How To Achieve True Fitness: Sharpen Your Mind and Heal Your Body

Happiness isn't just about relationships, careers and all those things we all strive to get right. It's about fitness, health and well-being... and keeping your most important sex organ alive: your brain. By reading this brief article you'll be able to take control of that mischievous child, the brain, and make it work for you. And, along the way, you'll increase your love of life.

I prescribe the following four steps for most of my therapy and coaching clients because they increase the likelihood of success, no matter what they're specific goals may be. Why don't you try them out for a test run? They're simple but effective techniques for keeping your mind young, supple and powerful, and attaining a high degree of fitness that will make you stronger emotionally.

1. Exercise your brain. You'll create more neurons and decrease the likelihood of getting Alzheimer's and other dementias. Play games. Do puzzles. Enjoy brain teasers. Challenge yourself by learning a musical instrument. Take a class. Learn a language. You'll keep those all-important neural pathways strong and vibrant, and you'll keep them growing.

2. Exercise your body to activate your immune system. Just move. Stay active. Walk instead of riding somewhere. Cut the weeds in your lawn by hand. Wash your own car. If you must watch TV, get up often and walk around. By sitting passively on your arse, night after night, you actually take years off your life. Do like the famous and fabulous Bruce Lee, and exercise your body while you are watching the tube. Do some physical labor. Whatever it takes to get yourself moving again!

Avoid a passive lifestyle and you'll be rewarded with a longer, happier life. You'll increase heart rate and blood flow, and supply more oxygen to your brain cells! And you'll enjoy your twilight years more fully. And, by the way, the sex life will be much better.

3. Get your blood pressure under control. High blood pressure impairs cognitive function. If your blood pressure is in a healthy range, you'll perform well mentally. You'll be as sharp as a tack. Work with your doctor and make it happen. Change your diet, throw the salt shaker away and become more active. You'll hit the health and fitness jackpot.

4. Sit still and do something. Studies show that meditation can reawaken the brain, restore balance, and heal traumatic experiences. Listening to the quiet and basking in solitude can make a big difference in your life. Breathing deeply can be your ticket to overcoming stress and enhancing your whole being. Take the time to help yourself. Resting your brain through progressive relaxation or mindfulness meditation can be very rewarding and stimulating.

In summary, you don't have to turn back flips to keep you and your brain young and vital. Just exercise your brain and body, control your blood pressure and sit in the silence on a regular basis. In no time you'll be feeling stronger than ever!

Richard Hamon is a professional therapist and life coach with over 33 years of experience. Richard helps people to solve their relationship problems, enjoy truly extraordinary marriages and find exceptional success in all areas of their lives.

You'll find all kinds of articles on how to spice up your relationships and lead a better life at Richard's website, Happy-Relationships.com. Find out about therapeutic services and take a free relationship quiz to help you assess your relationship. For more information on conducting state-of-the-art relationships and the latest research on true happiness, please go to: http://happy-relationships.com

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Steps to Becoming a Personal Fitness Trainer

1. Do you have the qualities of a successful trainer?

The first step on the road to becoming a successful personal trainer is determining whether or not you have what it takes. A personal trainer needs to be patient, persistent, organized, motivating and, most of all, a good listener. You should be able to work with a wide variety of people and get them to listen to and follow your instructions. It is important that you can convey your knowledge in a way that is easy to understand for a beginner client.

2. Choose a certification

All personal trainers must be certified. But, there are a number of organizations that provide certifications for personal trainers. It is always a smart move to go with the best certification, even if it costs a little extra. One of the most well-respected certifications is through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). The exam is comprehensive and will prepare you train a wide variety of clients. You should visit their website to learn more about the exam as well as ask the gym that you want to work for which certifications they prefer.

3. Choose a specialty

This step is not required, but it is always good to set yourself apart from other personal trainers. The fitness industry is extremely competitive and any edge can go a long way towards making you a successful personal trainer. Plus, becoming specialized will allow you to boost your resume, market yourself better and increase your pay. One example of a specialty certification is the ACE Clinical Exercise Specialist certification. This certification will allow you to work with special populations such as people with chronic diseases or injuries.

4. Get a job

After you get certified, it's imperative you get experience training clients. The best way to do this is by getting a job at a local gym. They will provide you with a consistent stream of clients that will help you get the experience you need before starting out on your own.

5. Set up your own business

Once you have gained experience training a wide variety of people, it is a good idea to venture out on your own. Independent personal trainers make significantly more money and have much more freedom with their day-to-day schedule. You should begin by choosing a business name, registering your business and getting liability insurance.

Another important step with starting your own business is finding a place to train your clients. Since starting your own gym is extremely cost intensive, it is a good idea to contact local gyms to see whether they will allow you to train clients at their facility. Usually they will agree as long as you pay a small fee (around $10-$15) per hour.

6. Market Yourself

Once you have set up your business, it's time market yourself and establish a client base. Different marketing methods working in different areas, but you should look into making flyers, newsletters, business cards or a website. This may seem difficult at first, but once you get the ball rolling it will get easier and easier to acquire clients.

7. Improve Your Skills

The path to becoming a successful personal trainer is about always learning as much as you can. If you want to be a good trainer, you need to know the latest research and keep acquiring new certifications. At this point, it's probably a good idea to attend personal trainer summits, workshops and seminars in order to further your education.

8. Beyond Personal Training

Once you are an established personal trainer and small business owner there are a number of opportunities available to you. You can consider consulting, fitness writing, athletic coaching or group fitness instruction. The path to becoming a successful personal trainer is long and arduous, but the benefits are limitless if you put in the time and effort.

If you are interested in becoming a personal trainer, my personal recommendation for a personal training certification is the NASM exam. You can learn more about NASM and how to study for the exam at NASM Study Guide.

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