FIT What is it and how to get it?

When we hear the word fit most of us automatically think about how we look.  In the years of training and assisting others I have found that there are so many ways to be fit other than how we look.  The first way I would like to discuss is the feeling of being spiritually fit.  What is that you may ask?  If is a feeling of peace and serenity that one can only find by getting outside themselves.  In our society it is so often looked at as a "ME and I" society based on one's own accomplishments.  When one gets out of themselves and into a level of believing in a power greater than themselves they have an opportunity to experience a spiritual level of fitness.  We tend to be self reliant and self serving.  When things do not go our way resentments and self pity can set in.  A spiritually fit person lets go of the troubles and becomes grateful for what they have and develop a positive attitude towards life, no matter how difficult the current circumstances are.  Research has shown the art of being grateful can lower blood pressure, increase good sleep habits, and an overall sense of good health due to attitude.  I like to always say altitude your attitude.  Self pity can be destroyed through gratitude.  When you become spiritually fit you will reach out to others to help and also reach out to others for help.  It takes courage to do this.  Its no surprise I am Christian and my reliance on GOD gives me a sense of well being.  I am not here to sway others to do this, but I will tell others who ask me for help how I do it.  My wife and I meet and discuss with people all the time about how we get through troubles and we tell them if you want the peace and serenity that we have you may consider doing what we do.  Developing a sense outside oneself is so empowering and peaceful.  Its a daily routine to develop, and can happen over time.  The benefits for health and healthy relationships are far surpassed over the work that is required to get outside oneself.

Another type of fit I see is that of being emotionally fit.  How do you handle your emotions?  Do you fly off the handle, do you yell and scream at coaches and refs, do you behave poorly to your parents?  In the past I have failed at all of these.  What I do have available to me is the time to discern between what is a good decision and a bad one. This is a journey one has to enter into.  Life happens and its how we react to life's challenges  that creates our character. Again this level of being fit is outside yourselves.  How do we treat OTHERS is a way we can become emotionally fit.  We rely on our feeling so much and if our feelings are hurt we can either crawl up in a hole or get angry.  Anger is derived from fear and we must get emotionally fit to determine what is the fear in this situation that troubles us.  Instead of being angry pray for that person in your own time that they find peace and happiness.  Do for others. 

How do these things above relate to exercise?  What happens so many times is that people who are unfit spiritually and emotionally do not take direction well, do not stay connected with others who have similar issues and will ride the wave of ego and pride until it runs out.  There are those who want you to fix them, and they argue and become defensive when asked to be accountable for certain things such as diet and additional at home cardiorespiratory work.  When a person is peaceful and fit internally they are more relaxed, more accepting to information and just happier.  These people will usually bond together  and hang out together in healthier ways to maximize results.

When a person is depressed or upset about not meeting their own expectations they tend to quit all together or take it to the extreme with other ways to get results. These people also tend to blame others for not getting the results they wanted.  They also tend to keep looking for different ways to get fit physically and usually tend to quit each one quickly when things do not go their way fast enough.   When expectations are set at a reasonable level those can be met and then re-set to higher ones.

When you are looking to start an exercise program do some personal self examination to see if you ready to get started without having other baggage that can pull you down.  In no way are any of us perfect and we will never  reach a perfect status so I am not saying you should by no means hold off on exercise because of the above items, but just know going in that they can reflect poorly in ones desire to get physically fit and results.  Research again has shown that exercise can also benefit the above.

Good luck in getting fit in all ways and reach out to seek information on how others have done it.  There is no argument in ones personal experience.  You can not take that away from them.  Ask yourself this question, Are the people in my life fit?

Kellyann and Matt Harmon

www.yourfitguides.com