The One Word Answer To Your Fitness Questions

If you’re like most people you struggle with your weight. Perhaps you are one of the many who lose weight and then gain it all back again; can there be anything more frustrating? Maybe you have been carrying around unwanted weight for years and have lost all hope. It is never too late and everyone has the ability to lose weight.

In my business, I get to see the people who fail to lose their weight and the people who succeed; I see it first hand every day and have been for years. I can honestly tell you that losing weight comes down to one thing and one thing only. What is it? Consistency.

This hit me one day when I was just looking around my gym at all the people working out. Most of them have been members for years and so I know their patterns. The ones who are fit and have kept their weight off are the ones who are consistent with their workouts and consistent with their eating habits. The ones who go up and down in weight or just stay up are the ones who come to the gym in spurts, we’ll see them regularly for a while and then they disappear only to reappear sometime later feeling awful and heavy.

Consistency is the answer! It is number one thing you need to work on in order to achieve weight loss success. It is what clearly separates the fit from the fat. If you conquer this than everything else will simply fall into place and you will lose weight.

I am hoping that you will see this as good news, not bad. Consistency does not mean perfect. What it means is that you stay on track 80% of the time. You may miss a workout or two a month but you don’t disappear from the gym for weeks. You may have pizza and beer a couple of times a month but the majority of the time your diet is healthy. That is what consistency means and it is what is needed to lose weight and keep it off.

The biggest problem we see in this business is the off and on/start and stop trap that so many people fall into when they want to lose weight. A person will start eating better and working out and than a few weeks go by, they miss a workout and go out to eat and bam! Just like that they are taken off course. The key is to miss that workout and go out to eat and then wake up the next day and get right back on track. That is consistency in a nutshell.

Losing weight is made out to be too difficult when it just doesn’t have to be. If you have weight to lose, make a plan that is doable so that you can be consistent and stick with it. Write it down if you have to, whatever makes it more real and permanent for you. Learn to deal with going out to eat without it sending you into a feeding frenzy that lasts for weeks. No one ever gained weight by eating one big meal, but many people gain weight by eating big meals often. Learn to prioritize your workout times so that you stay consistent, exercise is key to taking and keeping weight off. Be consistent and enjoy as you lose your unwanted weight.

Interval Training - See Dramatic Results with Interval Training

Interval training is a great way to spice up a workout and get awesome results. Do you ever find that your cardiovascular workout routine is getting a little too repetitive, a little too boring? Boredom is a huge problem and one of the main reasons people give up on exercise, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are so many different ways to challenge your body and your mind during your workouts that you should never feel bored.

The key is to always keep learning new things and to learn variations of the exercises and routines you are currently doing. One of these variations is aerobic interval training and that is what we are going to talk about today.

So what is aerobic interval training? Basically, it means working out by alternating bursts of intense activity with intervals of light activity. This type of training can be done by anyone and with any aerobic activity. Let’s use walking as an example. If you’re already in pretty good shape and you’ve been walking for a while, you might incorporate short bursts of jogging into your regular brisk walks. If you’re more of a beginner, you might just alternate faster, harder walking with leisurely walking.

For example, if you are walking outside you could pick a landmark in the distance like a tree or a stop sign and pick up the intensity until you get to it. If you’re working out on a treadmill or elliptical machine, it is as easy as watching the timer on the machine and timing your light intensity and high intensity intervals.

There are many advantages to interval training. Perhaps the most popular is that interval training burns more calories without spending more time in the gym, who doesn’t like the sound of that? There are other benefits as well, like improving your aerobic capacity, which is great news for your workouts but more importantly it is great news for your heart and lungs. Interval training is also nice because it doesn’t require drastic changes to your routine or any kind of special equipment.

Whatever type of cardiovascular exercise you are doing now can be easily converted into interval training. This type of training will grow with you as you progress. Getting started is as easy as choosing the length and speed of your high intensity intervals. Obviously the length and speed can be altered depending of how you are feeling that day, it is all up to you.

Of course this does require you to be more disciplined during your workout. It is up to you to do your intervals at a level that will challenge you and only you can determine what that level is. Also, as with any exercise routine, it is important to warm up first. You want to make sure your body is warmed up before you go into your first interval.

If you are working out seriously to improve sports performance, this type of training is also a good choice for you. In this case, you may want to look at interval training a little more seriously. A personal trainer or other fitness expert can help you plan the intensity and duration of your intervals based on your target heart rate, aerobic capacity and other factors.

No matter what your fitness level, aerobic interval training is something you can use to boost your workout, relieve some boredom and challenge your body. Why not try it today?

So, What Are You Most Thankful For?

