New Year, New You: 8 Weeks to Your Best Life in 2007

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” -- Helen Keller

THERE'S SOMETHING HOPEFUL and heartening about a New Year.

It’s an opportunity to slough off past indulgences, offenses and omissions, and look ahead with a gleam in our eyes and a fire in our bellies. The New Year is a clean slate.

Unfortunately, New Year’s resolutions have lost much of their gravitas -- at least with respect to fitness. We set them, we break them. We don’t think much of it. Some of us have broken the promise to ourselves so many times that we no longer pursue our resolutions with the firm determination they require … and deserve.

The New Year presents a fresh opportunity to live our best lives. We ought to seize that opportunity -- and pursue it with great conviction. After all, there is a lot on the line: This is your life. Right here, right now. And this year you can live your best life.

Over the next 8 weeks, I’m going to cover the “eight pillars of success” when it comes to health and fitness goals. They are, in order: Commitment, Guidance, Time, Motivation, Health, Support, Environment and Enjoyment. Each week, I’ll also present “Action items” that, when taken together, will form a foundation for success all year long.

First, some ground rules:

Believe

No matter how many times you’ve failed in the past, this is a new year. And, in a literal sense: this is a new you. Believing in yourself is the key to success. There’s even research to substantiate this. In a study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging, two groups of sedentary women were given a fitness test. Regardless of how they had actually performed on the test, one group was told they had scored in the highest fifth, while another group was told they’d scored in the bottom fifth. When the women subsequently worked out, the ones who’d been told they’d scored well reported feeling better and more energetic about the exercise than the women who were told they’d done poorly. Clearly, if you believe you can succeed in achieving your goals in 2007, you more than likely will.

On the other hand, if you lack confidence, reaching your goals can become a challenge—if not downright impossible. And if you’re like a lot of people attempting to achieve a higher level of fitness in the New Year, self-doubt can creep in at the most inopportune moments. Even if you’re bursting with buoyancy right now, it’s important to plan for times when that might not be the case—whether it’s in the face of adversity or simply manifests as a slight twinge of uncertainty about how to proceed. As Helen Keller once said, “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” Whether that sunny disposition eludes you or not, it’s always a good idea to have some self-assuredness exercises and strategies in your exercise arsenal.

Seek support

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “you’re your own worst critic” -- and if you’ve heard it a lot in reference to yourself, well, nothing is going to be more valuable to your fitness success than other people who can knock some sense into you. Even if you don’t have a tendency to come down a little too hard on yourself, having a support system in place is crucial for not just staying on your game but kicking serious butt. You simply can’t afford not to surround yourself with people who will cheer you on when you feel like giving up (and that will happen often!), who will point out how far you’ve come when you’re not sure you’re doing enough, and who will tell you that you can do it when you lack belief in yourself.

According to sports psychologist Dariusz Nowicki, who works with Olympic athletes, people are 47 percent more motivated to exercise consistently when they involve their family and friends than when they go solo. “Studies have shown time and again that when people know others are watching them, they perform very differently than when they know they are alone,” adds Nowicki in his book Gold Medal Mental Workout. He suggests that you tell everyone you know that you’re going to accomplish your New Year’s resolutions -- to create accountability that will drive you even further. “The more involved those around you become in your event, the higher your motivation becomes to do the daily workouts,” he says. And the mere act of telling others you’re going to do something might just make you believe it’s completely doable!

Be uncompromising

We tend to put ourselves last in life. Think about it for a moment: if your health is your most precious personal asset, why is it that we’re so willing to nix workouts in favor of doing things for others – such as cleaning the house or putting in extra time at work? Exercise often gets relegated to the end of our “daily to-do lists.” This year needs to be your year -- to take the time you need, and deserve, to look and feel fabulously fit. And, anyone who cares about you will support that position wholeheartedly.

You only need to invest 4-8 hours a week into physical activity; that’s roughly 3-6% of your total available hours each week. Making time for exercise is like “paying yourself” first each month, by allocating a percentage of your earnings to savings. It’s difficult at first, but you soon learn that the investment is well worth it.

In 2007, be unyielding -- even a little stubborn -- when it comes to making and taking time for your fitness. When you have a workout to do, treat it like a serious business appointment, or time with your kids. Don’t let anyone, or anything, get in your way. Life can wait. Your health may not.

Never give in

In a 1941 speech to the Harrow School, after months of an unremitting Nazi air attack, Winston Churchill uttered words that would echo through the ages: “Never Give In, Never, Never, Never.” It was Churchill’s moxie and resolve -- and his willingness to back it all up with every fiber of his 5 foot, 6 inch frame -- that helped the Allies secure victory in World War II.

When it comes to commitment, we can learn much from Churchill. Granted, comparing working out to war seems a little absurd, but the underlying message is not: Commitment is commitment. What is the depth of yours? Achieving your New Year’s resolutions comes down to a mindset: if you are firmly committed, you’ll never give in. Regardless of how many workouts you miss, or how long you come off your diet -- on any given day, you can get right back on track. In fact, that ability is the hallmark of every successful person in every area of life. In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: "A hero is no braver than an ordinary [person], but [she] is braver five minutes longer."

To Do This Week: “Commitment Workouts.” Each time you exercise this week, spend some time reflecting on how important (and tenuous) your health is, and how you must do everything you can to achieve your resolutions this year. Solidify that commitment. Deeply.

When you commit to living your best life -- I mean, authentically and unwaveringly -- nothing will get in your way. And, the life you've often imagined will come to you.

Next up: The Plan. Stay tuned.

Four Gifts of Health...That Give Back

"What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal." -- Albert Pine (English author, d.1851)

THE HOLIDAY SEASON is a time to take stock of what is good in our lives and to extend goodwill -- and wishes of good health -- to those who need it. It's easy to lose sight of that as the holidays can descend into a frenzied bacchanalia of unbridled avarice!

What follows are four "gifts of health" ideas -- each with an altruistic twist. These gifts feel good and do good. They enable and inspire the recipient to lead a healthier, more vibrant life, while improving the health of our world.

MioPINK: Gift with 'heart'

The story of Mio began in 1999 when it was created by entrepreneur and mother of three, Liz Dickinson. Like many, Dickinson was balancing family and career, leaving little time for fitness. After several unsuccessful attempts to shed the pregnancy weight of her third child, she realized the key to get and stay in shape came down to three things: eating smart, monitoring caloric intake and using a heart monitor to exercise at the right level.

"I didn't have time to read labels and carry a calorie journal in my purse, nor did I have much patience for the uncomfortable chest strap I had to wear to get my heart rate," Dickinson says.

She knew there had to be a better way, so she created Mio, the world's first heart rate monitor to work without a chest strap.

"We didn't stop with just heart rate. Mio also has a patented calorie management system that offers a straightforward approach to managing your diet."

With the help of Mio and a balanced diet, Dickinson shed the pounds and gained the benefits that come with improved fitness: more energy, more vitality and less stress.

If you want to give a great gift of health that gives back, get the MioPINK. This fashionable piece of fitness gear allows you to record calories eaten throughout the day and track calories burned during exercise -- all against a daily calorie target. This is the crux of effective weight management. The MioPINK also includes a heart rate recovery timer, which is a good indicator of overall fitness.

