Do you know how to assess your current fitness and wellness levels? When you go to the doctor, does he or she ask you about your fitness and wellness? Do you consider yourself to be fit and well? You may feel neither fit nor well and your doctor likely concurs. However, he or she is not likely to offer any method for you to determine for yourself where you are as far and fitness and wellness are concerned.

You can find fitness centers in nearly every city and these centers are staffed with counselors who are qualified to measure your fitness level. But what about your wellness level? Is it the same as your fitness level? What is the difference?

In truth, being fit and being well are two completely different conditions. They affect to different aspects of your body, but both are essential for maintaining your health.

Your wellness rating is dependent upon your immune system. It also depends on the vitamins and supplements that you take as well as you dietary habits. Interestingly, people who are quite fit can be unwell at the same time. However, when you combine the components of fitness with the components of wellness and use the principles that are base on clean living, exercising regularly and healthy eating, you will achieve balance in your life that will help you maintain both fitness and wellness.

Many people fail to take the time needed to completely understand the advantages of being both fit and well. In fact, most don’t even realize that there is a difference. We are bombarded with information from the media and health organizations but never question the information that is given to us. We rarely assess the information to determine if it is something that we need or if it is simply something that will put another dollar in some company’s pocket.

Gyms require the membership fees that you pay each month in order to remain operational and in business. This would lead us to believe that they likely have little or no concern about the condition of your immune system. Physical fitness is a condition of the body alone and that is their focus.

Hospitals and doctors need you as a patient to remain operational. They may tell you that you need to be fit and well, tell you to exercise and to follow a healthy diet, but they may, inadvertently or otherwise, omit important information that will affect your wellness, thus your ability to get and stay fit.

There is no doubt that diet, vitamins and minerals play a vital role in our health, wellness and fitness. In fact, your diet has far more influence on your health, wellness and fitness than you may have been led to believe or understand.

The nutrition that our bodies receive each day is directly related to the body’s ability to stay well. You may already know this, but what you may not know is that the mind’s ability to remain well is also a direct result of nutritional intake.

The human brain will not develop properly if it does not receive adequate protein and certain vitamins on a daily basis. The brain is the hub for all activities and functions of the body, both voluntary and involuntary. If the brain is not functioning properly, then the achievement of the other states may be stunted or even ceased.

So, if you think that you are fit, step back and take a look at your wellness as well. It is important to find an ideal balance between fitness and wellness which is the best way to achieve a long and healthy life.

When we sacrifice self to self, our on personal growth can soar. By moving out of our comfort zone and releasing the old self (along with all the baggage that comes with it) and exchanging it for a self that is newer and better, we can grow and reach beyond what we currently are. It may be difficult at first to move out of the familiar of whom and what we are. The old self is familiar, safe and fairly easy to maintain.

Change can be exhilarating. It carries us beyond our boundaries and challenges us to explore the unfamiliar. It forces us to put aside well worn habits and put forth the effort and sacrifice that old security blanket - whatever it may be. It may be a comfort to stick with the familiar, the status quo, but these things can put you in a rut and bar you from achieving the most that you can.

Our primal instincts lead us to satisfy the desires of body and mind. It is very seldom that we extend ourselves beyond the most basic of desires and satisfactions. Yet, when we are stuck in this hedonistic, limited perception, selfishly refusing to sacrifice, our growth is stunted.

To wallow in that rut is to experience a figurative death. Likewise, death of self can mean a new beginning. The changes may demand things that you are not yet ready to give, or you may feel as if you are treading water, going nowhere and you embrace the change, ready to grow.

To affect a change in your life, you must die daily. In other words, sacrifice your immediate wants and you will affect a future result or metamorphosis. Like the caterpillar that sacrifices time in the sun to slip into a cocoon so that it can later emerge as a beautiful butterfly, when you sacrifice your self to your self, you too will reemerge into the sunlight transformed. This can also be of benefit to others as well. When you surrender yourself completely you will find your true self.

Personal growth is about a process of giving and receiving. Giving is a virtue. You know that it is better to give than to receive, but for many people receiving is just so much more fun. Receiving is good and necessary. In order for exchange to take place, both actions must be present. One can not take place without the other.

This is the law of compensation; if you give, you get. We do not live in a vacuum. Our actions will always bring results of one kind or another, regardless of whether we realize it or not. It is up to us to guide the result to benefit ourselves and others.

Try not to feel frustrated when you are trying to make changes to improve yourself. Any efforts that you make, regardless of the outcome, are not wasted. Even your failures can be great learning experiences. You are building a store of experience that will serve you well as you continue to grow.

