NOTE: The SMART series is best read from the first post. Start with Get SMART - Look yourself in the i - and read from there.
In my last post I talked about the importance of “i S.M.A.R.T.” goal setting. Once you have clarified your goal in this way (i.e. you are able to see the goal in your minds “i”) your are able to follow on with the rest of the SMART process (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely). Although there is a...
I don't know how many of you remember the TV series of the late '60's - but this post has nothing at all to do with that show - or the secret agent of the same name (who always seemed to be looking for a secret formula stolen by KAOS). Instead this is about a secret modification to another and similarly named formula for setting goals (Formula S.M.A.R.T.). I am now about to reveal this modification to you .... stand by while I call in to CONTROL on my shoe phone, untwirl the combination of...
Achieving a wellness goal can often be as exciting as scoring a soccer goal - maybe not quite as vocal as that famous Spanish Soccer commentator's signature screeeeeeeeeeem of joy - but still something that feels pretty good! And here's the thing - even if you don't achieve the goal you have set for yourself (NOOOOOO!!!!!!) your "failure" can still be viewed as something positive (YEEEEEESSSSSS!!!!!!). It all depends on how you choose to think about it. William James, a 19th Century...
Taking an asset-based or positive approach to life is often viewed it seems as a 'glass half empty, glass half full' situation. But I think of it as a much broader concept than that. As I mentioned in my previous post, the growing field of Positive Psychology has demonstrated time and again that viewing things from an asset-based, positive or optimistic manner is far more than just 'Positive Thinking" which I think for most people has more of the feel of the philosophy espoused by Stuart...
Back in 2000 when I was an assistant professor at Arizona State University, I was invited to be first author on a book chapter in a major publication called The Handbook of Health Psychology. The title of the chapter was "Effects of physical activity on physical and psychological health: Implications for exercise adherence and psychophysiological mechanisms" (A pretty long and involved title I admit, but then this was a pretty long and involved book - I was actually...
FUN! I was thinking about that word the other day. I keep reading that when people want to be more active they should 'make it fun' or 'find something that is fun' or even 'find something you enjoy'. I saw these same kind of suggestions in some of this year's recycled 'Ten Sure-Fire Tips' to stick to your New Year's exercise program (Déjà vu all over again?). Of course if you can find an exercise that is Fun, then you are well on your way to a...
Just to follow up on my 'be a higher energy user' post today, I have included a graphical summary of information taken from the Surgeon General's Report (SGR) on Physical Activity and Health (and you just thought they talked about smoking!). The SGR was compiled by the brightest and best scientists in wellness, exercise and epidemiology. It was released in 1996 and was an enormous and exhaustive review of the scientific literature that examined the effect of physical activity on health. The...
Opened up my email this morning and found a reference to something called "Parkour" and "Free Running". Since both of these were described as related to being active outdoors I checked them out. Parkour was initially developed in France and the name was taken from parcours du combattant, the classic obstacle course method of military training proposed by Georges Hébert a pioneering French physical educator, theorist and instructor. Free Running was developed out of Parkour. Here's...
Welcome to teleosity - 'a sense of moving toward a goal or an inescapable conclusion'. Speaking about goals. how about a new way of resolving instead of resolving anew? After all didn't we resolve much the same thing last year? Instead of (once again) studying 'ten tips for sure-fire ways to keep your resolutions'. Think different - think - "what is it that is important to me this year at this time?" If like the great majority of resolvers you come up with 'weight loss', then go deeper and...