Best of all: 10 percent of the retail sales price from the Mio-PINK goes to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. That's good to know because every 13 minutes another woman will learn that she has breast cancer.

To order, visit www.amazon.com or www.miowatch.com.

LIVESTRONG apparel

When you consider that one in three people will be diagnosed with cancer during his or her lifetime and that three in four families will care for a family member with cancer, this gift of health feels particularly apropos.

Most people are familiar with what Lance Armstrong did as a cyclist in the Tour de France. But what he has done, and is doing, for cancer survivors may be even more prolific.

In 1997, before he pedaled to superstar status as a cyclist, he founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation , or LAF. The foundation's message is that anyone with cancer is a survivor; they're not dying from cancer, they're living with it. And, its mission is to help anyone affected by cancer.

"The Lance Armstrong Foundation is dedicated to inspiring and empowering people affected by cancer," says Stephanie Elsea, associate director of public relations for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, based in Armstrong's hometown of Austin, Texas.

"The good news is that more people are living beyond a cancer diagnosis. There are approximately 10 million Americans who are living with, through or beyond cancer; the bad news is that there are very few resources to help guide cancer survivors deal with the physical, emotional and practical issues that come with the disease."

The Lance Armstrong Foundation received a 4-star charity navigator ranking indicating that "more than 80 percent of expenses are invested in mission-related activities and grants."

The LIVESTRONG store offers an array of good-quality workout apparel, particularly in Armstrong's favorite sports: cycling, and now, running. (Hey, the guy is a sub three-hour marathoner!)

And, check out their fun, new line of pet accessories. You can run, walk or hike with your pup - with LIVESTRONG leashes and collars -- to help you both "live stronger."

Visit the LIVESTRONG store at: www.livestrong.com.

CARE package

Margaret Mead once said, "Never doubt that a small group of concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

In 1945, 22 American organizations embodied that quote.

In the aftermath of World War II, this cooperative rushed lifesaving packages to millions of survivors who were in danger of starvation. On May 11, 1946, the first 20,000 packages flooded into the war-torn port of Le Havre, France. In the ensuing two decades, CARE shipped approximately 100 million more Army surplus "10-in-1" food parcels, which came to be known as "CARE packages" (yes, that's where the term came from).

Since then, the scope of CARE's mission has changed, but the significance of its work has not. CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE not only feeds the hungry, it also helps tackle underlying causes of poverty so that people can become self-sufficient. Recognizing that women and children suffer disproportionately from poverty, CARE places special emphasis on working with women to create permanent social change. CARE also delivers emergency aid to survivors of war and natural disasters and helps people rebuild their lives.

In the past year, CARE's work has helped 48 million people in 70 countries.

Purchasing "I am Powerful" CAREWear (timelessly stylish and appropriate exercise apparel), or making a donation on behalf of a loved one, is a gift that feels good and does good. CARE allocates an industry-leading 91 percent of all funds to program activities.

To learn more and to make a donation online, visit: www.care.org .

Empower a kid

While this gift may not "give back" to charity in a traditional, monetary sense, it nets a return that is indeed boundless.

Few would argue that humanity's future rests with our children.

One might wonder then why we continue to fail them when it comes to their health. In California this year, our kids' health received a failing grade. In the United States, 18 percent of children are overweight or obese, and that number is rising. In the world, every second child lives in poverty.

When you boost the health of our children, you elevate humanity.

This gift of health needn't come in the form of a pricey gadget, such as the "Super-Super-Happy Fun Activity Slide."

This gift idea (like most great gift ideas) requires commitment, not cash.

The goal here is to help kids lead healthier, more active lives. To do this, you could volunteer a day a week for an organization such as CARE or UNICEF. You could join Big Brothers/Big Sisters (www.bbbs.org) and play sports with kids. You might start a local parents group whose raison d'etre is to get active with their children. Or, you could simply spend more time helping your own kids be healthier.

Bottom line: Determine where your talents and passions lie, and unleash them on helping children lead better lives.

When a child feels healthier, she comes alive. And when she comes alive, she lights up the world.

And, that is the essence of giving a gift of health -- that gives back.

Oh Calories, My Calories!

"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food.” -- Hippocrates

WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTIONS OF SUPERSTRING THEORY, a way out of Iraq, and Donald Trump’s follicle tower, nothing seems to befuddle the mind and puzzle the intellect more than the human diet. What, when, how and how much to eat to manage our weight, boost our energy and live better lives is a topic of constant debate and an endless stream of laughably arcane books.

While the right types and amounts of exercise are going to help you to achieve great things in your quest to live a healthier life, I’m sure you know that the right types and amounts of food are every bit as important. That said, a lot of people tend to focus exclusively, or at least disproportionately, on one aspect of their fitness (the diet or the exercise) rather than both, which unfortunately means they don’t get the results they’re after.

Of course, it can be tough to figure out what you’re supposed to eat, how much of it, and when -- particularly with all the fad diets perpetually flooding the market and all the “groundbreaking” research claiming to have found a scientifically sound new approach to eating or, better yet, a nutritional supplement that will give you…energy!...Weight-loss!...Abs of steel!...Buns of Topaz!...And all for just $49.99!... Try my product! From low carb to no carb to calorie restrictive to cabbage soup to detox diets, from metabolism-boosting to fat-burning miracle pills -- it’s easy to understand why you’d be a little confused about which methods (if any) will work best for you.

Here and now, I’m going to help you make sense of all the dietary minutiae. You’ll probably be happy to hear that eating healthfully doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, any fitness goal you have will require the same basic principles, including an appropriate amount of calories to support your basic physiology and level of activity, and the right balance of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats). From there, it’s just a matter of making the best food choices within each category and timing things wisely throughout the day. Let’s begin with some food fundamentals, then we’ll get into more detail regarding how to make goal-specific tweaks and put it all together into the right meal-plan for you.

You count them, you ration them, you may even do whatever you possibly can to burn them off -- from cranking up your cardio workouts to eating more celery. Yes, whether you’re trying to lose weight or simply maintain an optimum fitness level, chances are you view the poor little calorie with fear and loathing or, at the very least, confusion. But if you understood exactly what calories were, you could work with them rather than against them.

Simple truth: The calorie is not inherently evil. In nutritional terms, it is defined as a unit of energy-producing potential contained in food and released upon oxidation by the body. If we viewed calories this way -- as potential energy to fuel our bodies, not unlike the insanely expensive gasoline we put into our cars -- we might dramatically alter our relationship to the foods we eat, and strive for the premium stuff that will keep us running smoothly and efficiently, rather than the cheap stuff that always seems to require we go in for an extra tune-up when we haven’t gone nearly enough miles. Okay, enough with the car analogies. My point is that as an everyday athlete, you should be obsessed with -- or at least intent upon -- fueling your body as effectively as possible, and to do that you must get to know the caloric breakdown of the foods you consume, and aim for the appropriate quantities.

