Thursday, April 22, 2010
Being a personal trainer, my objective is very simple and clear cut. A new client comes to me with a specific goal, such as - "I want to lose 15kgs of body fat and gain strength and flexibility". After finding out how much time the person can give me each week to work with them and how serious they are about achieving this goal, I then have to chase it and help them achieve it in the most efficient manner possible for their time constraints. Being result orientated, this is my daily challenge, to reach targets and fast!
In order to get someone where they want to be, fast and efficiently, I have to find ways of helping people over come obstacles. These may be time related obstacles (for example, the client may have a young child and finding time to fit enough sessions in the week can prove difficult due to child care) or, more commonly, health related issues can slow progress. It always amazes me how often people experience ill health. At least one person I see each day tells me that they did not sleep well or have a headache or a cold or are stressed out etc. Very often these small issues can lead to a less than productive session, therefore slowing progress and slowing the efficiency towards the main goal.
I do not like drugs. I am not a fan of allopathic medicine unless it is absolutely necessary. In my experience drugs only mask problems and very often cause others. So, rather than have my trainees seek pharmaceutical help for common ailments such as colds, arthritis, headaches or asthma etc, I will often suggest more natural remedies to help alleviate their problem. Below is a good tip for lowering stress and getting a good night's sleep!
Ashwagandha Root!
Ashwagandha is one of the best rejuvenative herbs, calming and strengthening the nervous system. It can be used in all kinds of weakness, chronic debilitation due to over work, stress, insomnia and nervous exhaustion. It is also one of the best known herbs for calming the mind, improving memory and promoting a deep and dreamless sleep! Another plus, ashwagangha root has also been used to effectively treat lumbago, sciatica and sexual debility.
Glutamine!
This simple amino acid has amazing healing properties. It is often used as a sports supplement due to its anabolic effect on the body post-exercise, but can also be used to improve lymphatic function when experiencing cold or flu symptoms. This product in particular I have found extremely useful when those I work with have terrible cold symptoms that need to be eliminated fast so that subsequent workouts can be productive.
Small pieces of useful information such as these help produce fast results in those I work with and help avoid procrastination. If you want to make sure you achieve your fitness goals and stay on target, do not let the little things get in your way. Make sure you get where you want to be. You can‘t control the stresses that come in to your life. We all experience them. However, you can control how you manage them and whether you let them interfere in your progress.