Dear Friends,

Welcome to Take The Magic Step! On behalf of the entire Take The Magic Step team I so wish that we could be right there beside YOU every day to help YOU on the road to better wellbeing. But since that is not possible, our Web site was created for you. We hope you will find inspiration and ideas that can help you take the magic step to positive changes in your life.

Since everyone is unique, “Take The Magic Step” can mean different things to different people. It is a phrase I used often when I was a professional athlete to encourage people to take the first step of their journey to fitness, health and positive change.

Through my work with individuals and groups over the past 10 years, I have learned so much from every person I met—their desire to change, their willpower to go on a journey to better fitness, and their focus to reach an ultimate goal. I tried to see beyond their expressions, maybe catch a glimpse of their dreams, but also their struggles. Over the years, the successful combination of this experience and my unique approach to physical and mental fitness during my athletic career, became the foundation of the philosophy we try to pass on within Take The Magic Step. 

This philosophy is based on the belief that change begins with the inspiration to change the way you think, since your thoughts create your actions, and your actions create the life you could have. Then, by approaching your goal of feeling better and getting healthier with consistency, determination, and patience—and taking the time to have some fun along the way—you will create the positive momentum needed to stay motivated.

To help you get the most out of our Web site, we have divided our information into three sections: Beginners, Athletes, and Families. So first it is useful to decide what you are. Here are some simple guidelines (and please, do not worry if you overlap, you can take advice from different sections to make your reading more beneficial).

Beginners: You have decided to get fit and now you would like to know how to accomplish your goals. (By the way, congratulations!) Really, you are a beginning athlete.

Athletes: You already have some knowledge about—and experience in—fitness training. You are a beginning, intermediate, or advanced athlete.

Families: You are a bold youngster who wants to develop a healthy lifestyle now or you are a parent who wants to start your family on a healthier lifestyle. And this section is for you if perhaps you are older and still want to be the fittest you can be.

Once you have decided, simply click your chosen category in the middle of our home page. Or you can click the “YOU” button at the top of any of our web pages for some featured articles in your category.

In the “YOU” section, you’ll find ideas that can help you achieve a greater sense of wellbeing. Our goal is to first provide thought-provoking content to inspire you to a better lifestyle—the central focus of our concept—and then provide you with content on nutrition, training and exercise, yoga, and health management that lets you follow that inspiration to a rewarding and balanced lifestyle. This educational process is sometimes challenging, often joyful, and always rewarding. I like to call it “Intensity Meets Playfulness™—all done one small step at a time!”

The articles and other information on this Web site are made possible by the dedication of an wonderful team gathered together over years of successful competition and study. Our international company of writers and fitness & health experts discuss, debate, translate, and clarify the latest research on a variety of topics. I am grateful for their generosity of knowledge, time, and good humor, and feel blessed to have their support in sharing with others what works for me and other fitness and health advocates.

In November 2004, very much at the start of our fitness and health project, I incorporated the name Take The Magic Step® for both our organization and our philosophy. In early 2008, with the help of our loyal readers, Michael Reger and I established Take The Magic Step Foundation™ to expand our ability to help children and adults facing health or economic hardships. This foundation works hand in hand with our organization to help people lead better lives.

We deeply appreciate your interest in our philosophy and are honored that you come to us so we can share ideas that may help you achieve a greater sense of wellbeing. Our success and charitable endeavors over these past few years would not have been possible without the feedback and contributions of people like yourself.

From everyone at Take The Magic Step®, a heartfelt “thank you” for your continued support.

Wishing you happiness and good health!