Let’s look at the big picture first: How many calories should you be consuming each day? That’s going to depend on your height, weight, age, gender, body composition (how much fat and muscle you have), general health, genetics and how much exercise you get. Believe it or not, there is a formula known as the Harris-Benedict equation that takes a lot of these factors into account, and can therefore give you a fairly good estimate of your basal metabolic rate (BMR) -- which is how many calories your body burns at rest (or the minimum number you need to maintain your basic bodily processes, not counting exercise, each day). Using that number, there is an additional formula that considers your activity levels.

First, here’s the formula for your BMR:

FOR MEN, YOUR BMR =

66 + (6.23 x your weight in pounds) + (12.7 x your height in inches) – (6.8 x your age in years)

FOR WOMEN, your BMR =

655 (no, that’s not a typo) + (4.35 x your weight in pounds) + (4.7 x your height in inches) - (4.7 x your age in years)

To give you an example: Let’s say you’re a 25-year-old male, 180 pounds and 6 feet tall (or 72 inches). That’s: 66 + (6.23 x 180) + (12.7 x 72) – (6.8 x 25) = 66 + 1121 + 914 – 170 = 1931

So, your BMR -- the number of calories your body requires just to sit around doing next-to-nothing -- is 1931.

Now, you need to multiply your BMR by one of the following numbers to determine how many additional calories you’ll need to consume to maintain the activity/exercise you do each day:

- If you’re sedentary (little or no exercise): multiply by 1.2 (and feel guilty)
- If you’re lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): multiply by 1.375
- If you’re moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week): multiply by 1.55
- If you’re very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week): multiply by 1.725
- If you’re extra active (very hard exercise/sports and physical job): multiply by 1.9

While the numbers arm us with the information to make intelligent choices, don't let it take the pure joy out of eating. Food is a source of pleasure in life. Don't spend a moment mired in guilt. Do your best to eat right -- and relish every bite.

The Power of Passion

"Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion." -- G.W.F. Hengel

FOR A MOMENT, picture your passion. Visualize a time when you were immersed in your favorite activity. Perhaps it was a refreshing run on the beach, a soothing session of yoga or an uplifting hike up a mountain -- anything that resonates with you deeply. What sensations does that image evoke? You likely felt energized, excited, even euphoric. That’s because it’s an activity about which you feel passion—a powerful force that can drive you to great heights. “It's your passion that, throughout your life, will be your saving grace,” says Barbara De Angelis, author of Passion (Dell, 1999). “It will kePublishep you going after your dreams when everyone advises you to give up.” On the other hand, when you do something solely out of a sense of obligation, you may feel drained or uninspired. How fulfilled you are depends a lot on how much energy you devote to things that you feel deeply passionate about. Here’s how to turn up the heat in your relationships, career, hobbies and health so that you can live with more passion.

RELATIONSHIPS

The people with whom you spend the most time have a profound impact on how much passion you feel in your life. If your friends or family members consistently exhaust you rather than energize you it may be time to make some changes.

Action Item: Create a list of the main relationships in your life. Now assign an “A,” “B” or “C” to each person in terms of how much they enrich you. You owe it to yourself to do three things: maximize your “A” relationships by devoting more time to them; improve your “B’s” by communicating your needs to those people; and purge the “C’s” by gently, but firmly moving on from those relationships.

CAREER

According to renowned psychologist Abraham Maslow, human beings are driven primarily by two needs: physiological (getting air, water and food) and safetysafe rather than on work that’s stimulating. (establishing stability and consistency in a chaotic world). While seeking “stability” and “consistency” may improve our chances of survival, it doesn’t necessarily make us optimally happy. Our careers are our main sources of stability, so we tend to put a higher premium on work that’s safe, rather than on work that inspires us.

Action Item: Take a truthful look at how passionate you feel about your career. When you wake up in the morning, do you more often feel enthused, or deflated, at the idea of going to work? If you decide that you no longer feel passion for your career (or that you never had it!), then you can do one of two things: Weave your passion into your work-week. For example, you may devote evenings to writing your new book or launching your home-based business. The other option is to build up three to five month’s worth of savings, quit your job entirely and pursue your passion with everything you’ve got. The latter move involves heftier sacrifices and more moments of fear and doubt, but the potential payoffs are bigger. If you follow your heart, you’ll meet each challenge with gusto.

HOBBIES

Your leisure time is meant to refresh and rejuvenate you. But, how often do you spend your hard-earned days off doing things that really fire you up? Maybe it’s time to devote more of your free time to activities that impassion you.

Action Item: What hobbies have you always felt a deep desire to take up? Do you have a burning desire to learn to play the piano? Sculpt? Garden? Allocate a few hours each week to pursuing new, passion-filled interests.

HEALTH

Making the decision to exercise is more often guilt-induced than it is passion-driven. We tend to do whatever workouts make us thinner. While the destination of being more slender may fill you with passion, why not make the journey exciting and energizing as well?

Action Item: To infuse your fitness program with more passion, vary your workouts more often. Try this: write down three physical activities that you’re wild about. Spend the next six weeks integrating one, or all three, of those new exercises into your weekly workout program. By keeping things fresh and fun in this way, you will get excited, motivated and energized -- the three hallmarks of passion.

PINPOINT YOUR PASSION

Take the following survey. If you answer “yes” to four or more of the following questions, you are passionate about that pursuit -- and should strive to do it more often.

1. When you perform this activity do you lose track of time?
2. Does it spark your creative side? Are you constantly conjuring up ways of doing it differently, or better?
3. Do you tend to daydream about it when you’re not doing it?
4. Does it energize you?
5. Does it feel more like “play” than “work?”

Do one thing each day that inspires you deeply, and you will reap the rich rewards that come from unleashing the power of passion.

Pushing Through Plateaus

"A hero is no braver than an ordinary [person], but [she] is brave five minutes longer. " -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

IT'S TOUGH TO STAY ON TRACK when you are doing everything right and stop seeing the progress. Here are some strategies and solutions to keep your fires stoked through the stagnation.

It is a deal we strike with our bodies and, by all accounts, it is a fair one: “If I eat well and exercise consistently, you improve your shape.” Unfortunately, our bodies do not always hold up their end of that bargain. Have you ever experienced a period in which, no matter how much you exercise, or how impeccably you eat, the scale does not budge an ounce? If that scenario sounds familiar, you may be experiencing what is known as plateau, and it can completely undercut your motivation. In fact, according to a recent study by The American Council of Exercise, if people do not see and feel results after 21 days of working out and dieting, a whopping 41% will throw in the towel on their entire program. You needn’t be part of that statistic. Here is how to stay the course even when it seems like your program, and your body, is failing you.

TIP: Spice things up. We all know that a consistent exercise routine nets better health, a clearer mind and a more beautiful body, but if your exercise becomes too much of a routine, the same Stairmaster workout day-in and day-out, for example, you will likely hit a plateau. “The human body is wonderfully adaptive,” says Todd Weitzenberg, MD a sports medicine specialist at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Rosa, California, California. If you positively stress the body, it will improve its shape and its performance,” he says. That adaptability can also be our nemesis, however. A plateau is a sign that your body has, in essence, grown wise to your routine. “If you place the same exercise stress on the body on a daily basis, it will not be as inclined to change its shape,” he says.
EXERCISE: Write down three new activities you will do over the next month. Try different sports such as golf or tennis, even snowboarding, and have fun. Those activities will alter the positive stresses on your body and help you break free from ruts. If you don’t have access to other sports, then vary your current routine. For example, change the exercises you do in the weight room. Breakthrough workouts are another effective countermeasure to plateaus. These sessions are either longer or more intense than you are accustomed to and serve to break-through your plateau.

