Can and Can't

There is no power in thinking you can.

If you can believe it, you can achieve it---utter bullshit.

I think I can, I think I can---NO---you can’t, not just because you thought you could.

(Famous pedophiles voice)---♫♫♫---I believe I can fly---♫♫---I believe I can touch the sky---♫♫♫---I think about it every night and day---♪♪---Spread my wings and fly away---♪♪♪---(fadeout pee-king’s voice). We don’t have wings, and no amount of belief will help you grow wings. It’s a metaphor, true, but enough with dreaming without fulfilling reality. Believing you can is not enough.

There is REAL POWER in thinking you can’t. The instant you think you can’t you are done. The second that thought of what you can’t do enters your psyche your mind limits its capacity to surmise options and find ways to overcome obstacles. The power of I can’t is overwhelming.

+U.S. Navy instruction requires service members to complete a bi-annual physical fitness assessment (PFA). Successfully completing the PFA is not an issue for me, especially this PFA (so I thought), considering I’ve been exercising regularly over the last year---running, walking, sprinting, elliptical machine (10 resistance), treadmill (zero incline), and strength training (weightlifting and core exercises). The PFA requires service members to complete push-ups, sit-ups, and run 1.5 miles. PFA grades are based on age groups, e.g. 30-34 is a group. There are options for the run event, the service member can complete the event outside, or in a gym facility using the treadmill, *bike, or *elliptical. I prefer outside and I trained outside to achieve a goal time I set for myself. Circumstances beyond my control prevented me from completing the run outside. It doesn’t matter why, things happen, plans are altered---that’s life.

Problem: I hadn’t trained for the treadmill. Problem 2: the treadmill requires the run be completed on incline level 1. Shame on me---a military man---for not being prepared---knowing is half the battle---some Joe I am---fail.

“Hey shipmate, this thing’s on 1 incline. That’s not right.” As the Command Fitness Leader explained the requirements, touch the sides-fail, hop off-fail, touch the handle bars-fail, level 1 incline is correct and if you lower it-fail. “I can’t” slowly crept into my thoughts and I was done. Never mind that I’m in great shape. Never mind that I average 3 miles per cardio session. Never mind that I trained for the outside event, which the incline is supposed to emulate. I mentally checked out before I started because I thought I couldn’t. I finished faster than the minimum required for my age, but I could’ve done better and maybe met my goal, which I did not---fail. End result, I labored through the run instead of powering through.

Now apply that to our lives. Instead of powering through, some default to I can’t. We must stop selling ourselves short; we must stop laboring through. 

No amount of positive thinking would have helped me through the 1.5 miles at incline level 1, I was prepared because I exercise regularly, but I sold myself short by thinking I couldn’t.  

Remove can’t from your vocabulary, and understand that blindly believing in the power of positive thinking is barren.

Do think “I can,” in doing so you remain open to infinite possibilities. Thinking I can gives you limitless potential to accomplish. Thinking I can unleashes your mind to be creative and seek solutions. Couple hard work, planning, and dedication with an I can attitude and you will remain capable of accomplishing anything within the realm of reality. You won’t always be successful, but, by thinking “I can”, planning, putting forth your best effort, and committing yourself you will be amazed to see what you do achieve and what other opportunities are presented along the way.

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* Individuals using the bike or elliptical options are to burn the maximum amount of calories possible in 12 minutes. The calories are then converted into an equivalent run time based on the individuals’ weight.

Overweight, Who Cares?

I’m 67 inches short, with a 34-inch waist, and a 16.5-inch neck; honestly, I feel it wouldn’t hurt if I lost a few pounds. I'm overweight for my height according to U.S. Navy standards, but I satisfy the body fat percentage requirement for individuals overweight, so my weight is not an issue as it pertains to the U.S. Navy. If you are like me or worse the thought of dieting has likely crossed your mind. The thought of using +Hydroxycut  (which I witnessed work for two distinctly different individuals) has probably penetrated your thoughts. How about +Jenny Craig ? Research indicates planned meals aid weight loss. You’ve probably been one digit away from ordering an exercise video but the sale-fo-mercial cut to commercial, which provided space for you to come to your senses.

So, what are you doing about those extra pounds?

How about nothing.

Do something about your lifestyle. Live a healthy lifestyle and the weight will take care of itself.

You didn’t gain 25 pounds in six weeks, why kill yourself to lose 25 pounds in six weeks. Is it possible? Yes. You can lose 25 pounds in six weeks. My question to you. Why?

What’s the rush?

A healthy lifestyle is more sustainable and less expensive than taking a pill, having surgery, or using a famous diet plan. Feel free to use any of the aforementioned options in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle, but commit to the lifestyle. It has worked for me and I define “healthy lifestyle” as: eating a reasonably balanced diet, exercising, and making sleep a priority.

