It’s been quite some time since I’ve been able to write, and I apologize for that. I’ve had many things happening that I’ve been mostly busy just trying to keep my sanity. I don’t do well with stress, so I felt the need to step away from a few things to get my mind and my soul back on track. Unfortunately, even us personal trainers can lose focus on our own health and fitness, and that is why I am writing today.

I had started putting together a boot camp to get started this summer. Well, due to circumstances beyond my control I was unable to get it started. I had some clients, I had everything ready, but I was unable to get my park permit although I tried up until the last minute. I cannot tell you the disappointment I felt, how heartbreaking that was for me after all the work I put into creating a boot camp business. In fact, I felt the sting of disappointment so strongly that I virtually stopped anything fitness related including my own workouts. That, my friends, is why I fell off the planet for a bit.

Slowly I’ve been getting back to myself. I’ve been getting my butt to the gym at least a few times a week as well as getting my nutrition under control. Some old friends have stepped in and created a private challenge for those of us struggling, so I am leaning on them for support right now. Yes, I ate ice cream last night for supper, but I refuse to beat myself up over that. Guilt and negative emotions start a vicious cycle of self-loathing I so desperately need to avoid. I do what I can and if I can’t I know there is a reason. I figure out that reason, dissect it, accept it, then get rid of it.

For my business, I sort of stumbled into a new idea thanks to a good friend of mine. If you notice I have a new offering for small group training called Fit Friends & Family. I’m still working out the logistics, but I have to tell you that my gut is telling me this is a better choice than a huge boot camp. Oh, I can still do the boot camps and I can hire trainers to do them. For me, though, I think working in a more intimate atmosphere with clients may be the better way for me personally.

So what’s the point of this post? Oh, there’s many reasons, but mostly I want to share with you my struggles which are the same struggles we all face every day. It’s tough out there now, but there’s no reason to get down on yourself.

Fall down seven times, get up eight – Japanese Proverb

So, I’m getting up for the 8th time…or 100th. I’ve lost count, but at least I’m getting back up. If you’ve fallen down, get back up with me. Ask for help if you need it, and treat yourself kindly.  ;-)

A very good article I wanted to share with you:

No More Exercise Excuses!

Busting 5 Common Workout Excuses

– By Leanne Beattie, Health and Fitness Writer

Today I had the best workout I’ve had in a long time! I’ve been feeling more rested lately, feeling that I have a little more room to breathe, and dragging myself to the gym. Today, though, I didn’t need to drag myself out. I was ready to go, I got there, put on my earphones and got to it. The music was great, it wasn’t too hot, and I practically had the gym to myself.

I had to think about what could have kicked in this great feeling and I finally decided it could only be one thing…I changed what time I go to the gym. That’s it! Just that one small thing seems to have worked a small miracle!

The other day I was asked by one of the gym regulars for any ideas I had that would help her drop belly fat. Knowing that she already eats well and excecises regularly, I gave her an idea I once used for myself that worked. I told her to cut out dairy (while upping her other calcium sources, of course!) I don’t recommend this for everyone, but for her we had to think of something to kick-start that fat loss.

So, if you’ve hit a wall somewhere, maybe by just changing something small, like what time you workout or eliminating one thing from your diet will get you moving in a forward direction again. If it doesn’t work, try something else. Just keep trying!

Train your mind – Listen to audio books while you exercise – Self-improvement and motivational books are an especially great choice. You’ll feel twice as productive, highly energized, and the time will fly by. As you work out, you will not only be focused on feeding your body, but also your mind. What a great way to give yourself a gift twice over!

Exercise of the day: Band Lat Raise Single Arm – The Band Lat Raise Single Arm is a great isolation shoulder exercise that will help you strengthen the entire shoulder area while traveling on the road or in the comfort of your home gym.
Click Here to see it in action!
Click here to Get Your GoFit ProGym to Build a New Body Today!

Fitness Gear: Ankle Weights

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Use a daily training planner – You have important commitments scheduled into your planner or calendar, right? Volunteer work, doctor”s appointments, children’s activities, etc. Where’s the exercise??? This commitment is as important as your other activities. If you”re having trouble fitting in a workout, mark “EXERCISE” in your planner with a bright colored marker, so it stands out as a reminder to get your butt in gear.

Exercise of the day: Ball Dumbbell Squats – The Ball Dumbbell Squats is an excellent lower body leg movement that uses the flexibility of dumbbells and the stability focus of an exercise ball.
Click Here to see it in action!
Click here to Get Your GoFit Exercise Ball to Build a New Body Today!

