As Governor, he has traveled across the country and around the world promoting California-grown products, cutting-edge technologies and the state’s diverse travel destination. Using his background as an internationally recognized athlete, Governor Schwarzenegger has made restoring health and fitness a top priority. He signed legislation making the state’s school nutrition standards the most progressive in the nation and continues to promote healthy habits by taking harmful trans fats out of California restaurants and ensuring nutritional information is available to diners.

This world-famous athlete and actor was born in Austria in 1947, and at 20 became the youngest person ever to win the Mr. Universe title. He came to America shortly after, winning an unprecedented 12 more world bodybuilding titles. Challenging both his body and mind, he earned a college degree from the University of Wisconsin and became a U.S. citizen in 1983.

Three years later he married broadcast journalist Maria Shriver. They have four children – Katherine, Christina, Patrick and Christopher.

Governor Schwarzenegger’s most gratifying accomplishments are rooted in public service. He and Maria have remained closely involved in Special Olympics, an organization founded by Maria’s mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver. He was named Special Olympics International Weight Training Coach in 1979 and serves as a Global Ambassador.

Recognizing his passion for helping kids, in 1990 former President George Bush appointed Governor Schwarzenegger Chair of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, in which capacity he traveled all 50 states and recognized the overwhelming need for more after-school alternatives.

Arnold recently shared with me his thoughts on health and fitness. I couldn’t wait to share them with you below:

Dear Joe,

Thanks for taking the time to write to me about physical fitness. It’s an issue I share your passion for, and I’m always glad to hear from people who feel as strongly about it as I do.

As Governor, I’ve made it a priority to get our great state back in shape. Many Californians are at high risk for obesity and diabetes, but there’s plenty we can do to get ourselves on the right track. I recently proposed a prevention, wellness, and personal responsibility initiative as part of a comprehensive health care reform plan. The idea is to reward Californians who eat well, exercise regularly, and take preventive health actions to fight disease and illness before they start.

By setting goals for yourself and remaining dedicated to them, you can accomplish anything. And no matter what those fitness goals are, exercise and proper nutrition are crucial.

When I was competing, I’d often spend long hours in the gym, and the thing that most helped me overcome obstacles was a positive mental attitude. If you think you can do something, you can – as long as you’re willing to put in the effort.

Thanks again for writing. It takes dedication to get and stay physically fit, but the rewards last a lifetime.

Sincerely,

Arnold Schwarzenegger

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You see, there is an actual physiological symptom caused by stress. When you encounter a problem or something that makes you nervous or scared, your body releases stress hormones such as cortisol that prepares your body for the ‘fight or flight’. Well, I’m sure these pressures we experience on a daily basis are not life threatening and not suppose to create that ‘fight or flight’ syndrome. However, we still experience the same physiological symptoms, which can wreak havoc on the body if not addressed.

Stress can weaken our immune system; and can cause a greater risk for sickness and disease, injury and emotional problems.

Did you know that one of the best ways to counteract and manage stress is exercise? Participating in exercise releases chemicals in your body called “endorphins”, or commonly referred to as a “runner’s high”, and can give you a feeling of happiness and increased overall sense of well-being. Don’t worry, you don’t have to go out for a long run to get these benefits. Many other forms of exercise will produce the same results.

fitness-advice-motivation/stress/attachment/after-exercise/”>Physical activity improves health and can serve as a great distraction to whatever you are dealing with. With a change of scenery, your mind can be taken away from the problem at hand and offer you a fresh perspective when it needs to be addressed again. There is also the social aspect of exercise that can offer further support in dealing with stress.

Whether you are going out for a run with a group, taking a class with a friend, or working out with a partner at the gym; you can get a double dose of stress relief by combining the benefits of exercise and positive social interaction.

Whatever you are stressed with; pressures at work, scheduling commitments, kids, relationships etc, take the time to take care of yourself! Get moving with regular physical activity. It can help you have a whole new outlook on life and be better able to deal with the trials and stresses that come with it.

