YOUR GOAL
YOUR GOAL IN LIFE SHOULD BE TO ENJOY THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF HEALTH AND ENERGY POSSIBLE. THIS REQUIRES THAT YOU EAT THE RIGHT FOODS AND FEWER OF THEM. IT REQUIRES THATYOU GET REGULAR EXERCISE AND MOVE ENJOY JOINT OF BODY EVERY SINGLE DAY.
TO ENJOY SUPERB PHYSICAL HEALTH, YOU MUST GET LOTS OF REST AND RECREATION. ABOVE ALL, YOU MUST MAINTAIN A POSSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE IN WHICH YOU LOOK FOR THE GOOD IN EVERY SITUATION AND REMAIN DETERMINED TO BE A COMPLETELY POSITIVE PERSON.
IN EACH OF THESE AREAS, THE EXERTION OF SELF-DISCIPLINE AND WILLPOWER WILL GIVE YOU PAYOFF THAT ARE FAR BEYOND THE EFFORT THAT YOU PUT PUT IN. YOU CAN LIVE LONGER AND BETTER THAN YOU EVER IMAGINED POSSIBLE. CHAPTER 17 PROVIDES EVEN MORE IDEAS, SPECIALLY FOCUSED ON EXERCISE AND BECOMING PHYSICALLY FIT.
ACTION EXERCISE
1. IDEALIZE WITH REGARD TO YOUR HEALTH. IF YOU COULD WAVE A MAGIC WAND AND MAKE YOUR HEALTH PERFECT IN EVERY WAY, HOW WOULD IT BE DIFFERENT FROM TODAY?
2. RESOLVE TO MAKE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE THE BEST OF YOUR LIFE. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD CHARGE OR DO?
3. GET A COMPLETE MEDICAL EXAMINATION AND ASK YOUR DOCTOR FOR ADVICE ON HOW TO ENJOY SUPERB LEVELS OF PHYSICAL HEALTH. THEN FOLLOW THAT ADVICE.
4. DETERMINE YOUR IDEAL WEIGHT AND SET IT AS A GOAL. USE THE GOAL-SETTING PROCESS YOU LEARNED IN CHAPTER 4 TO MAKE A PLAN TO ACHIEVE IT AND KEEP IT THERE FOR LIFE.
5. USE MINDSTORMING (DESCRIBED IN CHAPTER 4) AND WRITE OUT A LIST OF AT LEAST TWENTY ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS, WHAT CAN I DO EVERY DAY TO ENJOY SUPERB LEVELS OF HEALTH AND ENERGY?
6. REVIEW THE HEALTH HABITS AND RESERCH DISCUSSED IN THIS CHAPTER AND GIVE YOURSELF A GRADE RANGING FROM ONE TO TEN ON HOW WELL YOU ARE PRACTICING THEM.
7. DECIDE ON ONE SPECIFIC ACTION THAT YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE IMMEDIATELY TO ENSURE THAT YOU LIVE TO BE AGE EIGHTY, NINETY, AND BEYOND.
GET YOUR WEIGHT UNDER CONTROL
THE BIGGEST SINGLE PROBLEM WITH SELF-DISCIPLINE THAT PEOPLE HAVE TODAY IS OVEREATING AND BECOMING OVERWEIGHT. MORE THAN 60 PERCENT OF AMERICANS ARE OFFICIALLY OVERWEIGHT, AND MORE THAN 30 PERCENT ARE OBESE, WHICH IS DEFINED AS BEING MORE THAN 30 PERCENT ABOVE THEIR NORMAL WEIGHT. THERE IS NO AREA IN WHICH SELF-DISCIPLINE IS MORE NECESSARY THAN IN GETTING YOUR WEIGHT UNDER CONTROL AND THEN KEEPING IT UNDER CONTROL FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
YOU HAVE HEARD IT SAID THAT "DIET DON'T WORK. WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS IS THAT WHEN YOU STARVE YOURSELF TO LOSE WEIGHT, YOU WILL TEND TO PUT THE WEIGHT BACK ON ALMOST AS QUICKLY AS YOU LOST IT. THERE ARE MANY REASONS FOR THIS.
EACH PERSON HAS A CERTAIN METABOLIC RATE. THIS IS THE RATE AT WHICH YOU BURN ENERGY. THIS METABOLIC RATE IS SET OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR LIFETIME BY THE AMOUNT OF EXERCISE YOU DO TO WORK IT OFF.
IN ADDITION TO YOUR METABOLIC RATE, YOU HAVE WHAT IS CALLED A "SET POINT". THIS IS WHERE YOUR WEIGHT IS SET, LIKE A THERMOSTAT, AND TO WHICH IT RETURNS NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU TAKE OFF AS THE RESULT OF CRASH DIETING.
