I have a list six things to do every day to maintain your physical health. I’m calling them the 6-S Steps to Success. This is a list of quick little things you can do that will really maximize your mental output by using your physical body. Think of the 6-S Steps (Six-cess) in the vein of the "4-S Parade". I first learned of the 4 S parade from my freshman roommate in college and have since heard the expression around the world. I laugh every time I remember it so I decided to use the same kind of memory hook so you will easily remember this list.

First, it’s so important to remember that the mind and body are one system. If your body is run down it’s going to get more difficult to maintain stamina and have your mind open for perceiving possibilities and solutions. When you remember to do these six little things every day you will take a shortcut to mental and physical fitness.

Ready - - Here they are:

1. Sip

2. Surge

3. Stretch

4. Sit-up

5. Smell

6. Swivel

Sip - First thing in the morning, drink a glass of water. I drink my first glass when I put the water on to boil for my French Press Coffee. You have been sleeping all night and your body is dehydrated. Now do your body and brain a favor and give it some water. Then throughout the day, keep a glass of water handy and sip all day. Your system is constantly de-toxing and it uses the air out of your lungs, the perspiration on your skin and your urine to carry the toxins out of your body. So give it enough water to do its job and keep you body and brain cells clean and clear.

Surge - I got this tip from a chiropractor - How your body responds to a workout is more important than the duration of the exercise. Getting a workout in is better than not getting a workout in, but wouldn’t you want to get the maximum payoff for the time you put in? Using the concept of surging, you can get an effective workout in just 16 minutes. I use my Nordic Track for this one - - don’t have to go to the gym, wear your heart rate monitor, or even get workout clothes on. Just hop on the Nordic track and use the built in timer. Using the idea of surge – you are exercising the way kids naturally play – or the way you play soccer or basketball. Speed up, rest, speed up, rest, speed up, and rest. It’s a fantastic way to get in a good quick workout.

First – do a 5 minute warm-up – you will know when your body is warm – you will feel warm and many people will have a slight perspiration. If you aren’t getting warm in 5 minutes, pick up the pace.

Then repeat the "surge" three times. The surge is:

20 seconds Maximum Effort (as fast as you possibly can)

20 seconds Recovery (slow movement)

20 seconds Maximum Effort

20 seconds Recovery

20-seconds Maximum Effort

2 whole minutes recovery

Then

Repeat surge cycle starting with 20 seconds of max effort

Now one last time

Repeat surge cycle starting with 20 seconds of max effort

And now,

Cool down by doing your stretches

Stretch - I got this tip from my deep tissue massage therapist. She is adamant that I do my stretches. And - - here is the success tip - - hold each stretch for a whole 20 seconds. Less than that is not an effective stretch. I combine another tip from a personal trainer - - stretch each muscle group twice. On the second stretch go 10% further than the first stretch. On the second stretch of the muscle group I stretch 10% further and hold to a count of 20.

Sit-up – Sit up straight! I know your mom told you this and she was right. I got this from a health and fitness expert. Do whatever you can to prevent the forward head posture that comes from hunching over a computer day after day. Pretend you have little wires on the tops of your ears holding your head up straight. The very idea makes me smile. And here is another trick – sit on your exercise ball instead of your desk chair off and on during the day. You will not only hold your head up straight, you will be strengthen your core muscles and improve your balance too.

Smell - Aromatherapy is really big these days. And for good reason. Aromatherapy is a form of therapy that uses volatile liquid plant materials, known as essential oils , and other aromatic compounds from plants for the purpose of affecting a person's mood or health. Right now as I sit here writing this, I have a vial of eucalyptus and a vial of frankincense to smell right here on my desk. I also have a container of sage. From time to time I open one of them up and just smell the wonderful aromas. Just switching to the olfactory sense opens your mind and is a sweet no calorie pleasure. I also use a few spritzes of mint or lemon before I exercise.

Swivel – At least every hour, just stop. Stop what you are doing - - stand up. Move. I got this from Rob Smith of "Better Posture Guaranteed" fame. Put your hands on your hips and do exaggerated hip swivels in as big of arc as you can. Now swivel in the opposite direction. It’s fun. And great for your back.

Now you are the road to better physical fitness in very little time - - and the 6-S (Six-cuss) works for any age or any stage of physical fitness.

And you have a cool way to remember it - - just as you remember the 4 S’s of the 4 S parade, you will remember that you need the 6 S Steps to success. Sip, surge, stretch, sit up, smell and swivel!

In the very near future I will be releasing the "My Coach Companion" internet coaching piece of Coach Companion. It’s in beta testing right now and we are fine tuning the software and getting very valuable feedback from our beta testers. It’s a great way to keep your goals and to do list front and center – TOMA – top of mind awareness. I love it, my programmer loves it - - and I know you will too.

Light the Fire!

Denise Pederson

Chief Coach

Coach Companion