It can save your life, I know it did for me!

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Your date night out or your monthly gym membership?

A casual dinner for two at a restaurant will probably run you at least $30, not including drinks or cocktails. And if you were to add on movie tickets costing an average of $10-12 per ticket, you’re looking at another $20 to $30 depending if you decide to get any drinks or popcorn. By the end of the evening, you have probably invested at least $50 to $60 into the date. And it’s all over in a few hours. In just one night, although you might have thoroughly enjoyed yourself, you have spent your investment.

Now let’s look at your total gym membership. Let’s say a gym membership costs thirty dollars a month. That amounts to about a dollar a day. For just a dollar a day you  will be investing in your overall health, improved fitness level; strength, endurance, flexibility, heart health, plus appearance, balanced emotional state, active lifestyle and longevity. Not to mention you could be saving yourself hundreds even thousands of dollars in medical or doctor expenses, prescriptions and preventing lost wages from missed work. That’s a pretty good return on your investment.

Let’s go back to the average date night, going out to dinner and a movie. That one evening could buy you 2 months of membership to the gym. Which is the better return on your investment? The benefits of regular exercise not only lowers your risk of chronic disease, but it helps you maintain a healthy weight, improves sleep, decreases anxiety and stress, improves mood and self esteem, and possibly increases cognitive functioning (basically improved brain power). Physical activity directly and positively affects the quantity and quality of life.

How can you afford not to exercise?

And what would happen if you were to decide to still forgo your gym membership to enjoy the fun of dining or eating out? The risk of obesity will rise and all those benefits of regular exercise I just stated could slowly disappear for you and soon be out of your reach. Listen, I understand times are tough – for all of us! Is your gym membership worth it? Yes, I think so.  Think of it this way, your gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment and a great investment.

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• Why Invest? Do you have some money socked away, or are you planning to sock some money away for the purpose of investing? Are you wondering why investing would be a smart idea and how you can best benefit from the act of investing? Simply put, you are going to want to......

Most of you have your resolutions in mind or written down for 2010. Most likely at the top of your list is weight loss or getting in shape fast. We all know that to achieve those weight loss goals or resolutions, you must be motivated. A lack of motivation seems to be the one thing that keeps us from moving forward and achieving our goals. Below are ten tips to help keep you motivated to exercise:

1.  Know the benefits of exercise. We talked about many of them in earlier blogs. See past blogs on: mood boosting; healthy immune system; cardiovascular fitness; weight loss; and even increased sexual appetite.

2.  Create your own “reasons why” list. Keep a piece of paper and pen handy for a couple of days. Jot down every reason you can think of as to why you want to get healthier, lose weight or get fit. You’ll amaze yourself at the number of reasons you can come up with. Below are a few examples – the list could go on and on, but you get the picture. Read your list often – it’s a powerful way to get re-motivated!

• More energy to spend quality time with family and friends.
• To be able to live a longer, healthier life.
• To fit into some clothes in your closet that you’ve been dreaming of wearing again.
• To not be out of breath when you climb a single flight of stairs
• To not be uncomfortable in a swimsuit
• To keep up with your younger friends

3.  Exercise with a friend – we’ve talked about this before and how   this helps you to be consistent in your workout program. Not only will you keep each other accountable, but the competitiveness will kick in and motivate you even more!

4.  Start working out first thing every morning. If you’re serious about getting in shape, then get to it first thing and gitter done! Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t do a huge workout – if you can’t then, get outside and take a 30 minute walk.

5.  Train for a local 5K or 10K walk or run in your area. If you think that’s out of your league, then think again. Once you commit to it, the mindset will kick in and you will start seeing your body and your stamina change. You can do it!

6.  Reward yourself. A friend of mine told me that she started paying herself to exercise. She put $5 in an envelope every time she exercises. She then treats herself at the end of the month to something she normally wouldn’t spend money on.

7.  Keep a journal of your exercise time (minutes) each day. Keep a running total for the month and year. This will help you set goals and keep them!

