Have you planned any strength training exercises? Adding thirty or forty minutes of strength training on Monday, Wednesday and Friday is great, but where will this happen? Did you know you can do strength training in your own home without any equipment? Simple exercises might include the front plank, the side plank, push-ups, when standing do leg lifts in all four directions. Of course there are many more options, but the key is, have you started to become more active? By simply choosing to become more active, you are improving your self-efficacy which your mind says, yes, I can do it and as we know, success begets success!

 Being able to maintain this change is tough, but when you have an authentic reason for becoming more active you will make ‘being active' a lifelong commitment. I know I want to be one of the few people that will not be taking medications as a result of the poor lifestyle choices I could have made in my life. This simply shows that coming from a strong foundation of integrity and respect for my self can have enormous impact on my personal effectiveness and it can start with being more active.

Your positive attitude, healthy body, higher productivity level at work, feeling less stress, and your ability to have genuine relationships (your personal effectiveness) reflect who you am.  Your lifestyle choices will reflect your passion of valuing your self and creating your best life possible. Harvard Medical School has developed The Institute of Lifestyle Medicine, http://www.instituteoflifestylemedicine.org/ where you can learn more about their mission of helping people create healthier lives. You also can obtain more information from http://www.exerciseismedicine.org/ to learn more about the benefits of physical activity and living your best life. How does your lifestyle choice of being physically active reflect your personal effectiveness? I would like to know more about your success stories. You can e-mail me, Jamie@personaleffectivenesslifecoach.com describing what works best for you.

Did you know that simply changing your diet and lifestyle you can improve you personal effectiveness and create radical changes:

• in your health;
• the health of your arteries;
• the quality of your life and...
• develop more confidence to become the master of your well-being?

In Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, he recommends abandoning the toxic American diet and implementing plant based nutritional changes that can have profound effects on lowering your cholesterol levels, and the development and progression of disease.  Diseases include cancers, strokes, hypertension, osteoporosis, heart disease, and adult-onset diabetes to name a few. He also states, "Physicians and researchers increasingly agree that lifestyle changes - controlling high blood pressure, stopping smoking, reducing cholesterol, exercising and modifying diets are essential to overall personal effectiveness and health." By adopting healthier lifestyles and sustained nutritional changes, you too can become the master of your health and well-being. Go to http://www.heartattackproof.com/ to read about The China Study and for more information.

Do you believe exercise is medicine? Last weekend I took my meds (cardio exercise) and ran the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Race in washington D.C. The day was sensational, the balmy spring breeze was caressing my face as I jogged along the Potomac River for two hours. Cherry bloosoms were in bloom, the red-bud trees magnificent and small leaves were popping out on all the trees. My legs felt strong, my cardiovascular system was working like a charm. The people I met, inspired and had fun with were smiling, positive and thrilled, they too, had accomplished the run. Their inner spirit of optimism fueled our self-esteem. Smiles were everywhere and the exhilaration of finishing the race was empowering and... my intentions remain the same....I will take my meds becuase I am proof....exercise is medicine. What kind of meds do you take? How will you be living in your later years of life....with endless energy, passion and life in your years? Exercise is medicine.