts of cowardice, we can learn.  As a tribute to all of those affected by the events in Boston this week, whether athletes or the families there that are the supports on which athletes are built, or the townspeople and law enforcement officials that helped capture the suspects are currently helping to bring those involved to justice - we offer the following written by Eric Eisenhart, who participated in the race.

___________________

I am a husband, a father, a brother, a son, and grandson....I am a community member, a colleague and a friend...and I am alive and enriched with the spirit granted to me from above.  I, like many of us, wear many different hats in this world.....each a gift in their own unique way.  But sometimes, life, and the circumstances therein, cloud our ability to see the things, and the hats we wear, as they truly are.....cherished gifts....opportunities.... to do more....to endure, learn and grow through challenge....to support one another when faced with difficult times....to celebrate achievement with its realization.....and another chance to say thanks and “I love you” to those that we’ve relied on and those that have cared for us along the way.

On Monday, April 15th 2013 I was blessed with the opportunity to wear yet another cherished hat for the third straight year...that of a Boston Marathoner....

Like all “hats” worth wearing, it’s one I’ve worked very hard to secure, and one I set out each year  to “keep” by running a personal best time (this year’s target, less than 3:00:00).  But the “hat” from 2013 is one I’ll forever hold close as a reminder of the gift and opportunity given to do more in this world for another day, and in honor of those robbed of it.

My story from the 2013 Boston Marathon was not heroic.  I was blessed to be finished with the race and out of harm’s way at the time of the explosions, and if it weren’t for friends checking in with the news, I likely wouldn’t have given second thought to the sirens we heard just six miles away.  And despite executing 22 of 26.2 miles nearly perfectly as planned, I did not achieve my goal (I clocked in at 3:02:41).  The images we saw on the car ride home via social media, and the various calls from reporters, some local, some not seemed almost surreal and hard to place....”Did I really just cross that finish line a couple hours ago...could that have been us?”.  And then, with a few simple emails, phone calls, Facebook posts, tweets, and thoughts....it hit me like an emotional tidal wave, something hard to really describe.

To my fellow runners, endurance athletes, and marathoners....like you....I wear a lot of hats....in witnessing your unrelenting strength to carry on in the face of this adversity....I am so very proud to share this hat in common, and be a part of this group.

To my family, friends, clients, community members, friends of friends....and all those that followed our progress while on the course, and expressed concern for me and my family’s safety and the safety of all our local friends competing in Boston, I can not realistically capture how deeply touched I am for your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes.  It is with a heavy heart that I pray for those not as fortunate as we were, and in the spirit of true endurance (that you continue to help spark), that I accept the most recent gift given as we move forward for good....together.

 - Eric E.

MOVE: April 11, 2013

The Time is Now… 

The time of year is here.....no more excuses....heck, I'm not even going to tie you up by writing my typical long weekly update......keeping it simple on this one.....if you want to hurt less, MOVE more.  There, I said it.

I know, I know, it seems counter-intuitive for many - "my body needs rest doesn't it?" - Yes, absolutely.  Which is why one of Pro-Activity's ELEMENTS is "RECOVER". You must listen to your body and when it's getting fried, it needs rest and for some that is the case.  HOWEVER, so many folks we run into are not having a problem with over-doing it......their problem is UNDER-doing it.  They are aching because the constant loading of their joints without movement is taking its toll.  I don't need to give you the research on this one, it's easy to find and obvious.....

Here's a common routine:  Wake-up, commute, work (which involves a lot of stationary positions, sitting long periods perhaps being the worst), commute, relax (couch/TV/electronics), fall asleep, repeat......

Is this you? Admit it.....at least to yourself.  Don't worry, you're definitely NOT alone.  It's the vast majority of society. There are many days, even for me and my merry-band of health geeks at Pro-Activity that this is a struggle.  As a whole we live in a world that doesn't require movement, you can if you want to, but you certainly don't have to......everyone knows it and more of us are starting to feel the serious impacts of having it gone for too long....our bodies are dying for it......literally.

One email I got this week had a simple sentence, but a very important theme:

 "....I need an event. Hate not having something to train for"

 He couldn't be more on the money.

The weekend forecast for the Tri-state is above 50 deg.  Things are starting to green.  Give your body what it desperately wants and needs.  It's the perfect time of year to start anew.  Need an event?  Need a plan?  We can help.....it doesn't have to be formal and it doesn't have to be intense......but step 1 is:  MOVE!

MOVE: April 5, 2013

Today is Your Day, Better Get a Move On

 

Inspiration can come from many places: religion, family, friends, sports, illness, books, pictures, etc. In my opinion, it doesn’t really matter where it comes from; what matters is that you act on it.  

