Paragon Health and Fitness

     True strength does not lie in how much you can bench press
or how much you can curl. Of course, consistent workouts and
correct eating habits will give you stronger muscles, but a stron-
ger body does not equal a strong mind or spirit.

     So much of an individuals appearance is not just based upon
their physical shell, but the energy and confidence that they ex-
ude to others.

     So what exactly is self esteem? Is it the ability to take criticism
from others without falling to pieces? Is it the ability to be asser-
tive and speak up for yourself? Simply put, having self esteem
means holding one's self in high regard with respect and self
approval. Having self esteem is not a form of arrogance, vanity,
or egotism. Self esteem is a self love and appreciation that says
you can be there for yourself. And in this crazy world, that also
means you'll be able to be there for someone else in a time of
need.

     Balancing body and emotional development go hand in hand.
Reaching short and long term goals in your fitness program
meant that you had to have a plan mapped out to get there. The
same type of work has to go into your emotional and personal
development.

     The first step is to recognize the negative thoughts and feed-
back towards yourself and how those affect you in your everyday
life. If you've grown up in an environment where you've been told
that you're not good enough and will never amount to anything,
that's conditioning. When you can recognize the cause and ef-
fect, then you've made the first step to strengthen a powerful
mind, spirit, and body by reprogramming the way in which you
perceive and experience your world and the others in it.

     Once very effective technique begins with recognizing quali-
ties and thoughts about yourself that you like and approve of.
These could be your appearance, basic character traits, talents,
or gifts. It's important to take the time and recognize these and
pat yourself on the back and acknowledge yourself and your ac-
complishments. Your accomplishments continue to build over
time and, as a result, they build you too.

     Another suggestion is to recognize the self defeating thoughts
that creep into your mind. At a point when you hear that little voice
inside saying "you're not good enough," "you're a loser," or "you'll
never amount to anything," turn it around and say to yourself "I
am good enough," "I am a winner," and "I am worth it." You may
feel like a cheesy hair color commercial, but LOREAL was obvi-
ously onto something! Remember to not beat yourself up for
those negative thoughts. They're normal. However, the important
part is to not let your life be dictated by them. Afterall, they are just
thoughts, and they come and go. They are not indicative of who
you are.

     Let's face it, appearances count in today's competitive world. Feel-
ing good about how you look can vastly improve your self confidence,
and self confidence is nothing to take lightly. When men and women
are polled in what traits they find attractive in others, self confidence
is always in the top 5.

     Now without looking at the psychological aspect and the easy way
one can confuse confidence with arrogance, let's look at this realisti-
cally and acknowledge that a fit appearance is important.

     For both men and women, a fit body can be the pinnacle of mascu-
linity or femininity. Here I'm going to give similarities between the sex-
ex.

     A strong upper body, especially wider shoulders, gives the appear-
ance of better posture and a slimming waist. Ask any one of my clients
and they will tell you that I'm constantly saying "stand up straight, chest
out, shoulders back, abs tight." You'd swear these people were in boot
camp.

     Standing up straight can give the illusion of upper body strength if
you don't have naturally strong muscles. For those with a little extra
around the midsection, good posture and a strong upper body can be
a powerful optical illusion.

     think of the reasoning behind the fact that both men's and women's
suits have shoulder pads. In particular, tailored clothing is designed
with proper posture in mind. Proper posture is a sign of a strong upper
body which translates into strength. Strength in the workplace is a sign
of success and productivity. All of this carries over into your everyday
life. See where I'm going with this?

     It's all about confidence. The next time you walk into a room with 25
beautiful people or into the gym with a bunch of muscle heads, and in
normal circumstances you would feel intimidated, remember-

"Stand up straight, chest out, shoulders back, abs tight." Believe me,
we'll all notice. Oh, and eye contact and a smile wouldn't hurt either.

     Heredity plays a significant role in determining who will have
problem skin - and this, of course, is something that you cannot
control.

     Other factors that aren't tied to bloodlines include climate (par-
ticularly the hot and humid variety), stress, and the hormonal
changes associated with menstruation. A number of drugs are
also known to bring on attacks of acne.

     Where diet is concerned, there is no scientific proof that certain
foods have any impact. However, if you notice that some of the
things you eat seem to make the condition worse, it makes sense
to avoid them and get your nutrition from alternatives.

     Good hygiene helps a lot to control mild cases of acne, but ef-
fective treatment of more severe cases may call for stronger mea-
sures.

     Benzoyl peroxide. This is the active ingredient of many popular
nonprescription products. In addition to killing bacteria and reducing
fatty acids on the skin, they also cause a fine peeling of the skin,
thus reducing blemishes.

     Sulphur products are antibacterial medications available in many
dosage forms without prescription.

     Tretinoin is a new prescription medication that works like benzoyl
peroxide, but is stronger and may cause more irritation to the skin.
Patients using tretinoin should avoid excessive sunlight and ultra-
violet lamps. cold weather and wind may also increase sensitivity to
the medication.

     Antibiotics such as tetracycline, clindamycin and erythromycin are
sometimes used to treat moderate to severe acne. They are avail-
able on prescription in either oral or topical forms.

     Isotretinoin. Use of this prescription product can dramatically im-
prove severe acne, but side effects are common: dry skin, dry mouth,
stiffness and soreness, and pinkeye (conjunctivitis) among them.
Because isotretinoin has been linked to birth defects, it should never
be used by women who are or plan soon to become pregnant.

Your lips are facial features that both men and women notice right away
and when they're chapped, they're not very attractive. Both hot and cold sea-
sons can wreak havoc on your smackers, so resolving the problem is im-
portant and it's quite simple:

1.) Slather those suckers with goo every night. Vitamin E, aloe vera, and
Vaseline work particularly well. Even a thick moisturizer can be a great over-
night soother. You may not look very attractive with lotion plastered on your
eyes and lips, but you'll be sleeping, who the hell are you trying to impress?
So unless you have a partner who likes to stare at you while you sleep,
which personally, would freak me out more than my appearance, you need
to get over it!

2.) If your lips are regularly exposed to the elements, using a protectant can
help save them from wind burn, sun burn, etc.

3.) Constantly licking your lips draws moisture out of your kisser. Lips have
no oil glands of their own, and chronic chapping could be a sign that you
need to drink more water throughout the day. So, unless you're eating pork
chops with your face, quit licking your lips.