So what are you most thankful for? Being that it is Thanksgiving I hope that some of you have pondered this a bit. It’s interesting but when most people talk about what they are most thankful for it is their family, friends and health that top the list. Why do I find this interesting? Because I don’t think most of us concentrate on these things in relevance to them being what is most important to us.

Think about your average day or week. How much of that time is dedicated to family, friends and your health? Most of the people I come across are so caught up in the daily grind that these self-imposed most important things are not at the top of the list. People are very quick to say they are too busy to make phone calls, visit loved ones or get in a workout. It is everyone’s favorite excuse; I’m too busy.

Other people have no problem accepting this excuse because then they can use it too. What goes around comes around, right? Can you imagine if next Thanksgiving you did not have your spouse to be thankful for? Can you imagine if by next Thanksgiving you had lost a dear friendship because they tired of your excuses? Can you imagine that next Thanksgiving you no longer had your precious good health? Like the old saying goes, ‘you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone’.

Good health is so valuable but you would never know it by the way many people treat it. Let’s face it, we take it for granted. We act like it is a birthright and it will always be there for us. It will never happen to us, just the other people, right? I’d like to take the famous JFK quote and turn it around on you. ‘Ask not what your body can do for you, ask what you can do for you body’.

So what can you do for your body? You can nourish it instead of just filling it with useless and empty calories. You can move your body instead of having it sit in front of the TV. That’s it you ask? Yep, that’s it. Just think about it, your amazing body and all it does for you and all it asks for in return are healthy nutrition and movement. Is that a bargain or what?

The time to really think about this is now, before you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, clogged arteries and excess body fat and the many diseases they cause. Many of you already have one or more of these conditions. Have you taken responsibility for them? By taking responsibility you are regaining control of the situation and when you know that you are in control than you will do what is necessary to reverse these ailments.

Healthy nutrition and exercise have been proven to not just stop the progressions of heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol but to actually reverse them! I hope that has you excited and ready to take action! Too often I see people wallowing in self-pity because of their high blood pressure when I know that they eat sodium rich cold cuts, red meat, processed cheese and other junk food. Why should we feel sorry for someone who won’t take any responsibility? Frankly, I don’t feel sad as much as I do angry.

I feel that most people in our society are on a very slippery slope when it comes to their health and it is scary. It’s up to each of us to take care of ourselves, and it should be at the top of our priority list.

Michael Moore to the rescue?

There is sure a lot of talk about our countries health care system these days. And with a presidential election coming it is only going to intensify. No doubt all the pandering will heat up from candidates who are going to tell you what they think you want to hear, that they will ‘fix’ health care, whatever that means.
As a fitness professional, I joined the Michael Moore Health Challenge. Have you heard about it? It is an email campaign started by people in the fitness industry to plead with Michael Moore to take control of his health and set a good example and it is gaining lots of momentum. As we all know, Michael Moore is very outspoken and eager to highlight the flaws, both real and imagined, in our health care system. Like everything else he speaks about, he finds a way to blame the current administration and make it a very political discussion. But what he fails to realize is that to many people, myself included, he himself is the epitome of the problem with health care in this country. He takes absolutely no responsibility for his own health but believes that everyone else should be forced to contribute for his health care. He wants the government to take care of him when he doesn’t take care of himself.
Now, obviously Michael Moore can afford his own healthcare, but the premise is still the same. As a nation we are getting more and more unhealthy by our own choosing and it is simply not fair to have a system where people who take good care of their health would have to pay as much or even more than people who don’t. Of course anyone can get sick, but we have to get real. The #1 killer in this country is heart disease, and the number of people on cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes medications is absolutely staggering and the obesity rate is nearing 50%. Heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes can be alleviated or prevented in a majority of cases through lifestyle change. We all know it is true but when the subject is discussed it is usually left out. For some reason it is preferable to make people victims of a system or genetics than to empower them, how sad.
The answer is to live a healthy lifestyle and take preventative measures, not eat whatever you want, get fat, smoke and avoid exercise and then go crying to the health care system to make you better.
If it weren’t so sad, I would actually think that it is funny to see Michael Moore, the poster boy for bad health and over indulgence, ridicule a president who has set an incredible example for fitness and good health. In no way am I speaking politically, no matter what you think of President Bush, his positive example for taking personal responsibility for health and fitness cannot be denied.
I know this is a tough subject but I think it is so important to really face reality when it comes to health. We all claim to know how important it is but yet it is continuously taken for granted and put at risk. Sometimes I think that the reason people are so willing to not make their health a priority is because of our amazing health care system and the incredible advances that have been made. I mean, whatever you bring on yourself they have a pill for, right?
If you would like to participate in the Michael Moore Health Challenge, send an email to healthychallenge@gmail.com and ask Michael Moore to use his notoriety in a positive way by setting a good example and taking responsibility and control over his own health.

Think positively for positive results

Owning a gym is a very rewarding business, offering people a nice place to workout and also seeing people making positive changes in their health and their lives; it is a dream come true. In this business we see how exercise affects people physically and emotionally but we also see how peoples emotions affect how or even if they exercise.

Let me give you an example. The other day a woman came in to check out the gym. Immediately after the greetings were over she told me how she hated to exercise and then as I gave her a tour I heard a list a reasons on why she didn’t think she could do it. Now, don’t get me wrong I’m glad she came in because these are the type of people that we really like to help, but her attitude may very well cause her to fail.

We hear things like this all the time whether it be people saying ‘I hate it’ or ‘I can’t do it’ or ‘I’m too out of shape to do that class’ or ‘I’m just not motivated’. This gets me to thinking about the way we talk to ourselves.

Negative self-talk is very self-destructive and yet many people do it. If you tell yourself that you hate something than how can you expect a positive result? I’m a firm believer that your fitness routine needs to start in your head. If you tell yourself you can’t, you won’t. If you tell yourself that you are not capable, you will never be capable. If you put exercise at the bottom of your priority list, it will stay there.

Instead, tell yourself that you deserve to workout and feel good. Look at exercise as a gift you give to yourself. Tell yourself that you will do your very best and then do your best, whatever that is, and be proud! Tell yourself that you want to have more energy; the list goes on and on. I think there are several reasons why people talk themselves out of working out and I think they are based in fear. If you tell yourself that you are going to start an exercise routine, you may be afraid that you will not stick with it and sometimes that is too big a risk to take. Other people may be afraid of the environment and feel that they don’t belong.

All I can say is that every single person started somewhere and just because someone you see is in good shape doesn’t mean that they were always that way. They very well may have started out in poor physical shape.

Another common fear is the realization that this is a lifestyle, not something to do for a couple of months and then stop. Fear of commitment is common. This is where that positive self-talk comes in handy. You know logically that exercise is going to make you feel better, stay healthy, relieve stress, look better and improve the quality of your life. These are just some of the positive reinforcements that you can give yourself in a moment of weakness.

I am no stranger to these struggles. I remember times in my own life when I told myself that ‘I worked all day, I deserve to go home and relax’ when in actuality I felt 100% better when I started adding exercise to my day.

So the next time you start to talk yourself out of going out for a walk or going to the gym ask yourself what you are really trying to avoid and why. Ask yourself what you want to do for yourself…nothing or something wonderful!

We're starting outdoor fitness boot camps!

I have to tell you, I can't remember the last time that something had us this excited. Our Totally Fit Boot Camp is something we have wanted to bring to the Lehigh Valley area for some time and it is finally happening!

Have you ever seen photos of a boot camp or read articles about this type of challenging workout and thought, 'man, I wish I had someone pushing me like that'? I know I have. Well, starting Septmenber 10th, everyone in our area will have that opportunity and we are psyched about it.

Find out all about it at www.totallyfitbootcamp.com

In this business you learn things from people. And one of the many things I have learned is that the majority of people want to exercise and feel better, they just have a hard time either getting started or staying motivated. Does this sound familiar? It's ok, you are not alone. One of the reasons we are so excited about these boot camps is that this is another way to motivate people to get moving and have fun and feel better. That is always what is at the core of what we strive to do in our gym and our other endeavors.

I hope that you will take a moment to check out the site www.totallyfitbootcamp.com This could be just the thing you are looking for.

So, it's McDonalds fault?

Last week there was BIG news that McDonalds had perfected marketing to children as young as 4 years old. These kids were attracted to the McDonalds packaging and chose it over the same food in plain packaging. This is news? Not to me, it isn't. And it also isn't something to get so darn upset over as many people have.

Four year olds are not responsible for feeding themselves, they don't do the food shopping and they certainly don't grab the keys and head over to McDonalds. Last week was a perfect example of misplaced blame and irrational fear. There were groups of concerned citizens who wanted to ban together to 'do something' about McDonalds. How can this possibly be?

McDonalds is doing what every successful business strives to do, they are hitting their marketing target. Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing I would ever eat at McDonalds. I don't go there. And it is that simple, don't go there. Don't act like this corporation is coming to your house and kidnapping your child and making them eat their food. It is the responsibility of the parents and no one else when it comes to what children eat.

On a side note, if it were not for television commercials and being taken to McDonalds than none of these children would have had the reaction they did. Who shall we blame for that?