TIP: Throw in the towel, just for a few days. If you have been grinding away at an exercise program for more than four weeks and you are not seeing commensurate payoffs, then you may need to take time off. “Rest is just as important as stress to the total body equation,” says Dr. Weitzenberg. To progress over time and avoid plateaus, you must stress the body (exercise), take time off to rejuvenate and then come back to exercise with a renewed vigor. “In as little as two days away from exercise, hydration and hormone levels return to normal and the body begins functioning better,” he says.
EXERCISE: Review your exercise program over the past month and if a period of rest is warranted, then take two to three days completely away from exercise and spend that time recuperating: take daily naps, partake of deep soaks. You will come back to your workouts better equipped to achieve results.

TIP: Think long-term. Not seeing results from exercise and diet can erode one’s motivation. It is important to remember that we all experience highs and lows in our fitness programs; it is how you deal with them that matters most. “People who accept the fitness process in its entirety, and hang in there during the lows, are the ones who succeed over time,” advises Dr. Weitzenberg.
EXERCISE: View good nutrition and exercise as long-term investments in your health and well-being. In other words, you may not see appreciable gains every single week, but that is ok. Use the successes you have experienced so far to provide inspiration and keep your exercise and eating graph headed upwards over time.

TIP: See the big picture. Sometimes we tend to obsess with the physical benefits of working out and eating well, such as tighter buns, slimmer hips. Those things are important, but good exercise and diet nourishes mind and spirit, reduces stress, strengthens confidence and makes us feel more alive. Focus on these elements during physical plateaus.
EXERCISE: This week, when you work out or eat a healthy meal, shift your focus. Let your stress melt away with every footstrike on the treadmill; visualize that salad bathing your cells in healthful nutrients. Before you know it, you will have cleared your current plateau while actually enjoying the process.

New Year's Not Here Yet, But Start Resolution Now

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS ARE ABOUT igniting the possibilities to live better, healthier lives, to seize the day, to feel extraordinary, and to inspire those around us by holding ourselves to higher standards.

Why am I writing about New Year's resolutions now -- in the middle of December? Isn't that taboo and tacky, like hanging Christmas lights before Thanksgiving?

No. And, here's why.

Your health is your most precious asset -- and life is short. The new year provides a golden opportunity to live your best life: to boost your energy, to get to your ideal weight, to feel more confident and to live with more grace and gusto.

The best way to achieve better health and a better life in 2007 is to hit the ground running. There's much you can do over the ensuing two weeks to set yourself up for success in the New Year. Here's how to do it in five simple steps:

Get on a mission

Goals, goals, goals. When people start burbling about "goal setting," my eyes glaze over, my head reels back and I feel like Homer Simpson ("I know this person's talking, but all I want is a nice bag of potato chips. Mmm, potato chips.") The word "goal" is so lifeless, I don't hear it anymore.

So, let's frame things differently.

When it comes to your new year's resolutions, set out on a "mission." Do you remember the Blues Brothers? Those guys were on a mission from God! If you watched that film, nothing -- not flamethrowers, maniacal hillbillies or an army of Illinois State Troopers -- could deter Jake and Elwood Blues from delivering that check for $5,000 to Chicago on behalf of the St. Helen of the Blessed Shroud orphanage.

Similarly, you should set fitness missions that inspire you deep-down. The best way to infuse your program with passion is to sign up for a few sporting events each year that raise money for charities important to you and to train for those events with friends. Take a moment right now to write down your health/fitness missions for the new year and how you plan on achieving them.

Identify your roadblocks

It's important not to dwell on the past, but it is important to learn from it. What held you back from living your best life in 2006? And, what will you do to overcome those obstacles this year? Ignoring the factors derailing your fitness is as detrimental as ignoring what's causing your financial woes or anything else in life; things metastasize.

So, determine what held you back from success in the past and then use that information to change your ways, fortify your resolve and improve yourself in the New Year.

Announce it

There's nothing quite like being accountable to those you respect and love. For example, if you are going to train for your first marathon in 2007, tell your closest friends, family and co-workers: "I am training for my first marathon this year. I (love/respect/admire) you and your support would mean a great deal to me." Having a strong and supportive social network is an important part of achieving your long-term fitness goals.

Start now!

If you are waiting until Jan. 1 to start exercising ... why? The commander of America's Third Army in Europe during World War II, Gen. George S. Patton Jr., said that there are times when a "good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow." The crux of his message was that if you wait too long to engage in battle, it might be too late. The same applies to your health: wait too long and it might be too late.

So, start moving your body now. By logging a few quality workouts in the latter part of December, you will be much better off in the new year. If you are sedentary, strive for three 30-minute workouts a week. If you're already exercising, up it a notch. A little investment in your body now will pay huge dividends later.

Stay steadfast

The best way to stick with your fitness plan over time is to allocate specific times each day for your exercise and to protect that time like your life depends on it - because it does. Research shows that those who work out first thing in the morning - yes, before e-mail, but after coffee! - are more successful long-term exercisers. There will be times when fitting in fitness seems impossible. Just stay the course - and stay committed.

Your health is your most precious asset. Treat it as such and 2007 may be your brightest, healthiest year yet.

Winter Workout Wonderland: How to Dress for Success in Weather Not-Permitting

"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show." -- Andrew Wyeth

FOR MOST OF US, working out in soggy, cold weather is not simply unpleasant -- it can start to feel a little ridiculous. I'm a die-hard cyclist, but around this time of year, suiting up for bike rides in the cold can feel like preparing for deep-space exploration. Fuggedaboudit!

However, if you dress smarter during your fall and winter workouts, you will exercise more safely -- and more comfortably. This may encourage you to get out on days you would otherwise stay inside by the fire, and it will keep you healthier, fitter and happier this winter.

"By dressing correctly, you can create a micro-environment of comfort and protection around your body -- and keep yourself warm and safe," says David Musnick, M.D., an expert in outdoor exercise planning and co-author of Conditioning for Outdoor Fitness (The Mountaineers, 2000). "This will increase the likelihood that you’ll exercise more consistently, and it will increase your enjoyment of the workouts."

The secret of dressing for winter workouts is in the layering, wearing one layer of clothing over another. Layering provides insulation against the wind, cold and rain while reducing internal moisture build-up caused by perspiration. Several thin layers of clothing help regulate the heat around your body better than one thick layer.

Layering works by heating the "dead" air spaces around your body, thus creating better insulation. As you get warmer during exercise, you simply peel off the layers. Remember, once you begin exercising, your body will generate heat, up to 25 degrees above the ambient temperature -- and it’s important not to overheat since that can lead to fatigue, dehydration and an elevated heart rate. Plus, sweating like a farm animal is never enjoyable!

According to Dr. Musnick, a three-layer dressing system works best. The first layer of clothing should keep you as dry as possible. It is normally very thin and made from a "wicking" material that essentially pulls moisture away from your skin so it can evaporate at the surface. New exercise clothing fabrics, such as polypropelyne and CoolMax which is made by Dupont (the Canadian Department of National Defense uses CoolMax undergarments), really do work. Avoid fabrics that retain moisture, which is what you don’t want.

The second layer is your insulation. It keeps the heat on your body while letting the water vapor pass through. Modern, synthetic materials, such as a lightweight fleece made by Polartec seem to work best.

"The third layer should provide shelter from the elements," says Liz Neoprent, an exercise physiologist, who is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise. "It should protect you from the wind, rain and snow, and still allow your body to shed water vapor."

She suggests jackets and pants made of a water-repellent and breathable fabric such as Gore-Tex." The outer shell can be a thin layer if you have enough insulation in the middle layer," she says.

Your feet require special attention when you run or jog in the snow, or during any inclement weather. Choose shoes with good traction, especially if there are patches of ice on your jogging path.

As the cold days of winter set in, it's important to give extra consideration to your extremities -- your fingers, toes and ears -- or you run the risk of getting frostbite. And don’t forget your head: You lose 90 percent of body heat through your head, so be sure to keep it covered.

Cycling in cold or wet weather deserves special mention because the greater speeds associated with cycling can be exacerbated in poor weather conditions. Therefore, what you wear becomes more important.

Lance Armstrong, seven-time Tour de France champion, has this to say about cycling in winter weather: "It can be not only unpleasant, but dangerous as well, with potential problems, (ranging from) decreased blood circulation to your extremities to a fall in core body temperature or frostbite. Dressing defensively is the only way to train effectively and avoid illness when the weather turns cold."

And, if it’s below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, just stay indoors and wait for a better day. Ride on an indoor trainer instead.

Which bring us to your final option -- a safe haven where winter can’t touch you -- the indoor workout. Research has also shown that exercising outdoors in extremely cold weather can be counterproductive by taking too great a toll on your immune system. If it’s cold and wet outside, stay inside and get your exercise there.

Consult with your doctor before you begin exercising in cold weather, especially if you’re under medical care for any reason.

You can stay fit and healthy during colder months. Just layer up, take a deep breath -- and bolt right out the door.

To watch Eric host a TV segment on this topic, please vist the CBS-5 "Weekend Edition" fitness page.

In Your Post-Thanksgiving Stupor, Resolve to Start Exercising

"May your stuffing be tasty, May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious, And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!" -- Anonymous

THANKSGIVING POSTMORTEM: It's four days after one of the most bountiful (read: calorie-outrageous) feasts of the year. How are you feeling? If you're like most people, you ate until your eyes rolled back into your head and your brain became numb and, in an acute insulin-induced stupor, you slunked into your favorite La-Z-Boy and slipped slowly into worthlessness for four hours.

So here you sit, wincing, staring blankly at the ceiling, rubbing your belly and feeling out of shape. To add insult to injury, just four days ago, you snorked down enough calories to feed Bolivia for a week. The hope of burning off those calories with exercise is dimming as fast as the daylight hours are. The weather is colder, the holidays are here and it gets dark around -- noon!

Despite how things feel, now is not the time to become fatalistic. It's time to pick yourself up and do everything you can to stay in shape. Don't wait for tomorrow or next week or your birthday or the new year. When it comes to exercise, those times never come.

Over the next five weeks -- from now until the Jan. 1 -- I suggest that you dedicate at least four hours a week (more if you're fit) to your body. You'll feel infinitely better around the holidays, and you'll emerge from them happier, healthier - and lighter, and that will give you momentum heading into the new year. What you do over the next five weeks will set the tone for 2007 and boost your chances of achieving your New Year's resolutions.

Here are four tips to help you get back into the fitness swing and build your momentum over the holidays -- so that you can run, rather than waddle, into the new year.

Simply start

Of course, it's tough to put your body in motion when your energy levels are low, so I recommend that when you're feeling lethargic, you lace up your shoes and start with a five minutes of easy walking or another aerobic activity (which you should do to warm up for any type of exercise anyway).

Then, stop and assess how you're feeling - inside and out. This is called the "Five Minute Rule." Is your body revved and ready to go or are your muscles already feeling fatigued? Are you more alert and waking up or do you feel like you're going to pass out?

If you're genuinely dragging and seriously still exhausted, head home and get back in bed. You probably need some rest and relaxation.

But, if I'm guessing correctly, the fact that you started moving will get you pumped enough to keep going with the quality workout you determined you were too tired to take on. Oftentimes, our minds tell us we're tired when our bodies are actually eager to go.

Put fitness first

At this time of year, you probably have a million things going on from the moment you wake up, but your day will probably get even busier as the minutes pass. So set your alarm clock for an hour or even 30 minutes earlier and squeeze in an exercise session then.

Research shows that people who workout in the morning are actually more likely to stick with their exercise long-term than people who plan to be active at other times of day. On top of that, the sense of accomplishment you'll get from the moment your day begins will give you the confidence to conquer even more throughout your day -- meaning you could potentially be extra productive on the days you get that a.m. exercise; hence, actually saving you time.

I know it's dark and cold outside now, but solider on. Either do your workouts indoors, dress to beat the weather or take up swimming for the next five weeks! Why not?

Recruit your relatives

Over the holidays, none of us is particularly motivated to exercise. It's probably because we're all sitting around in insulin-induced stupors! The key is to get active with your spouse, partner, kids -- and all of your visiting relatives. It's not only a great way to deal with the "lack of time" excuse but an excellent way to stay motivated while boosting everybody's fitness.

Research shows that people who exercise together may stick with it longer than people who go it alone. Besides, what could be more romantic than going on a hike with your significant other, enjoying breathtaking views as you traverse the trails at sunset? And what could be more fun than throwing around a ball with your kids, taking a family bike ride in the park or heading out with your baby in a jogging stroller? Another great idea is to take walks before and after big meals; this helps moderate appetite and aid digestion.

Bottom line: Explore exercise as part of the holiday family experience and see how enriching it is for everyone -- mind, body, and soul

Seek support

Want to know one of the single best excuse-busters on the planet? Other people. Seriously, immediately start surrounding yourself with individuals who will support you in your quest to stay fit over the holidays.

All you need to do is tell your friends, family, co-workers, training buddies or other fitness professionals (like a personal trainer, if you decide to go that route) that you want to get in better shape and make exercise a priority in your life now. You don't want to wait for the new year. Then ask if they'd be willing to call you on your excuses whenever you try to wiggle out of your commitment.

Anytime you're about to back out of a workout, call one of these people to discuss why. You might just find that the mere thought of telling someone else your excuse is enough to make you see how invalid it is in the first place and you'll get moving without even telling your supporter(s) you were going to bail.

I hope that by putting some or all of these strategies into play, you will look and feel better over the holidays. Remember, this is a magical time of year. You want to feel energized and radiant so that you can enjoy the holidays fully and spend more quality time with family and eat foods you love and actually be motivated enough to get out there and engage in charitable acts.

The key is to really take the time for yourself and your health. It will help you get through the holidays with more grace and gusto -- and send you soaring into the new year.

