Fitness Monday – The Power of Commitment

huddle1_600

Scott Silverii’s “I’m Shaping Up; Week 7”

213, 137, 99 – HIKE! While losing a healthy level of fitness is not a game, it is fun and challenging to develop creative ways to regain it.

Racquetball, stadiums, dodge ball(?) Yep. Actually I watched.

I have mostly maintained strict adherence to Lt. Lane’s diet plan, but when the Kiddo is asking for his traditional Thursday night out at his favorite pizza place, I did have part of a child’s pepperoni. Of course, I’m not the reigning Ms. Louisiana like Kim is, so I ate it without guilt.

Back to the fun parts. Those huddle numbers are my weight, and BP. I’m stoked to see my… numbers enter this range. Took the BP after a neighbor called to say there was a peacock in the back yard.

Now if that doesn’t get your BP up, then nothing will. But even after a few fence climbing adventures to spot the elusive bird, and making sure the neighbor’s dog did not eat it, those numbers are much improved.

Super_Dodge_Ball_(NES_cover)

Copyrights 1989 Technos Japan Corp./CSG Imagesoft

Week 7

Here’s to holding each other accountable when the couch looks inviting and the snacks endless.

Weight

– 213 lbs (Was at 219.6 lbs in week, but whose counting? I Am!!)

Exercise

– Give you the quick over view, D-Ball game starts in 20 minutes. Another consistent week of smart and safe exercise. Pre-planning meals affords more control over time, so I have been able to wake up earlier to get my training in when I know there is work related duties in the evening. – Running (jogging actually), weight lifting and a variety of sports to make it fun.

Eating

– The great thing about a diet plan that is spelled out is the planning & preparation. I have had a little difficulty eating all the food required each day. that is an ironic claim to have trouble eating ALL THAT FOOD while on a strict diet. But it is true.

– Overall, an awesome week of using food as fuel instead of comfort.

UNO Ring & BP

– Taking that ring off at will, and without the bloody knuckle! BP getting cozy in the 130s range. Consistency.

Monday – Sunday Goals:

– I will be challenged this week. I’ll be in San Fran & Sacramento all week presenting a workshop for cops. Hotel living “was” fun for college spring breaks, but it makes exercise and eating right a chore. I’ve packed food and charted out running paths. I hope to not lose stride when mixed with the crew.

– Weight at 212 lbs (I have to be realistic and try to maintain where I am)

– Make sensible food choices since every meal will be eaten in restaurants and airports.

How are your efforts going? Don’t just read this and dismiss it. Make a commitment today. You have peer support, CopsAlive.com expertise, and a champion fitness advisor all ready to help.

Our CopsAlive Fitness recommendation is to remind you that if you truly want to make a change in your life you need to first make a commitment. A commitment is a contract you make with yourself or someone else and it gives you the ability to leverage action from your goals. The tough part is creating a process to fulfill your commitment.

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized.”
Sun Tzu

So, how do you go from goals to a commitment?
You need to create a system for success. A system can be as simple as a series of processes, accomplished using a checklist.

For example: To get ready for your work shirt you assemble your uniform, put on your pants, put on your shirt, pin on your badge, put on your duty belt etc. That is a system. When you do this often enough it becomes a habit.

What you did was string together a series of small objectives to get to your goal. Fulfilling a commitment to your self like improving your level of fitness is no different than brushing your teeth. You need to decide what your end result will look like and then create the steps you need to accomplish to get there. Make those steps small and easy to accomplish so that you will make progress and finally create steps to remind and support yourself as you move toward your commitment. Perhaps reminder notes on the bathroom mirror of refrigerator door.

I like a quote that is variously attributed to:
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe – The German writer, artist, and politician or W.H. Murray – The Scottish mountaineer and writer:

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!”

On his website Deepak Chopra has written:
“Commitment is the ultimate assertion of human freedom. It releases all the energy you possess and enables you to take quantum leaps in creativity. When you set a one-pointed intention and absolutely refuse to allow obstacles to dissipate the focused quality of your attention, you engage the infinite organizing power of the universe.”

He lists 5 of the most common decisions that keep us from totally engaging in life. Read more here:
http://www.chopra.com/ccl/to-have-more-give-all-unleash-the-power-of-commitment/#

“You have to believe in yourself.”
Sun Tzu
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/sun_tzu

So what is it that you want to accomplish physically, mentally emotionally or spiritually?

In order to accomplish our goals we need to create a plan and set it into writing. If you would like to get started right now you can CLICK HERE to download our CopsAlive Life and Career Planning Worksheet

This worksheet doesn’t include fitness goals so you should write a separate page to include those goals. Good luck!