Who holds you back?

I feel pretty certain that most of you can relate to having someone in your life who holds you back, who gets in the way of every good plan or intention you may have. Obviously this type of thing can play out in all aspects of life but were going to talk about it in regards to health and fitness. This is a fairly common problem when someone decides to make healthy lifestyle choices and better him or herself and it is very frustrating.
You know what I mean, don’t you? There’s the friend you tells you it is all right for you to skip your workout and go to happy hour instead. There is the spouse who prefers sitting around the house instead of going for walks, who brings ice cream and cookies home or always wants to go out to eat. There is the sister or brother who will tell you what you are doing is ‘stupid’.
The sad fact of the matter is this; there are lots of people out there who are overweight and out of shape and not interested in expending the energy to do anything about it. They want to bring you down with them, it’s the whole ‘misery loves company’ mindset. Maybe it makes them feel a little better about themselves if you are right there with them or possibly even better if you are more out of shape then they are. This is all very sad but we all know there is truth to it. They want to sit around and do nothing and they want you to sit around with them.
I’m no psychologist but I imagine another reason that the people in our lives act this way is because of fear. They fear you will change and that the new and improved you will not want to spend time with them anymore. Your first reaction to that may be to think that that is ridiculous and it would not happen but it depends on the relationship. If spending time with someone means going out to eat burgers and drink beer then you really may not want to spend time with them anymore.
When you really start to embrace a healthy lifestyle with good nutrition and exercise you feel so great and you may really start to think twice before you do things that will sabotage that great feeling. Let’s be honest nobody feels great after wings and beer. So, believe it or not, if you really want to make permanent healthy lifestyle changes than some relationships will either have to change or be left behind.
In the beginning it is challenging to adopt a new lifestyle and what you need from the people you surround yourself with is support, not sabotage. After you get used to your new lifestyle you will feel so good and have so much energy that you will not want to do things that will take away from that great feeling. There are going to be people who just don’t get it and that is that. They may make fun of you or fear that you’ve changed. Let them know that if they really cared about you they would be happy that you are taking good care of yourself and not be bringing you down. If they can’t be supportive than you have a decision to make, don’t you?
Don’t get me wrong we all indulge from time to time, that is life, but it should not be a constant thing and it does not have to be the center of our social activities. It is that mindset that has gotten this society in the terrible state of health we are in.

The Tragedy of Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity; it’s a subject that is constantly in the news and on many people’s minds. You can’t help but notice it. On any given day you are bound to see many overweight children, some severely overweight. I just cannot get my head around it. I don’t understand how it can be this way and constantly be getting worse.

But then I happened by a special on the television last week. The show was a forum on childhood obesity. There was a panel of professionals. There were doctors, nutritionists, exercise physiologists and dieticians. Everyone was voicing their concerns with just how serious the problem of childhood obesity has become and all of the horrible health consequences these children are facing and are likely to face as they get older. Sounds like a good show, right? Well, I could not help but notice that overwhelmingly the conversation turned to what the government and the food manufacturers and the community, etc. can do to fix it. I was waiting for them to suggest aliens come down from outer space and solve the problem.

They talked about the absence of gym classes in some schools, the quality of food served in school cafeterias, the absence of government programs educating the public on health. These things may be true but where is the talk about what is going on in the home. Why does it seem that people don’t want to address the role of the parents? Does it go against political correctness to do so?

When I think back to when I was young, a child’s exercise did not come from the gym class they took, it came from being active when we weren’t in school whether that be sports, the playground or just playing out in front of the house. Often these days people will say it is not safe for kids to go out and play, well whatever happened to watching your kids play or playing with them or taking them to a playground? It’s just one more excuse.

As for the food in the cafeteria, it was no different than it is today; in fact it was probably worse since some schools have begun to make improvements. Of course if you really think your child’s health if suffering because of cafeteria food than why don’t you pack them a lunch instead of waiting for things to change? And education, well we know much more these days about health and fitness than we did in previous generations. So why is it that personal responsibility is not even on the table when it comes to these discussions. I literally could not believe what I was hearing on this show.

There were parents of obese children on the show and not one of the panel members had the idea to say, get the junk out of your house, feed your children nutritious food and go out and move with your kids. It is easier to say that parents are too busy and don’t have the time to cook than to say that if you’re a parent than part of being a good parent is to provide healthy meals. There are many busy, working parents who cook for their kids. This is just one more excuse in a sea of excuses that people use. We want to blame McDonalds and we want to blame the hydrogenated fats in the prepackaged foods that are in the grocery stores because then we don’t have to put the blame where it belongs, with ourselves. We need a wake up call and we need it quickly.