Motivation Through Mentoring

(The following Eric Harr article originally appeared in SHAPE Magazine and is reprinted here with permission from American Media, Inc.)

"By teaching, you will learn." -- Latin proverb

HELPING OTHERS to lead better lives is a gift of inestimable value: It enriches them—and it can elevate you. The “you get by giving” adage applies to the age-old practice of mentoring “In its simplest form, mentoring is people helping people, but our research indicates it goes much deeper than that,” says Terri Sjodin author of Mentoring: The Most Obvious Yet Overlooked Key to Achieving More in Life than You Ever Dreamed Possible (McGraw-Hill, 1996). “It's more spiritual, and considerably more focused. The power of helping people in a mentoring program can be the key to achieving more in life than you ever dreamed possible,” she says. Here, our experts show you how to maximize the mentoring experience for your protégé(s)—and for yourself. which can help you to sharpen your own skills; it can inspire you with confidence; and it can motivate you to pursue new and exciting goals.

TIP: Define what you want to give, and get, from the process. The rewards of mentoring can go both ways, but you must be clear on what you want going in. “You’ll get more from mentoring if you clarify your own goals first, because if you get as much as you give, everyone will benefit more from the experience,” says Dave Boon, the Executive Director of Partners of Larimer County based in Fort Collins, Colorado. One Partners project is FIRM: Fitness and Increased Recreation Through Mentoring, tagline: mentor a child and lose five pounds. (I can already hear you asking: “Great, can I mentor three children?”)
EXERCISE: Within each of us lies unique skills, passions and ideas, and mentoring can help you actualize those qualities and channel them to enrich others. First, pinpoint a few of your strengths that can improve someone else’s health. Next, write down what you want from mentoring: maybe it’s to improve your diet or to enjoy exercise more. Finally, determine your ideal scenario: Do you thrive in one-on-one interactions, or in group settings? Do you prefer working with younger or older people? Do you want to serve as an informal mentor who provides advice in an unstructured manner, or as a formal mentor who commits to help others reach specific goals over a designated period?

TIP: Jump in and help out. In mentoring, the most important step is the first one. “Once people begin mentoring, almost immediately they receive a flood of rewards; it’s the signing-up part that stops most people,” says Mr. Boon.
EXERCISE: Learn more about mentoring and take steps towards getting involved. “Begin at the National Mentoring Partnership (www.mentoring.org),” says Mr. Boon. “Simply call or e-mail them and ask how you can help.” Sjodin’s book Mentoring is a useful resource for getting started as well.

TIP: As you teach and inspire, learn and get inspired. Watching your protégés improve shows you that you’ve got the right stuff: if your protégé can do it, eating right and exercising better won’t seem so daunting for you. “Serving as a mentor forces you to set an example for others, and that creates a better you,” says Sjodin. “You can't let your protégé down; you have to practice what you preach, and that spurs you to try harder,” she says.
EXERCISE: Tap into that “I can do anything” frame of mind in your diet and workout program and strive to better yourself. For example, if you’re mentoring a child on how to eat and exercise smarter, commit to sharpening your own diet and workout program—and before long, you too might realize FIRM’s motto: mentor a child and lose five pounds!

The 10 Toughest Tests of Endurance

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." -- Theodore Roosevelt

IN THE 1950'S, THE WORLD'S MOST esteemed sports scientists were absolutely certain -- and in agreement.

They concluded that it was impossible for any human to run a single mile in under four minutes. And, they had the “scientific proof” to back up that assertion.

Some of the scientists argued that human body could not process enough oxygen to run a sub-four minute mile. Others speculated that the lungs would burst at the effort. A few believed that the upright orientation of the human body created too much aerodynamic drag, that no person could run that fast for that long, through the progressive resistance of air. Some even contended that the human skeletal structure couldn’t handle the speed, that the bones would literally fracture at the breakneck 15 mile-an-hour pace.

Fortunately, 25 year-old British runner wunderkind Roger Bannister either didn’t listen to any of this -- or he just didn’t give it much thought. Because on a cool, cloudy morning on May 6, 1954, at Oxford's Iffley Road track, Bannister split the atmosphere (without splitting his bones) and ran into the history books. With his head reeling back at the effort, the bleary-eyed Bannister blazed across the finish line, and into history, with a time of 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds.

The scientists were sent scuttling back to their drawing boards. Bannister showed them, and the world, that the human spirit doesn’t always abide by the laws of physics.

Bannister ran a mile faster than anyone before him, but there was more to it than that. He opened the floodgates. For decades, nobody could break through the 4-minute barrier. Over the ensuing 18 months after Bannister did it, would you believe that 16 other runners did it, too? Bannister’s “miracle mile” was one of the most patent displays of mind over matter. Bannister smashed through a psychological wall and in doing so seemed to “show the way” to other runners who suddenly believed they could do it, too. And, then did.

In 1955, when asked how he ran like no man had run before, Bannister answered: “It’s the ability to take more out of yourself than you've got.”

Self-belief is one thing, but what of science? Aren’t there hard-wired limits of human performance set by quantum physics? If so, when will athletes run into that barrier?

At present, those barriers seem to exist only in our minds. The records keep tumbling. The current one-mile mark is 3 minutes, 43 seconds held by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco. In 1997, Daniel Komen from Kenya, ran two miles in 7 minutes, 58 seconds. Komen proved 1950’s science wrong. Twice. Will a human ever run under three minutes for a mile? How about two minutes?

Athletes aren’t merely pushing the limits of speed; they’re also pushing the limits of endurance. People are now completing “Deca-Ironman” triathlon events; that’s 24 miles of swimming, 1120 miles of cycling and 262 miles of running. It takes eight to 10 days to complete this event.

This begs the question: what are the toughest athletic events on the planet?

Here, I will set out to answer that question. I will explain what makes each event so grueling and what lessons we can glean from those who have “been there, done that.”

To compile the list, and its order, I used this simple benchmark: how difficult would it be for the average person to finish the event? Put another way, how much physiological and psychological stress would the event place on an ordinary human being?

The following “10 toughest tests of endurance” push the body and mind to unthinkable places and reveal to us all that the human spirit, at least as far as we can tell, has no limits.

#10. The Elfstedentocht -- Leeuwarden, Holland

We begin our countdown in the Netherlands for an eye-popping -- or should I say eye-freezing -- event that snakes through eleven frozen cities. The Elfstedentocht, or ElevenCitiesTour, starts and finishes in Leeuwarden, the capital of the province of Friesland. It takes racers through cities that themselves sound tough: “Ijlst,” “Stavoren,” “Hindeloopen” and “Workum.”

Contestants travel 143 miles…on ice skates. That’s roughly 5,200 trips around your local ice rink. Racers skitter along the frozen canals through bitter cold and Gortex-piercing winds. Hordes of Dutch people travel to the area to witness this great athletic spectacle; it is one of the most popular events in Holland.

What makes it so tough: The Elfstedentoct places monstrous stress on the body because the motion of ice skating is a double-whammy on the body: it’s aerobic and isometric. In other words, your cardiovascular system is taxed as your muscular system sustains “isometric” stress from the motion of each skate “push.” Sprint on a pair of ice skates for five minutes and you’ll feel this sensation first-hand.