A reasonably balanced diet. Eat plenty of “healthy food” and eat “fast food” in moderation. Healthy food, we all know we need it. Consider choosing to drink a cup of water, over a cup of fruit juice. Enjoy seconds of kale instead of mac-n-cheese. Order the lobster this time, the steak next time, but don’t get both. Eat at +McDonald's , we all love Micky-D’s, and I’ve been hooked since childhood (it’s not the toy, something is in that food. I don’t have proof, just an opinion). However, we are not children, eat to satisfy your hunger, not to satisfy your mood. Order a six piece chicken nuggets instead of the ten piece, skip the fries or order the small, and top it off with bottled water. Odds are you are not going to give up your favorite fast foods (I know I’m not), so enjoy, don’t deprive yourself, but use moderation. I use to get a three piece from +KFC - Kentucky Fried Chicken , with wedges, a biscuit (sometimes biscuits—KFC’s biscuits are only second to +Red Lobster  to me), and soda. Now, I order a one piece (breast or thigh), corn (or veggie side), biscuit, and water. That small change in order results in a significant difference in calorie count, but who’s counting. For me the order is more than enough to satisfy.

Exercise. Make daily exercise a habit. I am not an athlete, and if you are like me we don’t need a rest day. Why aim to workout like an athlete when you are a (your job title)? Lifting heavy weights and pushing your body to the limit is a good thing, ask +Men's Health magazine  (which I subscribe to). But it's not for everybody, and it is not required in a healthy lifestyle. Consider simple exercises that are easy to do anywhere such as walking, running, sit-ups, push-ups, and calisthenics. Use the gym as a tool not as a proving ground. No days off (planned that is), spend at least 1 hour (more if you have time) a day exercising—cardio and strength training, or just cardio. If you are not performing an athletic routine, you do not need a rest day. Increase or decrease your level of intensity based on how your body is feeling. If you miss a day or two, don’t over do it the next time to make it up, just aim to exercise as often as possible. Make it a habit or part of the morning or evening routine.

Sleep. Get your rest. You know how many hours you need. Only the truly important should cut into that time. Television, support your favorite show (I’m staying up to watch +Scandal —“Gladiators!” and sports— +NFL, +NBA , +MLB ), but staying up late night after night (watching reruns and channel surfing) just because? Browse the net, but just browsing late night because? Unplug and get some well-deserved rest.

I have found this to be sustainable with no supplements and no fad diet. A year in I’m height 67 inches, waist 34 inches, neck 16.5 inches; I was height 67 inches, waist 37 inches, neck 15 inches. A year from now I’ll be the same height, maybe my waist will shrink further, maybe it won’t. I’m not worried about it. I’m worried about being healthy and living a healthy lifestyle, the weight will take care of itself.

Why Blog?

Why start a blog?

That was first question I asked of myself before I joined the blogosphere—why? 

Why blog?  My blog would be a personal blog of thoughts and opinions, but why?  Plenty of thoughts and opinions ranging from outrageous to thoughtful to informative are readily available.  What would I add to the sphere, and why should someone read my blog?  I felt if I couldn’t answer why, then I would not blog.  My thought: blog something worthwhile or don’t blog at all.

The answer didn’t immediately stand out to me.  I was beginning to think blog-like entries and updates to Facebook and Google+ would have to do.  So, I ended my search for a reason to blog.  I then became curious about why so many others have started blogs, and to answer I googled why blog.  I randomly selected the link Start a Blog – Top 10 reasons.

Start a Blog – Top 10 reasons is an interesting list, but only three reasons stood out and made a lot of sense to me.  1. To Express Your Thoughts and Opinions: You have something to say, and blogs provide a place to say it and be heard.  6. To Make a Difference:  Many blogs are issue-based meaning the blogger is trying to provide information to sway people's thinking in a certain direction.  And.  10. To Have Fun and Be Creative: Many people start a blog simply for fun.  One of the most important keys to successful blogging is having a passion about your blog's topic, so you can write prolifically about it.  Some of the best and most interesting blogs started out as blogs that were written just for fun and to give the blogger a creative outlet (Top 10 Reasons to Start a Blog).  More importantly, reading the list helped me conjure rationale for a blog:

For a challenge – to, at the very least, weekly (I intend to blog daily) put my thoughts down on a topic concisely, and to produce writing that is worthy of the readers’ time and engagement.

Because I am unique, yet, I am the same – we are all unique individuals, and we are, to a degree, the same.  We are all humans, husbands, wives, Officers, servicemen and servicewomen, neighbors, sons, daughters, workers, producers, entrepreneurs, leaders, followers, etc.  We go though some of the same experiences, yet, we often see things strikingly different.  If my thoughts and opinions reach just one individual and incites them to think, reflect, or, rethink then it has served a purpose.  If my thoughts and opinions get you to smile, laugh, or relate because you are having the same thought or feeling then it has actually contributed to society.  If my thoughts and opinions accomplish the aforementioned and start dialogue – mission accomplished.  Let’s discuss, let’s have that conversation because we are all same, yet, each of us are unique.

To entertain, be creative, and have fun.  At the end of the day, this blog is about having fun and will be a hobby.  If this blog, only reaches one reader then so be it.  It the blog attracts more—great.  I am going to give myself fully, I will not hold back anything in an attempt to entertain and be creative, all while having fun providing content that is worthy of your time.

There you have it.  Let’s talk, let’s argue, let’s debate, let’s blog.