With the New Year just around the corner, I expect many of you are thinking about what changes you want to make in 2010. New Years comes and it is almost like we get a clean slate and a fresh start. Our intentions are set and we commit to making changes to transform our lives, but somehow many of us fail. We fail because we don't understand what is happening in our brain through the process of changing our subconscious which is where all of our habits are stored. When we undestand what is happening we are able to recognize the self-sabatoge that is a normal part of the process for resisting change and protecting ourselves. Our subconscious brain believes that any change is a potential danger and so it will do anything it can to keep us safe and unchanged.

I have decided to take a 90 Day Challenge and I want to share with you what is happening in my brain as I work through the process of establishing a new habit of exercising on a daily basis. We know that it takes approximately 28 days to begin to make any kind of change to our subconscious brain and during that 28 days it requires almost 100% of willpower but if we are consistent and successful in 90 days we are able to permanently change our subconconscious so that no willpower is required. We peform the new habit without conscious thought, it becomes effortless like the beating of our heart.

So my plan is to work out using Tony Horton's P90X program and I will journal my thoughts each day as I am establishing my new habit. I hope for those of you that have set some some goals for the new year I will be able to help you achieve them and that we will be able to share our experience and our journeys together. Whether they be related to building habits to create wealth, health, loving relationships, advancement in your career or weight loss.

Before you begin write a goal statement, make sure that it is specific, measureable, action oriented, results based and time sensitive. This is really important, studies have shown that when goals are written down there is a much higher rate of achievement. Share it with others, I am sharing mine with you to help me commit to achieving it.

My goal is to achieve a lean and fit body by March 28th. I will do this by following the P90x workout routine on a daily basis for the next 90 days.

89 Days to go - Today was day 1 and I reluctantly got out of bed had a coffee and grabbed 2 bottles of water and headed to my workout room. Surprising I felt pretty good and was able to keep up with the routine . I am in a little better shape than I thought, it has been over 6 months since my surgery and I have done little to no exercise. I feel proud of myself although I think I might have nightmares though about the superman banana move. It is particularly difficult after having had abdominal surgery:-(!!

Thanks for reading and for your support. Here's to achieving our 2010 goals together! MaryC

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MaryC

88 Days to go - Today was day 2 of my 90 day challenge and I contemplated doing my workout for some time before I got out of bed. I think that the key driver was the commitment that I made online that I was going to do it. So be sure when you are making your new years resolution you figure out a way to hold yourself accountable for achieving your results, public humiliation can be a good motivator lol!!

So the lesson for today is our thoughts determine our results because it is our thoughts that determine our feelings, our feelings determine what actions we will take or not take and it is our actions that determine our results.

This morning I lay in bed thinking about, almost regreting:-) the commitment that I made publicly to workout for the next 90 days. This thought inspired emotion in me, a sense of responsibility or perhaps an overwhelming sense of guilt,I needed to workout, which moved me into action to do the workout .

So I did it, today was Cardio X and I survived although I am having some trouble doing the stairs now and lets just say that when I bend over I am reminded of some muscles that I have been neglecting! Overall I feel pretty good though and am glad that I have started exercising again. I would describe myself as reluctantly optimistic about my lean and healthy body!

Too bad the cardio X routine includes the Superman Banana move! lol

Thanks for reading and for your support. Here's to achieving our 2010 goals together! MaryC

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MaryC

87 Days to go - Today was day 3 of my 90 day challenge and I am just under the wire today. I wish each of you a very happy and prosperous New Year and I look forward to achieving our goals together in 2010!

Thanks for reading and for your support. MaryC

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MaryC

85 Days to go - Today was day 5 of my 90 day challenge and I am feeling really good. Yesterday I kicked off the new year on the ski hill and went skiing for 4 hours with my son. So I went off program but stayed in alignment with my goal. Today I am back on program and did the legs and back which I must say after skiing yesterday was exceptionally difficult!

So my lesson for today is about being flexible and thinking abundantly. I had a choice yesterday to be rigid and do the 1.5hour Yoga X routine or to go skiing with my son. My plan was to do the P90X program but going skiing was in alignment with my goal of becoming lean and healthy and it was a beautiful day. So I did and I feel great. When you set your new years resolution, be flexible but allow yourself the opportunity to experience life so that you don't give up on your goal.

I wouldn't trade my day with my son for anything including a lean and healthy body...but I don't have to I can have both.

Have a great day!!! Thanks for Reading. MaryC

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MaryC

84 Days to go!!! Today I did KenpoX and I feel fantastic. I recruited my daughter to work out with me, she is a competetive ringette player and her team is hoping to make it to the provincials this year so she needs to be able to play up to 8 games in a weekend. I am thrilled that I have now have a workout partner it will be especially helpful tomorrow morning a 6am when I need to get out of bed to have her to motivate me. It always helps to have a support system to help you achieve your goal. What support system do you have?

Cara, Leslie and I always talk about getting into the corridor of what you want to be do or have. Meaning that if you want to become an author hang out at book signings. If you want to be a successful business person create a mastermind group with successful business people. And if you want to get lean and healthy surround yourself with people that are lean and healthy.

So today's lesson is about defining what support group you have or need to achieve your goal and if it doesn't exist create it, and if it does be grateful and acknowledge it.

