Category: physical activity, fitness, exercise

Winning Attitudes: Inspiration from Team USA

Team USA, managed by the US Olympic Committee, is a federally chartered nonprofit corporation without federal financial support. The world-class Olympic Training facility in Colorado Springs houses both Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The tour highlights the importance of physical activity, provides guidelines for optimal health, and shares winning attitudes. The facility is open for visits.

Did you know Team USA is not a government organization or agency? According to the United States Olympic Committee  (USOC) website, Team USA is

“a federally chartered nonprofit corporation and does not receive federal financial support (other than for select Paralympic military programs). Unlike most other nations, the United States does not have a sports ministry.”

USOC

“The USOC has two primary responsibilities in its oversight of Olympic and Paralympic sport in the United States.

  1. to generate resources in support of its mission, which is to help American athletes achieve sustained competitive excellence.
  2. to ensure organizational resources are wisely and effectively used to that end.”

A visit to Team USA in Colorado Springs

I toured the United States Olympic Training facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Both Olympic and Paralympic athletes train and live here. The facilities are state-of-the-art, modern, and open for visits and tours.

In this post I’m sharing my tour with you.

The Ancient Olympic GAmes sign
brief history of the Olympic Games

As much as I admire the elite athletes who comprise the Olympic team, the Paralympic athletes captivate my imagination.

These athletes  compete with, not  despite, significant physical impairments. Many of them play and compete in physically demanding sports without full use of their arms and legs; some don’t even have all of their arms and legs.

Lessons for sports and life

As we walked around the complex on a guided tour, I was reminded of the importance of physical activity for our physical and mental health.  Although there is conflicting advice on preventive health, all experts agree that physical activity is vital to achieving and maintaining optimal health and well-being.

click the image to access and download a copy of the guidelines

In the Top 10 Things to Know About the Second Edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans we learn

  • Adults caring for children this age should encourage active play (light, moderate, or vigorous intensity) and aim for at least 3 hours per day.
  • Each day, youth ages 6 through 17 need at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity to attain the most health benefits from physical activity.
  • To attain the most health benefits from physical activity, adults need at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking or fast dancing, each week. Adults also need muscle-strengthening activity, like lifting weights or doing push-ups, at least 2 days each week.
  • The first key guideline for adults is to move more and sit less.
  • New evidence shows that physical activity has immediate health benefits
  • We now know that any amount of physical activity has some health benefits. Americans can benefit from small amounts of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity throughout the day.
  • Medical studies show that exercise can prevent or improve many chronic health conditions and lack of exercise contributes to many diseases.
  • Physical activity may reduce the risk of cancers of the breast, colon, uterus, prostate and pancreas.
  • Regular exercise may help prevent diabetes and heart disease.
  • Exercise relieves joint and back pain due to arthritis.
  • Depression is improved with physical activity .

Winning Attitudes

As we walked through the  USA Shooting area I picked up a flyer titled “Winning Attitudes”, which I’m sharing with you along with my photos.

I hope they will encourage you to develop a “winning attitude” in all areas of your life.

lesson 1

Become excited, confident, and enthusiastic about your goals.

statue of four athletes jumping

lesson 2

True confidence is based on the thoroughness of preparation. 

Olympic work out room

lesson 3

Winners have the ability to look inside themselves and find that special dream.

lesson 4

Winners focus on solutions, not problems.

wheelchairs
wheelchairs adapted for playing

lesson 5

Winners have positive attitudes in all elements of their lives. The more you think about, talk about, and write about a thing happening, the greater the certainty of that thing happening.

vehicle
on display in the Hall of Fame

lesson 6

Goals should identify minimum performance levels. They should never limit your performance.

swimming pool
a real “olympic sized” swimming pool

lesson 7

Real winners are champions in life, not just in sports.

two champion athletes
Runner Tyson Gay and gymnast Mary Lou Retton in the Hall of Fame

lesson 8

Missing a goal means setting another goal to strive for.

gym
multi use gymnasium

lesson 9

A champion constantly learns and improves.

practice
words to train by and live by

lesson 10

Champions are willing to risk a little in the short run to gain an advantage in the long run.

lesson 11

Winners have the ability to look inside themselves and find that special dream. 

lesson 12

Excellence is achieved only through constant pursuit. 

DSCN1135
passing the torch

lesson 13

A champion constantly learns and improves .

housing.
The athletes live, eat, and sleep here.

lesson 14

Real winners are champions in life, not just sports. 

statue of four athletes raising arms

lesson 15

Don’t just achieve your goals; strive to exceed your goals. 

bronze statue, ice skater

 Are YOU a CHAMPION? 

Which of these “winning attitudes” do you live by?

Which might you adopt?

sharing the HEART of champions

I hope you enjoyed this tour through the Olympic Complex. If you go to Colorado Springs, be sure and visit.

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you turn health challenges into health opportunities.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha

7 health habits we all need

Decluttering and simplifying our lives may reduce stress and increase satisfaction. While minimizing material possessions is vital, we should also focus on cultivating essential habits: prioritizing sleep, nutritious food, meaningful connections, generosity, physical and mental activity, and genuine communication.

updated September 28, 2025

Articles, blog posts, and social media messages suggest we have too much stuff and that our lives would be better with less stuff. This philosophy goes by different names- decluttering, simplifying, minimalism.

These idea promise less stress, more peace, and more time to enjoy activities that give us pleasure and satisfaction.

I could not agree more and am trying to apply the idea to my life and home. But there are some things we need more of.

We need habits that promote renewal, energy, fitness, and wellbeing. By decluttering, simplifying, and changing our priorities, we will have more time to develop them.

 

SLEEP

Too many of us treat sleep like a luxury or a waste of time rather than as the necessity that it is. Some of us need more quality sleep; many people are chronically tired due to undiagnosed sleep disorders  such as obstructive sleep apnea which aren’t recognized without medical evaluation.

FOOD

We need  to eat more nutritious food- fresh vegetables and fruits, lean meats, dairy- anything that isn’t processed or full of unnecessary sugar or excessive fat.

Eat a variety of fresh foods every day
Eat a variety of fresh foods every day

 

vending machine with junk food
And eat less of these, if at all.

 

CONNECTION

We need to spend more time with our family and friends, keeping in touch physically and emotionally.

family playing a card game
We had fun learning a new board game, a favorite family activity.

 

GENEROSITY

We need to cultivate generosity and give more, whether it’s of our money, time, talent or possessions.

Contact the veterans' crisis line for help.

 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

We need to move often , including sports, exercise, chores, walking, even just standing up more than we sit. Here are guidelines recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Man climbing up a rock wall
Rock climbing may be too extreme for you, but we can all find something we can do and enjoy.

 

 

MENTAL ACTIVITY

We need to read, learn new skills,  start or resume a hobby, learn another language, maybe even start a blog. You might even want to read about health; here are some suggestions.

statue of boy reading a book
Children and adults can develop a reading habit.

 

 

CONVERSATION

We need authentic communication with other people.

Social media, phone calls, text and email messages substitute when necessary, but they don’t replace face-to-face time with others.

 

 

 

 Which habits do you need more of?

Which of these resonates with you?

What will you need to change to make room for any of these in your life?

What will you gain if you have more of it in your life?

How will you get started?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exploring the HEART of Health

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you turn health challenges into health opportunities.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha