Hello,

As you should know by now, today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Regardless of your age, race, religion, sex or background, MLK Jr.provides inspiration for all of us. His “I Have a Dream” speech is legendary. I encourage you to find time to listen to it again today. Here’s a link to the youtube video, I Have a Dream

it’s easy to forget how important dreams are. It’s also easy to forget how amazing it was for MLK, Jr. to make such a speech. In 2012, we forget that there was a time when not everyone had a chance to vote. Not everyone had the opportunities that we have today. Not everyone could even eat at the same restaurants. There is still room for improvement in race relations but it’s come a long way.

Let’s not forget that MLK wasn’t making that speech after everything was “ok”. As far as he knew, there may never be a time of equality. But yet he had the audacity to dream, to hope in a better day and a brighter tomorrow.

Regardless of your current circumstances: dream. No matter what “the experts” say: hope. Have the audacity to dream of a community without homelessness and hunger: a family without strife and conflict: a life without sickness and pain.

Some may argue this is impossible. Maybe…maybe not. But if we don’t have a dream and we don’t act on those dreams, we’ll never know.

fit4service GAMES

Today is day 8. Remember to bring in your scoresheets today. Please write your name and team name at the top of the sheet so we record the scores properly.

We will post the scores as soon as possible. If you can’t make it to workout today, just email me your score and bring the sheet next time.

It’s Week 2. Keep up the great work!

Have a great day!

Kirk

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Hello,
You know Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Blitzen? What about Comet, Cupid, Donner and Vixen?

What would Christmas be without Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? I’m sure you know the story very well but if you don’t, here’s a quick summary.

Rudolph was born with a red nose. All of the other reindeer laughed and called him names (like ponocchio). He was an outcast and wasn’t even alllowed to play any reindeer games (like monopoly).

Then one Christmas Eve, it was really foggy and Santa couldn’t see to bring the gifts to all of the children. Guess who guided the sleigh? Yep, it was Rudolph. His crazy red-nose was perfect and he saved Christmas. There is no doubt he’ll be remembered forever (like George Washington)

As silly as the Rudolph story is, it teaches some valuable lessons.

Each of us was created with unique talents and abilities – Maybe you don’t have a red-nose but have the gift of hospitality, laughter, courage, wisdom. Whatever it may be, it’s a gift.

There are seasons of life – Even though Rudolph was made fun of by the other reindeer, he was being prepared for his big night. The same is true for you. Maybe you don’t have any idea what your talents are or can’t figure out how to use them. You are most likely in a season of defining and refining. This is the time of life that prepares and teaches us how we ought to be living and what our gifts really are. This time can be extremely frustrating but without it we can’t move into the next season.

The next season is fulfillment. This is the time of life when everything seems to be working together. It’s the fulfillment of using our talents to the best of our abilities. Just like Rudolph on Christmas eve, our talents will be used greatly. But we must go through the refining and defining season first.****

Purpose provides Joy – I’m sure Rudolph thought he was a very strange reindeer. Why would he be created with a red nose? Then on the foggy night, he found out. His purpose created joy for himself and others. It’s important that we continually seek and live out purpose. Maybe you are struggling to find it or maybe it’s found you. Let me give you a hint, wherever you currently are, that is your purpose for now. Be the best mother, father, coworker and friend you can be. Bigger purposes will be revealed in time.

Our uniqueness is a blessing to others – Because Rudolph embraced his uniqueness, he was able to bless millions of kids by saving Christmas. You can do the same thing. Continually serving others with your gifts and talents is a blessing to those around you.

I’m not sure what season of life you are in, but be confident that if we continue to pursue a life that is fit4service, our talents will shine as bright as Rudoph’s nose (like a lightbulb)!

Have a great day!

Kirk

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Hello,
Today is the first day of Hanukkah and there isn’t a more well known Hunukkah song than the one by Adam Sandler. (However, the song Miracle by Matisyahu is very good) Because I’m not Jewish, I don’t know all the traditions and songs that are followed by the Jewish faith.

But I do know of one Jewish tradition that we should all consider adopting. You may have heard the term shalom before. It is often used as a greeting in place of hello or goodbye and is considered by most to mean peace. But it is so much more than that.

According to Strong’s Concordance “Shalom also means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. Shalom comes from the root verb shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full. In modern Hebrew the obviously related word Shelem means to pay for, and Shulam means to be fully paid.”

Now that is a powerful word. It’s actually a perfect term for fit4service as it is what we are striving to bring in our own lives and to those around us. By taking care of ourselves and using our gifts and talents to serve others, we are bringing Shalom to our communities.

Today, I say Shalom to you. I think that says it all!

Have a great day!

Kirk

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My kids favorite holiday movie is Frosty the Snowman. I’ve seen it a few times (and by a few, I mean several dozen). They’ll watch Frosty in the winter,spring, summer and fall. I don’t mind though, it’s a great movie and it makes me laugh everytime I see it as well.

Frosty has some great lyrics too. During the song it says,

*He was made of snow,But the children know, How he came to life one day

And then later it says,

Frosty the Snowman Was alive as he could be, And the children say He could laugh and play

My favorite part of the movie is when Frosty is leading a parade and runs into a policeman. The little girl explains how Frosty has come to life. It’s hilarious. You can watch it by clicking here.

This is why I like Frosty so much: One day he was just a pile of snow, and now he’s alive! What an inspiration for all of us!

Did you know when you eat right, exercise and rest you are literally adding life to your body? The regeneration of cells and bodily functions that happens when we live properly is amazing. There has been research showing that “true” fitness combats diabetes, heart disease, anxiety, depression, even cancer! We literally come alive when we do the right things.

When you spread hope and joy to a co-worker, family member or stranger, you are literally showing them a new way to live.

When you serve the homeless, the hungry, they poor (in body and spirit) you are literally bringing life to that situation and community.

These are not possibilities of what “could” hapen. This is what leading a life that is fit4servicee brings to you, your family and community.

Do whatever it takes to become like Frosty today. Put on that “old silk hat” or carry that “corncob pipe.” Do what you have to do to come to life today!

Have a great day!

Kirk

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Today the SA will distribute toys and food to over 300 local families. I’m always very proud of Trinette’s efforts (as well as all of the other staff and volunteers) as they do an amazing job bringing joy to lives that need it.

It’s not easy to balance being a mom, wife and Social Services Director (especially at Christmas time) but she continues to amaze me by excelling at all of them.

Speaking of moms, today’s song talks about the Mother of Jesus. If you’ve never heard this tune before, Josh Groban has a great version you should check out.

The song is basically a game of 20 questions. “Mary, did you know your son would walk on water?” “Mary, did you know your son would turn water into wine?” “Mary, did you know your baby boy would be called the King of the Jews?” It is just one question after another.

I don’t know if Mary knew these things would happen or not, but I know she gives us a great example for fit4service.

The truth is none of us know how life is going to turn out. We don’t know what’s in store for us in the next hour let alone 20 years from now. But just because we don’t know the details of the future doesn’t mean we can’t plan accordingly.

We may not know the details of the future, but we do know the impact of the present. By making the decision to pursue “true” fitness, we put ourselves in a position to enjoy a long life that is fit4service. Adding exercise of mind, body and spirit to our daily routine keeps us healthy, strong and wise.

But even if we could lead a perfect life, we still won’t know what tomorrow will bring. This is where faith comes in. We must believe that if we do the right things, good things will happen. We must have faith that taking care of ourselves allows us to better serve others. We must have no doubt that lives, families and communities can change for the better.

Mary is a tremendous example of faith. She didn’t know all the details about the future, but she lived like she did. What about you?

Have a great day!

Kirk

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 This detox program holds a special place with me though.  You see, it was a program just like this that help me through a tough time in my life and really started to form a lot of the concepts that fit4service is based on (PIES, progressive success etc)  During that tough time, I was dealing with low energy, high anxiety, extreme mood swings and fatigue just to name a few.  It was then that I stumbled upon the Daniel Fast.  The Daniel Fast is basically a detox program with a more spiritual focus. 

  For the 3 weeks of the Fast, I ate properly, rested well, worked out consistently and increased my prayer and quiet time.  Surprisingly (not anymore since I now know that this is what happens when you live the way we were intended) my anxiety decreased, my energy levels went through the roof, I thought more clearly and experienced some of the most productive days of my life.  My spiritual life seemed came alive and my PIES were as fit as they’ve ever been.

   It’s because of this time that I wanted to figure out a way to share a similar program with you.  The Detox Challenge is it. By no means do you need to perform a full Daniel fast (however, if you want to, there is a section in the manual about it)  You can keep it a purely physical endeavor. (But as we know with PIES – nothing is ”just” a physical endeavor.  You’ll still see changes in your I,E and S)  That’s fine.  Regardless of how you perform the detox, I want you to succeed and enjoy the benefits of living correctly.

We still have a few days left to sign up.  If you know of anyone who you think would benefit from the program.  Feel free to share it with them.  Here’s the link describing the benefits. 

http://www.transformation-training.net/?page_id=594

Last Tuesday evening, 12 clients of Transformation Training and Fitness met with Lynelle Riccio, R.D. for a tour of our local Giant Food Store.  It was 2 hours full of tips and hints on how to make better nutritional choices, save money and in turn become healthier (and more fit4service).  I know several of you wanted to make the event but had a schedule conflict. I’ve put together some highlights from the tour that you can use right away.  Let me know what you think. 

1.  Plan – Just like anything important, we need to plan our meals for the week.  Planning our meals helps us know what foods to buy at the store instead of just guessing what we need.    A few minutes of meal planning can save you time and money in the grocery store.

2.  Spend your money in the fruits/vegetables department – There are lots of departments in the grocery store but none more important than the fruits and vegetables.  This section includes foods high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and taste at the same time low in calories and processed sugar.  Look for fruits/vegetables that are in season in order to save a few dollars.

3.  Buy Organic (for some items) – Buying organic produce is important but not necessary.  Try to buy organic when purchasing fruits/vegetables with thin skins like peaches, blueberries, strawberries, pears, tomatoes, etc.  When purchasing thicker skinned items like bananas, pineapples and melons, don’t waste your money.

4.  Organic doesn’t mean healthier – As much as we want to believe it, the term “organic” doesn’t necessarily mean that something is healthier for us.  With the exception of the list above, it is important to read and compare labels on food items marked organic as compared to their “regular” competitors.  Careful label comparison can save you a lot of money.

5.  Check the service size – When purchasing an item with a label, pay special attention to the serving size.  A serving of milk may only have 80 calories but it is also only 8oz.  Drinking or eating more than the serving size can drastically increase your calorie intake.  Remember all labels are based off of a 2000 calorie diet when making recommended daily allowances recommendations.

6.  Limit your sodium – It is suggested that we only take in 2400mg of sodium per day.  This is equal to 1 teaspoon of sodium.  Carefully read your labels to make sure your serving isn’t sky high in sodium.  Frozen dinners and soups are traditionally higher in sodium.

7.  Limit your processed sugar – The grocery store is full of options.  Try to make food selections that are low in processed sugar.  Not surprisingly, this will lead you back to the fruits and vegetables department.  Also watch out for hidden sugar on the ingredients list.  High fructose corn syrup is just one form of the many processed sugars in today’s foods.

8.  Check the ingredients – When reading a label, keep in mind that the items listed first under the “ingredients” are the most prominent in the item.  For example, if you are buying whole wheat bread and the first item is sugar, you shouldn’t purchase that loaf.  Look for foods that have in them what is advertised.

9.  Don’t believe the hype – Marketing and advertising of food has been known to stretch the truth about the health of an item.  Don’t get caught up reading the advertisements on the box.  Stick to reading the label and your food choices will greatly increase.

10.  Shop the perimeter of the store – Items on the perimeter of the store, are usually the healthiest choices.  You’ll find your fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean meats and low sugar foods around the outside aisles of most stores.  Usually cookies, cakes, sodas, and other highly processed items are in the middle.  Stick to the edges and make better choices. 

There you have it.  10 keys to making better choices in the grocery store.  If you have other ideas, we’d love to hear them.

This week on the TTF Fit Tip of the Week, I answered the question about how to perform more pull ups or push ups.  Below you will find a very simple, yet effective plan at improving these scores.  It takes some effort and consistency but in the end it will produce big results. 

The idea is that you take your maximum reps and divided in 2.  From this point you will now perform more sets of fewer reps with a set amount of time between sets.  Each week we will reduce the amount of time between sets until eventually you will be performing all of these smaller reps sets as one big set. 

For example, let’s say that I can perform 10 pull ups but I’d like to be able to perform 20.  I’ll divide my current max by 2.  10/2 = 5. From this point I’ll perform more sets at fewer reps.

Week 1.  5 sets of 5 pull ups with 60 seconds rest between sets

Week 2 – 5 sets of 5 pull ups with 50 seconds rest between sets.

Week 3 – 5 sets of 5 pull ups with 40 seconds rest between sets

Week 4 – 5 sets of 5 pull ups with 30 seconds rest between sets

Week 5 – 5 sets of 5 pull ups with 20 seconds rest between sets

Week 6 – 5 sets of 5 pull ups with 10 seconds between sets

RETEST at the end of the 6 weeks.

There you have it.  A simple plan to big results.  Now that is Progressive Success!