What you need to know: If you want to excel at sports that demand lower-leg power and strength—cycling, ice skating and hiking, for example—the best move you can make is to hit the gym for 30-40 minutes twice a week. Lifting weights develops the tendon, ligament and muscle strength to endure long periods of strength-oriented activities.

#9: The 24 Hours of Adrenalin Mountain Bike Race -- St. Jo, Texas

In these events, riders go it alone, without the beneficial shelter of a group of other riders. The “what” is simple: ride your mountain bike as far as you can in 24 hours. The “how” is anything but simple. In a race of this length, every move you make has a consequence later on. Start out too fast and you doom yourself to a slow death. Mountain biking, with its steep climbs, is anaerobic -- your body produces energy without sufficient oxygen. Each successive anaerobic effort gets more difficult. Some say when you ride a mountain bike, you begin with a “book of matches,” and you have a finite number to burn. Each time you push yourself to the point at which you run out of breath, you burn a match. When you’re out of matches, you’re out of options.

“In a 24-hour race, the leading riders will stop twice, just briefly, to fix lights to their bike and don extra clothes for the cool of the night and then again in the early morning to shed those lights and clothes,” says Simon Doughty, a professional cycling coach and former Team Manager for Great Britain. “Time is miles and there’s no progress being made if the rider is stopped by the roadside having a picnic!”

What makes it so tough: Exercising for 24 hours puts special demands on body and mind. Racers say that after roughly six hours, the mind begins to wander. After 15, it begins to play tricks. At around hour #20, mind almost separates from body – and participants pedal on instinct alone.

What you need to know: If you are training for an endurance event longer than two hours, you should do one long workout per week, and over time, build up to the projected duration of your event. For example, if you’re training for a century bike ride -- and your projected finish time is six hours, then over a period of 8-10 weeks, strive to build up to a few 6-hour rides. Bottom line: train for the specific demands of your event.

#8: The Mauritania Desert Portion of the Paris-Dakar -- Mauritania, Africa

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.

For the eighth toughest endurance test, we set off in Paris and haul over the deserts of Africa for the toughest off-road driving event on Earth.

The Paris-Dakar rumbles to a start in Arras, Northern France and thunders down to the African continent. When racers reach water in southern France, they disembark and pick up again in Africa where they put pedal to metal across four countries: Morocco, Mauritania, Mali and Senegal. The finish is on the banks of the Lac Rose in Dakar, Senegal roughly 15,000 back-breaking kilometers from the start.

What makes it so tough: Race car driving requires maximal effort from one’s body and total focus from one’s mind. Picture interminably long stretches of barren landscapes, precipitous climbs and descents of the Atlas mountains, strength-sapping heat, howling Saharan sand storms, unforgiving terrain and rock-strewn roads, and you can begin to imagine what the Paris-Dakar Rally feels like.

Most of this race takes place over razor’s edge terrain. While every stage puts special demands on body and mind, it’s in the desert stretches of Mauritania and its everlasting dunes, where racers face their most daunting challenges. The climate in Mauritania is impossibly hot, dry and dusty. Average rainfall in this part of the world is a mere six inches.

What you need to know: Most people overestimate their driving ability. If you want to see how well you can operate an automobile, go to a driving track and take a high-performance car for a few laps. You’ll likely learn that you, um, have much to learn. Consider taking a professional driving class; they’re informative and a lot of fun.

#7: The Birkebeinerrennet -- Rena to Lillehammer, Norway

Just saying the name of this event requires endurance. The Birkebeinerrennet is a 54-kilometer cross-country ski race in Norway that starts at Rena and finishes in the “Birkebeineren Skistadion” in Lillehammer. The Birkebeinerrennet is physically brutal, but it’s also highly technical thanks to constant changes in elevation. On top of it all, participants have to carry a backpack that weighs “a minimum of 3.5 kg” (7.7 pounds) for the duration of the event. Sound light? It is, in the beginning. With each passing kilometer, that backpack feels heavier and heavier.

What makes it so tough: Some experts believe that, pound for pound, cross-country skiing is the most physically demanding sport. Studies show cross-country skiing burns more calories than any other activity.

While 54 kilometers may not sound like much, it’s often the middle distance races that are the toughest. That’s because they’re not long enough to allow you to find comfortable rhythm, and they’re too long for an all-out sprint. Fifty-four kilometers is in that sweet-spot of pain: it’s a long controlled sprint in which your body gets flooded with rivers of lactic acid -- for extended periods of time.

What you need to know: cross-country skiing may be the best total-body workout you can do -- in some of most stunning venues in the world. This winter, spend a day learning how to cross-country ski. You might discover a new winter passion that takes your fitness to new heights.

#6: The Moloka`i Challenge Canoe Race, Six-Person Ourigger -- Moloka’i to O’ahu, Hawaii

The Moloka’i Challenge is the world championship of kayak and canoe racing.

An international contingent of men and women race for 32-miles across the Kaiwi Channel from Moloka’i to the east shore of O’ahu, finishing at Koko Marina. The Kaiwi Channel, referred to as the Moloka’i Channel is considered one of the most challenging and treacherous in the world.

The “six-man” is the toughest iteration of canoe racing, because it’s a small enough boat that your teammates know you’re not pulling hard enough. And when others are counting on you in a big athletic contest, it tends to push you past any pain level you would tolerate on your own.

What makes it so tough: How does paddling a 43-foot, 400-pound vessel made of wood through rough-water ocean at speeds of up to ten knots sound? This is an enterprise so exhausting that teams rotate three substitutes during these races. Physically spent paddlers roll over the side as the canoe bears down on rested paddlers who have been positioned in the open ocean by an escort boat. As the canoe sweeps by, the new paddlers seize hold, clamber aboard, and pick up the stroke at maximum effort.

What you need to know: canoeing and kayaking require a good measure of upper body strength, but also a steady rhythm and a savvy technique. Here’s a lesson in achieving peak performance, whatever your sport or goals: finesse is as important as fitness. Whether you canoe, bike, run, or petanque, don’t try to muscle your way to athletic greatness. Apply your mind, and some graceful fluidity, to your fitness pursuit and watch your enjoyment and efficiency soar.

#5: The Iditasport 130 – Knik, Alaska to Finger Lake

This is a 130-mile mountain bike race along the section of the famed Idirarod Trail (of dog-sled fame) which passes through frozen Alaskan taiga, swamps, rivers and lakes.

You might be asking why Iditasport made the list and the famed Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race did not. The answer is simple: in the former event, your legs do all the work; in the latter, dogs do all the work.

Why it’s so tough: Umm, it’s cold? Really, really, really cold. Pushing your body in extremely cold temperatures is extremely difficult: nerve messages move slower and muscles work much less efficiently. The human body burns almost four times as many calories exercising in the cold, which means you run out of fuel quickly…and definitively. In other words, when you run out of gas, you’re finished. There is no “bouncing back” when you’re glycogen depleted in temperatures of 20 degrees below zero.

What you need to know: just don’t do it.