While on vacation with my family last week, we went into a store in downtown Boulder that sold all sorts of interesting trinkets, and University of Colorado paraphernalia, plus a variety of t-shirts. My wife and kids seemed to like everything, but nothing got my attention until we were walking out the door. It was then that my eye caught a glimpse of the ugliest t-shirt ever. It was hanging on a hook, and the colors were just awful. The collar band and cuffs were navy blue, the body was chartreuse and the long sleeves were fuchsia. There was also a picture on it of two bears sitting on the bank of a lake in the foreground of a huge mountain.  I immediately thought, “Wow, who’s going to buy that?”  I turned to walk out the door, and then backtracked to look at the shirt again. There was a quote on it that included the words “your mountain.”    I’m a “mountain guy” and I wanted to see the entire quote.

It was an ugly shirt, but I just knew it had to possess some wisdom that the owners would hang it there.

It said, “This is your mountain. Today is your day. Better get a MOVE on.”  A slight variation from the line in the classic Dr. Seuss story, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”

I kept looking at that t-shirt and reading that quote. By now, my son walked back in the store to ask why I was taking so long. When I said I was looking at the shirt, he said, “You’re NOT going to buy THAT are you?” “No, no, tell Mom I’ll be right out.”  I kept repeating the quote so I didn’t forget, but then I just took a piece of paper out of my backpack and wrote it down.

 

And as the day progressed, and as the days since I returned have passed, I find myself continually repeating that quote: “This is your mountain. Today is your day. Better get a move on.” 

Growing up, I loved Dr. Seuss. My sons like Dr. Seuss now too. He was brilliant in the way he used words and the messages he communicated. But, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” seems to make so much sense to me right now.  I am trying to pursue my athletic goals, kick-off a new career, and advance myself academically, all the while building my family and raising good sons. I have so many goals and such high aspirations – just like every one of you!  I keep repeating that quote because it makes so much sense: Today is your day Joe…

 

Everyone, it’s your day too!  So go seek out your mountain, and get a MOVE on!

 

As the great English novelist George Eliot said, “It’s never too late to become what you might have been.”   But you’ve got to get moving.

Following is an excerpt from “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.” Try to seek out the whole story if you can – it says so much in such a fun way.

 

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You’re off to Great Places!

You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.

And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up!

You’ll be seeing great sights!

You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind because you’ll have the speed.

You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.

Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t. Because sometimes you won’t.

And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!

(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

You are off to great places.

Today is your day

Your mountain is waiting

So get on your way!

  

Joe Galioto

Pro-Activity Health & Wellness Specialist

 

 

 

 

CONNECT: April 4, 2013

 

What You Can Do in Only 8 Weeks.....

Even though our work often provides opportunities that allow us to play a role in moments that can easily grow up to become stories of achievement that inspire others to start their own "pursuit" of health change, people are very humble and don't want to brag so they never get told......and although I try my best to not put anyone on the spot with these communications.....sometimes, the story is so great, you just have to share it....so here goes:

On January 14th I received an email inquiring whether or not I knew anyone who might be willing to raise funds for the Children's Specialized Hospital (NJ) and run in the New York Road Runners 1/2 Marathon on March 17th, a mere 62 days away (but who's counting right?).  The NYRRHalf is a great race, that takes you through Times Square and down the West Side Highway before ending at the South Street Seaport.....truly a cool race course.  At the time, even though there were many runners I could have reached out to, in the spirit of "fundraising" I decided I'd reach out to a guy who I knew was passionate about the hospital and had raised funds for them in the past.  The only hitch in the plan was that he had never run this distance (or perhaps any distance) as he was not a runner per-se.....an important detail I suppose......but not something that couldn't be overcome.

When I floated the idea past Ian the first time, he was intrigued, but clearly unsure if this was a good idea.....he said he'd think about it and I promised to keep pestering (after all, that's what I do) until he gave me an answer.  On January 19th, told me that he wanted "in".  After a reassuring "you can do this" email, I assembled our team and told them about our newest Human Achievement Challenge, that we would be taking a non-runner from zero to half-marathon in 8 weeks; all while he raised money for the charity (and kept up with other responsibilities....like a job).  Not surprising to me, after the team had the details, they dug in and started to talk about how best to attack the challenge.  We assigned Nick Pfaff (one of our more experienced guides and an expert in MOVE and ENDURE), who already had a working relationship with Ian, to be the point person from our team.  We CONNECTED Ian with our Physical Therapists to closely monitor progress, balance RECOVERY, and keep the very real overuse injury risk in check.  We pulled in Lindsay and her group from the Fuel Good Cafe' to keep an eye on FUEL (nutritional considerations) and last, grabbed our other endurance coaches to chime in on the training plan......and after lots of dialog and review of his "base" (starting fitness level), we concluded that it was going to be close and that everything would have to go just right, but it was doable.....we were in 100%.....and with only 8 weeks left to train, we had to get started right away.