Once you set your goal, know that the little things that you do on your way to achieving that goal are as important as the big things that you do. Each step, even when you feel that you take a few step back, will aid you in achieving what you want. Fulfillment will happen through persistence. If you give up or fall back, just gather your wits and begin again.

Perhaps there is something that you want to do or obtain. Set you goal and go for it. You have likely thought about it, thought how to obtain it and the steps you will need to make it happen. Take the next step and write your goal on paper to aid your focus and bring it to life. Post it in an area where you will see it each day.

Write your goal at the top of a sheet of paper and draw a large red arrow pointing up to the goal. Along the arrow, write things you can do to work toward achieving your goal and what actions you can take to move things along.

This paper, your action plan, should be under constant review and revision. It has one direction and one intention which is your goal, but the details may change. Add information as it comes to you and revise your path as you go along. Each step in your path will change you and as you change, your steps will change as well.

Your new self is the one who has attained the goal. Your old self may try to lay barriers in your way as you try to break away from old habits, but it is imperative that you sacrifice your old self by being disciplined. Sacrifices require discipline. Personal growth requires sacrifices.

Sometimes discipline may mean crawling before you walk. With most goals, the process is as important as the end. In order to fully appreciate the achievement of the goal, you must go through the processes to get there. You must be patient. If you are anxious and impatient, you are not exhibiting discipline. Put forth the effort a little at a time and keep your focus on your goal.

You should also refrain about getting angry over the bumps and obstacles that you experience on the path to your goal. Anger is unproductive for the most part, it takes energy that should be channeled in more productive ways and wastes it. Turn that energy into something productive and channel it toward your goal.

Discipline and sacrifice are the keys to personal growth. When you have this powerful combination, you can achieve the things that you want; the sky is the limit.

Are the daily pressures and stressors that you face each day present obstacles that cause you feelings of anxiety and hopelessness?

Do you ever look at other people who seem to have the juggling act down pat? Did you ever wonder how these people are able to handle the curve balls that Life hurls their way with the ease, grace and optimism that they display? Maybe you have a friend or family member who has the remarkable ability to see the best sides of life and this frustrates you because you are unable to understand just from where their eternal sunshine originates.

Don’t worry, you are in good company. There are many people who feel the crunch from pressures at work, family routines that are hectic and an energy level that seems to have plummeted so much that your enjoyment in life has plummeted right along with it. If you have forgotten how to take the positive approach and view to life, or if Life has placed obstacles in your way such as loss of a job, illness or death of a family member and it has drained the life from you, then try these tips to return joy to our life.

STAY CONNECTED:

When you are rushing about, paddling as fast as you can to keep your head above water and stay on top of all of your tasks, you may forget to stay connected to the people who are important to you. You may have let your family and friends slip to the back burner.

Studies show that happy people have good relationships. If you are feeling down, it may help to call a friend and go for coffee. Maybe make some special time to spend with your spouse or children. Human interaction can boost your energy and help you get your priorities in order so that you can feel joy.

CONTEMPLATE THE GOOD THINGS IN YOUR LIFE:

This may sound redundant, but stop to think about the things that are good in your life. When you focus on the positive things in your life it can really increase your happiness and satisfaction.

Is something going on at work that is getting you down? Have you been dealing with your kids the way that you should or are you cranky and short with them? You can turn these feelings around when you consciously take inventory of the things that you have done right. When you identify areas where you can make improvements and acknowledge that the changes are good for you, you will begin to feel better. If you spend your life beating yourself up over mistakes you’ve made and injustices done to you, it will only serve to break your spirit.

GET A HOBBY:

Sometimes a little diversion is just what the doctor ordered to pull you out of your funk. Get a hobby and it just might bring happiness back to your life. When you challenge yourself and enrich your life with interests that extend beyond the scope of your daily routine, it can bring a zest to your life that you may have been missing.

DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE ELSE:

It is easy to get wrapped up in your own problems and wallow in your disappointments, but if you take a moment to look beyond your own problems and see where you can help someone else, it can bring you great satisfaction and joy.

You really don’t have to do much to start feeling better. Holding the door for someone, bringing a co-worker a cup of coffee, helping someone load their groceries into their car or picking up groceries for an elderly neighbor can do wonders for your psyche. It can make you feel better and remind you that we are responsible for our own happiness and that it comes from our own attitudes and actions.

There are instances where your lack of enjoyment of life may be related so a physiological or psychological condition such as heart disease, depression, hypertension or anxiety and no amount of good deeds are going to help. If this is the case, you should consult your physician and get some help so that you can take the steps necessary to get your life back on track, a smile on your face and a spring in your step.

