The Power of Positive Thinking

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Have you ever caught yourself making negative comments or thinking negative thoughts about the reflection looking back at you? Maybe you are frustrated because you havent made much progress at reaching your fitness goals. Maybe you have thought about leading a fit and healthy lifestyle but have a million excuses why it is simply impossible for you, a very busy person, to actually achieve fitness success. I have one word for you. Shhhhhhhh!

Your body can hear you, whether it is thoughts or words, it can hear you. It knows when you make excuses. I cant work out because Im too tired. I cant exercise because Im too busy. I cant go for a walk because I have too many other things to do. I cant change my eating habits because I have to work a lot and my only alternative is fast food. Ive never succeeded at losing weight before, so I wont be able to do it this time either. If you have ever filled your head with negative thoughts or words such as these, and then failed at achieving your fitness goals, it is no wonder! It is time to stop setting yourself up for failure, and start telling yourself that you can do it!

A positive mental attitude is a key component to achieving your ideal physique, and to leading the fit and healthy lifestyle that you desire. In other aspects of life you are told to believe in yourself and visualize success, when you do this your dreams and goals can and will be accomplished. The same concept can be applied to your physical body too!

Visualizing fitness success is an invaluable tool that you can use to get the results that you want. What does your ideal fit and healthy body look like? How are you going to feel every day when your body is in shape? What will your attitude be? How will your confidence and energy be different? take some time and really picture what you want for yourself, and then acknowledge that you have the power to make these visions a reality.

When you have a clear picture in mind of what you want to look and feel like, the next step is to write it down. Your fitness vision can be just a couple of sentences summing up the picture in your mind of the ideal fit and healthy you. Be sure that your vision is personal and use words that are powerful and motivating to you! Here is an example to get you started. My fitness vision in the next year is to lose weight by eating properly and exercising regularly so that I can improve my health and be proud of what I see in the mirror!

Repeating daily affirmations is another technique you can utilize as you develop a positive outlook on your health and fitness levels. When you practice making affirmative statements about yourself, the key is to always use the present tense. Instead of saying, I will be fit and healthy, you say I am fit and healthy. Make a list of affirmations regarding your fitness goals and repeat them to yourself every day!

The power of positive thinking and maintaining a positive mental attitude may be just the ingredient you are missing in order to progress towards your fitness goals! When you stop the excuses and start telling yourself that you can and will make the necessary changes to your eating and exercise habits, you will break down the mental barriers that are holding you back. Change that poor mental attitude into a positive one and you will be headed down the right path to a fit and healthy you.

Diana Chaloux is the co-founder and owner of Destined 2 Be Fit (http://www.destined2befit.com) providing fitness DVD's with complete online trainer support and guidance. Diana is a certified personal trainer through ACE, AFAA and FPI, a certified Fitness Coach through Wellcoaches, Lifestyle Management nutrition Specialist, NPC national Level Figure Competitor (http://www.dianachaloux.com) , Fitness Columnist and Fitness Model. To find out how you can work with Diana as your very own virtual personal trainer visit http://www.d2bfit.com or write to her at contact@d2bfit.com

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Understanding the Different Types of Yoga

yoga is becoming a more and more popular activity in the Western world today. The number of places holding yoga classes is on the increase and there is a plethora of different types of yoga. With a choice of Hatha yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Power yoga, Iyengar yoga, Bikram yoga, Vinyasa yoga and many more it can be easy to get confused

The article will help you to understand the difference between the most popular types of yoga so you can choose which type is right for you.

Hatha yoga - in Sanskrit (an ancient classical language of India) Ha means sun and tha means moon. This type of yoga is relatively slow paced, gentle type of yoga and is a good place to start if you are completely new to yoga and don't know any of the asanas (poses). Like all types of yoga, Hatha yoga aims to unite the mind, body and spirit.

Ashtanga yoga - this is the type of yoga that I practice on a regular basis and means eight limbs in Sanskrit. It's a fast moving, intense style of yoga practice and is based on a progressive set sequence of asanas, synchronized with the breath. Ashtanga yoga can be quite physically demanding as you constantly move from one asana in the sequence to the next, so you'll find that it will improve your stamina as well as your flexibility and strength..

Power yoga - this is a western interpretation of yoga and is based on Ashtanga yoga. A Power yoga class may not necessarily stick to the exact sequence of poses like Ashtanga yoga does, but it does involve practicing a series of poses without stopping and starting.

Iyengar yoga - This type of yoga is based on teachings by B.K.S Igengar and concentrates on the correct alignment and form of the body. Unlike Ashtanga yoga, there is an emphasis on holding each pose for a long period of time rather than moving constantly from one pose to the next. Iyengar yoga uses props such as blocks and straps to help align the body into the different poses.

Vinyasa yoga - Vinyasa means breath synchronized movement and is another fast paced type of yoga, with an emphasis on breathing. A practice typically starts with sun salutations and moves on to more intense stretching. Throughout the practice each pose is balanced with a counter pose.

Bikram yoga - otherwise known as Hot Yoga, is practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees, with a humidity of around 40%. Generally a sequence of 26 different poses is practiced during a Bikram yoga class and the hot temperature helps to loosen muscles. Due to the high temperature most people sweat a lot during the class and this helps to cleanse the body of toxins.

If you're just starting out or have never done any yoga before, I recommend trying a few different types of yoga to find out what you like best.

Remember, there's no rule that says you have to stick to one type of yoga. I like Ashtanga yoga best, but I also go to occasional Iyengar and Hatha yoga classes for a bit of variety.

To find out more about the different types of yoga visit the Free online Yoga Guide

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