• Ian started with some coaching on nutrition and began to track his intake......we made some suggestions and he started to tweak things.  
• Ian consulted with his physician to make sure he had medical clearance to participate.....good to go
• Ian met with Nick to get a baseline fitness assessment.....workable
• Nick consulted with the team and developed a training plan.....had to be "sweet spot" plan (not too hard, not too easy)
• Ian started working the plan and getting training sessions in on the weekend with Nick and a few other colleagues supporting the effort

Fast forward 8 weeks, and I am sitting in a meeting last Friday and someone leans over to me and says "hey, I heard Ian has raised like $2,000 for the hospital....pretty amazing".  Not wanting to be too excited, I responded back "it's going to be a great experience for him, I'm excited for him".  The following day (day before the race) the total was up near $3,000 and the jitters were setting in.  I got a call from Nick who gave me the update on how our athlete was holding up.  The message was pretty straight forward - he was nervous, like any athlete about to do something he wasn't sure about would be.  They were going to meet very early to make sure they'd be at the starting line in plenty of time......and, now, at the point of no return, everything was "go".  My job would be to provide mobile support.  To get around the city and make sure athlete and coach had everything they needed to get to the finish line.

I made my way into Manhattan and found a place I could park for a while just south of central park and kept an eye on the progress of things.  After two loops (+/- 6 miles in), Ian was out of the park and Nick had jumped in to run alongside.  As they got close (technology is amazing BTW), I locked up the car and ran a few blocks to meet them as they ran down 7th Ave.  The news was good so far.  Ian was feeling strong, and he was moving along as planned.  "OK, I'll see you after you get through Times Square".  I got down to 34th street, but couldn't connect with them, so I navigated down near Canal St, which was around the 11 mile mark.  I found a spot I could leave the car for a minute or two and met them on the West Side Highway.  The pace had slowed some and the report wasn't nearly as upbeat now......unfortunately, this is about what we expected; this was a point in the race where the body starts talking back some.  Ian told me the legs were aching and cramping some.....but he was pushing on......he hydrated some and he and Nick kept heading south.  "The Freedom Tower is mile 12.....that's the homestretch" I said and he gave me the thumbs up and kept moving on.  If he could get there I thought, it was in the bag.

As I kept an eye closely on the tracking app, it looked like they were getting there.   Having missed them somehow near the Federal Trade Commission building, Nick and I spoke again and all was still on track.  I told them I'd meet them at the seaport.  As I waited, hoping the policeman there would look the other way just a little bit longer I heard a loud "man am I glad to see you" coming from the guy walking toward me with the shiny medal, the telltale runner's "foil" draped across his shoulders and that fatigue-soaked grin that only someone who is both exhausted and triumphant can pull off.  Ian had done it.....completed a half marathon and raised thousands of dollars for a great cause.  Check out the picture on the Pro-Activity Facebook Page HERE

And as we rode back toward Penn Station we laughed about the fact that when we asked him "so what's next?" he surprised even himself with the answer....."If you asked me if I'd do another one of these two months ago, I'd say 'You're Crazy', but now, after doing this, I think I can do it again and maybe better.....sign me up".  

When people do extraordinary things their world changes.  Ian, you inspire us!

Now go do something extraordinary,

Mike Eisenhart, PT

Managing Partner, Pro-Activity

MOVE: February 2013 - It's All Fun and Games

 

 

 

 

It's All Fun & Games.....

Remember the last time you called up your friend and asked, "Hey...can you play?"  Say something like that nowadays and you might get more than a few strange looks.  But growing up, this was a routine that kept my friends and I young, fun, and fit....

We'd ride bikes, look for snakes in the sewer pipes (ok, they would...I was a bit squeamish with reptiles), "play catch", home run derby, running bases, knock-out, ghost in the graveyard, kill the carrier, man hunt, "touch" football,....and many many more games that would keep us busy, our hearts racing, our bodies burning up energy....and our spirits full.  There was never real worry about sedentary lifestyle, over demanding school work (we weren't allowed to "play" until the homework was done) or childhood obesity...we just simply MOVED, and we had fun!

Think you're too old to "play".....maybe it's time to think again....check out this video of some of my favorite friends "playing" nice.  Spring is coming...time to get moving!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5pLlSAqicJg