As we have mentioned, in addition to Scott and Kim, we are also following Rae Timme and the CNN Fit Nation promotion. Rae is a 57 year-old mother of three and a 25 year corrections officer who now serves as the warden of a medium custody men’s prison for the Colorado Department of Corrections. Every year CNN selects iReporters to race in a triathlon with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and the Fit Nation team. This year we’re giving six lucky readers a road bike (with all the necessary accessories), a wet suit and a gym membership to help them prepare for the Nautica Malibu Triathlon on September 8.
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/fit.nation/

Rae said on the CNN site that she has read all the scary statistics about the mortality rates of people who work in corrections and found that they have the second highest mortality rate of any job; on average, a corrections officer’s 58th birthday will be their last. That motivated her to apply for the CNN Fit Nation team.

Rae has been working to build her level of fitness with swimming this week and Tweeted: LOVE swimming at Pueblo Athletic Club! Thanks so much to my mentor, #RobArchuleta@addict2athlete!

Yeah Rae, keep up the good work!

Photo Credits:
http://brightblueline.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/huddle1_600.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Super_Dodge_Ball_%28NES_cover%29.JPG
Copyrights 1989 Technos Japan Corp./CSG Imagesoft

EDITORS NOTE: Our Fitness Monday articles are an ongoing feature as CopsAlive.com follows Police Chief Scott Silverii, Ph.D. on his quest to lose weight and get into better shape, and Lt. Kim Lane as she prepares for the NPC Masters Nationals in Pittsburgh, PA. We are also keeping track of Warden Rae Timme with the Colorado Department of Corrections, a member of the CNN Fit Nation Team, as she prepares for the Nautica Malibu Triathlon on September 8. We all know that fitness is critical in law enforcement, but we don’t always do what we know is right. Over the next couple of months you can follow Scott, a Police Chief; Kim a Patrol Shift Commander; and Rae a Department of Corrections Warden, as they open up their lives to you. We invite you to also participate in any way that you choose to improve, your fitness and, your ability to survive a career in law enforcement. We also encourage you to support Scott and Rae with your comments, emails, Tweets and Facebook entries.

Follow Rae on Twitter at: ‏@TriHardRae
Follow Scott on Twitter at: @ThibodauxChief

Please encourage them and let us know about your efforts at improving your fitness in the comment boxes below

CopsAlive is written to prompt discussions within our profession about the issues of law enforcement career survival. We invite you to share your opinions, ask questions and suggest topics for us in the Comment Box that is at the bottom of this article.

At The Law Enforcement Survival Institute (LESI) we train law enforcement officers to cope with stress and manage all the toxic effects and hidden dangers of a career in law enforcement.

Our “Armor Your Self™: How to Survive a Career in Law Enforcement” on-site training program is an eight hour, hands-on, “How to” seminar that helps police officers and other law enforcement professionals armor themselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually to survive their careers in police work. To learn more CLICK HERE

The concept of “True Blue Valor™” is where one law enforcement officer has to muster the courage to confront a peer who is slipping both professionally and personally and endangering themselves, their peers and the public. It takes a system of organizational support and professional leadership to support and foster the concept of courage and intervention. We will train your trainers to deliver this program to your agency.
To learn more CLICK HERE

Our “Armor Your Agency™: How to Create a Healthy and Supportive Law Enforcement Agency” Program includes critical strategies that you will need to build a system of support and encouragement for a healthy and productive agency. To learn more CLICK HERE

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CLICK HERE if you would like to contact us to learn more about training for your organization.

John Marx is the Founder of The Law Enforcement Survival Institute and the Editor of CopsAlive.com. Connect with him on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

CopsAlive.com was founded to provide information and strategies to help police officers successfully survive their careers. We help law enforcement officers and their agencies prepare for the risks that threaten their existence. Thank you for reading!

About Scott Silverii

Scott Silverii, PhD is a native of south Louisiana’s Cajun Country and serving as the Chief of Police for the City of Thibodaux, Louisiana. Spending twenty-one previous years with a CALEA accredited Sheriff’s Office allowed opportunities for serving various capacities including 12 years undercover narcotics, 16 years SWAT and Criminal Division Commands. Chief Silverii earned a Master of Public Administration and a Doctorate in Urban Studies from the University of New Orleans. Areas of specialization include culture and organizational socialization. A member of IACP’s prestigious Research Advisory Committee, Chief Silverii is also the author of “A Darker Shade of Blue: From Public Servant to Professional Deviant.”
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