Do you have balance in your life? If you feel as if you are running in circles and are not spending enough of your precious time and energy on the things that count. If you are spending all of your time at your job or taking care of your family and you don’t know how to allot time for each so that you are not stretched, you may feel that certain things are missing from your life. If you have a very active social life you may find that your work is suffering or your family is neglected. When you focus too much on one area of your life and neglect other area, you may have key elements missing from your life and that could affect your ability to find enjoyment and to feel positive about yourself.

When you life is balanced, all of the different aspects of your life will fall into place. Your priorities will shift so that the things that count rise to the top. When you struggle through each day, you can lose your focus on the big picture. However, when you spend the right amount of time and energy on the right things in your life, you will achieve balance.

Take this five minute test to see what areas of your life need balance. See where you need to direct your attention, you just may surprise yourself!

HOW THE TEST WORKS

To set up, draw six sections in a triangle or pie shaped, and arrange them in the typical circular pattern. Make sure that each section is large enough so that you can label it. When you have completed this exercise you will have created a graph to will show how balanced your life is by plotting each aspect of your life.

Label each section to reflect each of the main areas of your life. Some possibilities may be HEALTH, FAMILY, WORK, SPIRITUALITY, RELAXATION, EDUCATION, RECREATION, VOLUNTEER WORK and HOME. Tailor it work for your life and the things that are important to you.

As you label each section, take time to reflect on how satisfied you are with the time and effort that you allot each area of your life. The inner point or tip of the pie shape shows where you are least satisfied. The wider outer edge shows where you are most or completely satisfied. Place a dot in the area of the wedge that indicates your level of satisfaction.

WHAT DOES THE TEST TELL YOU?

Once you have completed all of your sections, connect the dots so that you form a complete circle.

Now look at your graph. Did you form a perfect circle or is it lopsided? Can you identify an area of your life that you have been ignoring? Reflect on that. Do you spend your time taking good care of your health? Do you eat healthy, exercise regularly or manage an illness? How about your home, is it clean and comfortable or are you forever wading through clutter? Does your work satisfy you? Is your income enough so that your expenses are met? How is your family life? Do you take time to be with your children and have quiet time with your spouse? Do you need to reconsider your spiritual needs or would furthering your education help you better fulfill your life? Evaluate the peaks and valleys of your graph and see where you need to take action.

If there are areas of your life that you have been neglecting it may be causing you to feel frustrated or unfulfilled. While it is impossible to achieve complete satisfaction in every single area of our life when there are extenuating circumstances that are beyond your control, but when you identify the areas of your life that require your time an attention, it can help you move toward a happier, more peaceful and, yes, balanced life.

If you want to lose weight and build muscle, you should know that fat burning workouts will help you do just this. Not only will they target specific areas of the body to build muscle in, but they will also keep you fit as a whole. Therefore, make sure you include these types of exercises for every part of your body as you work out.

If this is to be a truly “fat burning” workout, spend more than 20 minutes doing continuous aerobic exercise. This is because when you begin your routine, your body uses the fuel that’s most easily available to you, which are the excess carbs you consume. After about 20 minutes, these carbs are gone and your body will go to burn fat next. Once your body is burning fat fuel, though, it will keep doing this for up to six hours after you have stopped your exercise program.

To get the best effect from your exercises, the exercise itself should be slower in pace, aerobic in nature, and longer in duration than those you might be used to doing. They should also involve most of your major muscle groups. What makes this so beneficial is that it gives you the most benefit of any type of exercise. Low intensity exercise also taps into your fat resources to use as fuel. Aerobic exercise is also beneficial because it makes your heart and cardiovascular system stronger. It also lowers your blood pressure and optimizes cholesterol levels. Basically, “aerobic” exercise improves oxygen efficiency as your body uses it during extensive exercise.

These types of fat burning exercises include walking, running and jogging, swimming, cycling, elliptical trainer exercise, or any type of whole body fast-moving activity, such as working out on a ski machine. If you do this for 20 minutes, you get your fat burning well underway. One of the best ways to start inexpensively is to purchase a home treadmill or elliptical exercise trainer and begin your fat burning exercise program.

If you need lower impact exercise to save joints, you can try swimming, walking or yoga. You should begin with three days a week, working out every other day, and then move this up to five days a week as you increase your fitness level. The best way to ensure that you stay faithful to your actions program is to make it fun. If possible, get a buddy to work out with you so that you’re never bored.

Most of these types of fat burning exercise can be done in your home, but if you want to go to the gym, feel free to do so. Just make sure whatever you do you make exercise a regular habit. Especially in winter when cold weather makes working outside difficult, working out at a gym or with a home exercise program will ensure that you stay focused. And because fitness takes some time, it’s easy to get discouraged, but keep at it and you’ll soon see results. Remember, your health and well-being are important, so staying focused on your exercise program will not make you only look better, but feel better and live longer.