Thanks so much for being part of my support group :-) have a great day! Here's to our success. MaryC

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MaryC

83 Days left to go in my challenge. Wow the first week went really fast and I am really proud that I have stayed committed to the program. I talked about building a support system yesterday and was thrilled that my daughter was going to be working out with me starting today. Well today was the first day back to school after the Christmas holidays and at 6 am there was a tired little girl (okay not so little she is 17 now) in my door frame pleading with me to let her sleep longer, that she was too tired to work out but she would do it tonight with me. So I quite happily rolled over for an extra hour of sleep with full anticipation that when I got home from work my new workout buddy would be waiting for me. To my surprise she was home but had recruited two friends to work out with her, and they were not interested in doing the XStretch with me. So I had a hot bath to loosen my very sore and tight muscles before doing the XStretch. I think I was a little overzealous yesterday wanting to set a good example for my daughter lol!!! After an hour of stretching I feel a lot more mobile and flexible and a little less like an old car seizing up.

So the lesson for today is to make sure that your support system is as committed to your program as you are!!!

Hope you are enjoying the stories and that in some way it is helping you through your 90 day challenge.

MaryC

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MaryC

I just finished Core Synergistics with my workout buddy's (my daughter and her friend joined me tonight) and I am beginning to dislike one of the superstars in the program. She is kinda like the teacher's pet in school and is the one who created the Dreya roll and is probably behind the superman banana routine too!! Let's just say she is a keener lol !!!

I started week two of the program and things are going pretty well on the exercise front, but what I have realized is that I haven't developed a nutrition plan to support my goal of achieving a lean and healthy body. Now I wouldn't recommend changing everything at once, but at this point I am comfortable with the commitment of incorporating exercise into my daily routine so now it is time to add the nutrional factor. What Leslie teaches in her Body Thoughts program is that weight loss is 80 percent nutrition and 20 percent exercise when you are losing weight; but 80 percent exercise and 20 percent diet when you are maintaining your weight. I am still in the weight loss mode, so It is important for me to monitor what I am eating to ensure a balanced diet and that calories in are less than calories out.

There are excellent programs out there all of which will work if you make the commitment to follow it. So I am making the commitment and now only 82 days away from my lean and healthy body.

Thanks for reading! MaryC

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MaryC

Today was day 9 of my 90 day challenge and I have consistently talked myself out of getting out of bed in the morning to do my workout in favour of doing it when I get home. Well it is 11:50 and I just finished it...so I procrastinated till the last hour but I am proud to say that I did it. Today was CardioX and it felt really good to work my lungs and heart.

So even though I spent the day procrastinating I felt compelled to complete my goal of doing my workout. I had an interesting conversation today with a friend about developing and commiting to schedules and how it is hard sometimes as an Entrepreneur or self-employed and directed person to hold yourself accountable to what you know you need to be doing.

It is kinda like my workout. I benefit in the end if I do it and I am the only one that is impacted if I don't. But somehow it takes all of my willpower to do it. It is not that I don't honor and respect myself or that I don't really really want to be lean and fit. It is because it is not a habit for me yet and until it becomes a habit it will require willpower and effort. But as I work through my 90 days I will begin to integrate this new habit into what is called the subconscious part of my brain that controls all of my bodily functions like my blood pumping or my body temperature. My body does this without any conscious effort on my part because it is being controlled my subconscious.

I think for my friend sticking to a schedule is a habit like anything else and I would suggest creating a sense of accountability to someone else for the first 28 or so days will help them to stay on track.

Goodnight friends,

MaryC

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MaryC

Hi everyone, today is day 10 so only 80 days to go to achieve my goal of a lean and healthy body. Many of you have been asking me questions about the p90x program so let me tell you what I know. The p90x program was developed by Tony Horton and it is an Xtreme workout program that is based on muscle confusion. Which means it is working optimally to sculpt and build your muscles. I was introduced to it over a year ago by a friend who was training for the Boston Pan Mass Challenge, which is one of the biggest fundraisers for cander research. For more information about p90x go to Beachbody Fitness, Nutrition, Diet and Weight Loss Products and Videos.

As with any workout program you need to listen to your body and work to your level of fitness. This is really great advice and I wish I had taken it two days ago when I was working out with my daughter. It seems my overzealous performance has put some of my muscles in my shoulder into spasm. Fortunately I have an incredible doctor that practices Chineese medicine including Accupuncture and Accupressure who worked on me today. Thank-you Dr. XU!!!

So I opted for the AB Ripper X routine today so as to give my shoulder a little rest.

So today's lesson, listen to yourself and your body and don't be a show off!!!

Have a great sleep!

MaryC

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MaryC

Hi folks, It is Friday night and here I am blogging again at 11:40, I really need to start working out in the morning lol especially on Fridays!! The good news is I was able to fit in a modified workout tonight. I went back to see Dr. Xu again today and he did accupressure on my shoulder and used suction cups to increase the circulation so I am feeling much better. But he told me that I wasn't allowed to do a lot of stretching or exercising with my shoulders for the next couple of days, as I am pretty tender. So I opted to run the stairs.

What is important in building a habit is ensuring that you never miss a day, even if it is modified what is important is setting aside the time to do it. Sometimes we set goals and if we run into hurdles or roadblocks because what we planned to do can't be done, we get discouraged and sometimes give up. Don't give up. I didn't and when day 90 comes I know that I will be very glad I didn't. Sometimes I wonder if the sub-conscious mind is at play and maybe had something to do with me getting injured. Perhaps it is a way to ensure that I go back to my old habits, not because they were better but because I am safe there. The most important function of our brain is to keep us alive and so anytime there is a new behaviour or habit that we are introducing we resist at a subconscious level because it is unknown and therefore potentially dangerous.

So lesson for today is persevere and adapt!!

Have a wonderful night.

MaryC

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MaryC