8.  Make your exercise time as enjoyable as possible. If you’re a walker or runner, update your Mp3 player with your favorite songs and change them out regularly. You’ll start looking forward to your walking/listening to music time. If you prefer to exercise in peace and quiet, make sure that you won’t be distracted by outside noise during your workout time. Do whatever makes exercise most enjoyable for you.

9.  Wear good shoes when you exercise – whatever type is appropriate for what you are doing. Often injuries occur because the improper type of shoe is worn. If you injure yourself, you’ll not only be preventing yourself from further working out, but you’ll find yourself discouraged and possibly depressed.

10. Get ready for people to notice! Once you start seeing results, you’ll find others complimenting you. For many, that’s the best motivation of all!

What’s your greatest exercise motivator? Maybe yours is completely different from those I have listed. Let’s help each other by sharing what works for you!

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Since last week’s blog was on the health benefits of laughter, I thought I would give equal time to the healing benefits of crying. Yes the thought of whether or not someone who is as “all guy” as I am should talk about crying did cross my mind, but after researching the subject, I found it has just as strong benefits in the healing process as laughter does.

I’m not just talking about the tears that are released just to keep our eyeballs moistened or the tears from cutting an onion or being too close to smoke. We accept those tears as just our body’s way of doing what it’s supposed to do. I’m talking about the tears that life brings – like tragedy, loss, grief, fear or even loneliness. There are also the tears that come when you are overcome with joy or maybe even after witnessing a spectacular landscape or event. I immediately think of how I felt when I witnessed the birth of each of my three children – those were definitely tears of joy!

We all know that when we eat or drink, our bodies need to eliminate after it uses up what is needed at the time. But have you ever stopped to think about all the painful feelings and thoughts that you take in? Releasing these feelings and thoughts are just as important as releasing what you don’t need from your food or drink, yet many people stifle the urge to cry even when their body is telling them otherwise.

Crying is probably the easiest and fastest way to release emotional pain, but unfortunately it has become socially unacceptable for both men and women to cry in public. We don’t want to feel weak or foolish, and we don’t want to make others uncomfortable in our presence. However, there are now many scientific studies that actually prove that tears caused by “emotional crying” carry toxins not normally found in the tear that is shed from simply moistening the eye.

Biochemist William Frey (Crying: The Mystery of Tears, Winston Press, Texas, 1977) compared the normal moisturizing tear with the tear caused by emotion and found that stressful tears contained ACTH or adrenocorticotrophic hormone. ACTH is a hormone associated with high blood pressure, heart problems, peptic ulcers and other physical conditions closely related to stress.

Frey compared tears induced from sadness with tears caused by cutting a raw onion. Frey proposes that the emotionally-based tears contained high levels of cortisol, which is the primary hormone released during stressful situations. And that extra belly fat you may be experiencing that doesn’t go away even when you’re watching your diet and exercising could be a direct effect of excessive stress-related cortisol in your body! Maybe a good cry is in order, as this suggests that we may be literally releasing toxins from our system when we cry, therefore supporting our overall well being.

Although I can say that personally I probably cry more at this stage of my life than I did when I was younger, I’ll have to admit that I find myself stifling back tears ever so often so as not to appear weak. I’m an adult male, after all, and I should know how to handle everything at all times and have the right answers – or at least I’d like to appear that way!

I have a friend who told me that he never saw his father shed a tear. Perhaps his father spent a lifetime hiding pain, sadness or hurt. How unhealthy is that! Certainly there are times when it is appropriate to control our feelings and hold back the tears, just as there are times when “crying your heart out” is equally appropriate. Tears are a way to cope and mend the pain and suffering of life. Tears can make our lives richer, helping us to be in touch with our true feelings. They can draw people together connecting them during a time when perhaps there are no right words.

So the next time you find yourself stifling back the tears, remember the toxins that you are keeping trapped in your body. Just as your body benefits from a good cleansing periodically, so do your emotions. As healing as laughter is, don’t forget to cry! Imagine how great you’ll feel after you do both!

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