#4: The English Channel Swim – Shakespeare Beach, England to Cap Dris Nez, France

In this historic event, swimmers plunge intrepidly into frigid water against the backdrop of the White Cliffs of Dover at Shakespeare Beach in England and paddle their way to Cap Gris-Nez in France. The shortest distance across the Channel is 18.2 nautical miles which is approximately 21 land miles. However, most people end up swimming between 30 and 40 miles because the fearsome tides toss them to and fro the entire way.

What makes it so tough: The Dover Straits are prone to incredibly strong tidal flows and a large rise and fall in water between high and low tide. To complicate things, the position of the moon relative to the earth and the sun affects the gravitational pull that is moving the water. Also, according to race organizers, there are “quite a lot of hazards such as seaweed and flotsam and jetsam (rubbish and timbers, etc.).”

Swimming 30 to 40 miles against unforgiving currents, through rubbish and timbers and in bone-chilling temperatures of 52°F gives the English Channel a clear lock on the fourth toughest sporting test in the world.

What you need to know: The French poet Paul Valéry once said of swimming: “To plunge into water, to move one’s whole body, from head to toe, in its wild and graceful beauty; to twist about in its pure depths, this is for me a delight only comparable to love.” However, most people don’t feel this way about swimming, because it’s a difficult sport to master. If you aren’t a natural-born swimmer, think of swimming like a technical sport such as golf more than an aerobic sport like running. The best way to hone your technique is to work with a coach and have them teach you the finer points of stroke mechanics. Learn to swim well, and a world of fitness bliss will open up to you.

#3: Stage 16 of the Tour de France -- Les-Deux-Alpes to La Plagne, France

Stages in the Tour de France change frequently, but this 2002 stage covered 179.5km from Les-Deux-Alpes to La Plagne and riders climbed up three soaring “beyond category” climbs. That means these mountain passes are so tough that they’re “beyond classification.”

The racers began by pedaling up the rugged valley of the Romanche, through deep gorges and tunnels to the colossal Col du Galibier, the highest point of the Tour de France at 8,677 feet where the air gets thin. After hair-raising descents of roughly 7000 feet, riders climb the 20 kilometer Col de la Madeleine at 8-percent, plunge down to the Isère River and head back to the sky at La Plagne.

What makes it so tough: Road cycling is intensely difficult because you are forced to ride hard when that’s the last thing you want to do. In other words, if you miss the “pack,” your day is done. The other nine events on this list are more a matter of self-inflicted torture. Road cycling at the Tour de France level requires the max output of endurance, strength, speed, power, flexibility, stamina, strategy, balance, coordination, guts -- and grace under pressure.

What you need to know: In a one-hour ride, you’ll likely pedal your bicycle between 3,000 and 5,500 times. Ideally, your bike should feel like an extension of your body rather than an alien mass of metal beneath you. Watch top-level cyclists on their bikes, and you’ll notice how at ease they are. Much of that has to do with their position. If you aren’t properly positioned on your bicycle, your body will sustain stress with every pedal stroke. A seat set just three centimeters too high, for example, will force your hamstrings to hyperextend and pull on your lower back. So, find an expert to properly fit you on your bike. A few changes to your bike position likely won’t get you to the top of the Col du Galibier -- but it can boost your performance, increase your comfort and reduce your risk of injury.

#2: The Western States 100 – Squaw Valley, California

The Western States is one of the longest-running “ultra” trail events in the world -- and it is arguably the toughest.

This remarkable endurance test follows the Western States Trail, which starts at Squaw Valley, California, and ends in Auburn, California. The craggily footpath ascends 2,250 vertical feet in the first 4 ½ miles -- from the Squaw Valley floor (elevation 6,200 feet) to Emigrant Pass (elevation 8,750 feet). Following original trails used by the gold miners of the 1850’s, runners climb 15,540 feet and descending 22,970 feet before reaching the finish. Most of the trail passes through remote and rugged territory, accessible only to hikers, horses -- and helicopters. The event lasts so long that most participants will run more than twenty miles in blackness.

What makes it so tough: Uphill running stresses your quadriceps muscles. Then, just when your muscles are fully fatigued, you must run downhill. Any runner will tell you that, late in races, the downhills hurt the most, because your muscles undergo concentric contractions in an already fatigued state. When your quadriceps muscles are fatigued, downhill running feels like a professional baseball player is hitting your legs with a baseball bat with every step you take.

What you need to know: Running is one of the most popular participatory sports in the world -- and for good reasons: It’s a potent fat-burner. It’s a quick and simple workout. It melts away stress. And, it’s a bonanza for your health. To reduce pain and injury often associated with running, choose the right shoes, run on soft surfaces, take plenty of rest days and stretch liberally after every run.

There is only one event that frazzles muscles and mind more than the Western States 100, and that is:

#1: The Ironman Triathlon World Championships -- Kona, Hawaii

Each year in late October competitors from more than 30 countries converge on the west coast of Hawaii in the small town of Kailua-Kona, one of the most beautiful places on earth, to brave one of the most brutal sports any human could try to endure. It is a heart-stirring and awe-inspiring display of the strength, resiliency and inextinguishable fire of the human spirit.

The Hawaii Ironman is the crown jewel of the sport of triathlon -- in large part because of its island mystique and searing difficulty of the event. It is comprised of a 2.4-mile rough-water swim, a 112-mile bike ride on a road the cuts a swath through the legendary lava fields and a 26.2 mile marathon, much of it along the barren and exposed Queen Kaahumanu Highway. This road gets so hot that it’s been known to melt the rubber clean off a runner’s shoes.

While the Ironman marathon is only one-quarter the distance of the Western States 100, Ironman requires participants to endure a stomach-churning swim, a back-breaking bike before the body-burning marathon.

What makes it so tough: What’s not tough about this event? Every muscle is pushed to its breaking point during a the Ironman triathlon. In addition, at Ironman you are allowed no outside help -- or the benefit of drafting other people on the bike. Aside from periodic “aid stations,” you are completely on your own. Throw in 100+ degree heat, 4,000 feet of climbing and howling Kalapahuna winds and the Ironman World Championships earns its spot as the world’s toughest test of endurance. Most seasoned triathletes will tell you that no matter how fit and strong you are finishing isn’t a given in Kona. Two-time Ironman World Champion Tim Deboom says: “There are almost mythical forces at work. To compete well there requires learning the island and that only comes with experience.”

What you need to know: Do a triathlon ( it needn’t be an Ironman) at least once in your life. It will change you in ways you never imagined.

When Bannister crossed the hallowed finish line of his record-breaking mile run, he fell to the ground, physically and mentally bankrupt. “It was only then that real pain overtook me,” he said. “I felt like an exploded flashlight with no will to live; I just went on existing in the most passive physical state without being unconscious.”

This -- and the above accounts of trial, tribulation and human suffering -- beg the question: Why do these people willingly inflict such mental, physical and spiritual agony on themselves?

Bill Merchant, of Iditasport fame answers that question: “People wonder why on Earth we do this. Here’s what I tell them: ‘It’s to see how far the human spirit can go – and to become stronger people. We go into the Alaskan backcountry to find cracks in ourselves. We go back a year later to see if we've done anything about them.’”