Fitness Gear: Rubber Medicine Ball

*Courtesy eFitnessTracker

Me & Bobbie on my 41st birthday

Yesterday my best friend (BFF), a lovely woman I met on an internet board for female bodybuilders, called me. She and I have been facing some fitness challenges this past year and are having a very hard time getting and keeping motivated.  At the beginning of the year, I was all gung-ho then got sick, then had mouth surgery, and my motivation got sucked right out of me.  So, now I’m faced with an upcoming Florida beach vacation and am out of excuses for getting serious. She is coming for a visit this weekend and we spoke a bit about how we can get motivated now that spring is right around the corner.

This past weekend was beautiful weather-wise, warm and clear. On Sunday after we spoke, I got up and took my dog for a short hike because I was doing nothing but being a slug. I was tired, and didn’t feel like really doing anything. My dog, on the other hand, had different ideas and wanted to go out, so we took a walk. What I had intended to be a short walk turned into an hour hike. I never even checked the time until we got back, and I was reminded that when you do something enjoyable, it takes the “work” out of workout. That’s what we need to do is stop letting fitness be a “have to” instead of a “want to”.

So, now my BFF will be here Thursday and we talked about making a plan. Knowing that it’s always better when you have a friend along for the journey, she and I will need to come up with something to keep each other motivated. For myself, I literally nailed my favorite bikini to my bathroom wall right above my scales. That’s not enough, though. I need something else to keep me going, and my BFF and I will figure this out together.

Some ideas:

1. Take pictures. She and I have done this before, and when you know you have to send in body shots every month or so, it’s a BIG motivator!
2. Determine a final reward. Although we both want to fit into certain clothes, I think it would be good to raise the stakes a bit. Maybe we both put up some money, spring for a nice dinner or gift cards for something?
3. Make and share your plans. Using the SMART goals system, set your goals for the long term all the way down to the weekly plans. Share this plan with your partner, have them share theirs, and make each other accountable to following through.  You can set up a private Facebook page, a blog, or a forum for you to post your progress. I think this is something she and I will have to do because she lives 6 hours from me. We’ve been doing this for years, though, so we know what to expect.
4. Use frequent rewards and penalties.You can use penalties and rewards for each phase. For instance, say you are going to do 180 minutes of cardio next week, but you only do 160, you owe your partner $1 for each minute not done. Conversely, you do 200 minutes, reward yourself with a pedicure. Make sure the penalty is painful enough that it will discourage a bad behavior, and make sure your rewards aren’t penalizing you in other ways, like eating a hot fudge sundae.
5. Have weekly or monthly check-ins. Using whatever standards you started with, use those at each check-in whether it be weight, body fat, inches and/or pictures.

There are many ways for BFFs to help each other out. The trick, though, still lies within you. Your BFF can’t make you eat right or do every workout if your reason isn’t good enough for yourself. You can’t do it for your spouse or your children, you can only do it for yourself. I’d be happy to hear your ideas and what has worked for you. Please feel free to leave comments.

This past week has been hard for me as a new problem has developed in my house. The pilot in the hot water heater goes out about every other day now. Monday morning I woke up, no hot water, and I decided to quit. I have just had enough, I try to keep it all together all the time, I don’t get out enough, and I just gave up. Who cares about losing fat, getting exercise, or trying to keep healthy? What’s the point? I was so upset I very nearly threw away my motivation picture, so instead I’ve just ignored her.

Then last night while reading one of the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris, it all started to fade away. Sure, it’s vampire fiction, but the books are set in my home state of Louisiana, and Sookie reminds me so much of people I grew up with. She has that southern woman’s no nonsense strength in her character, and many times she uses statements from her grandmother that I’ve also heard from mine. Sometimes you need to be reminded of those things, and lo and behold, I had my reminder in a vampire book! Go figure.

You see, I can’t quit. I don’t know how to quit. How can I quit when success is right around the corner? So, this morning, I got right back up on that horse, and I’m going to tackle one thing at a time. I have surgery Friday, and I know that nothing is going to get done this weekend while I recuperate. There’s no need to even waste time worrying, and there’s especially no need to fall off the nutrition wagon. When I worry, get sad or get stressed, I eat crap. I ate crap yesterday. I will feel better today just by not eating the bad stuff. Instead of pretending I don’t have a food journal to keep, I will keep my journal today. One thing, one day at a time.

Then, in addition to sage Sookie advice, as I waited on Max, my dog, to do his business last night, I remembered this quote from Abraham Lincoln:

Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.

I used to hate that quote. I used to believe that everything happened TO me and I lived in a victim mentality. Then, I came to realize that although things happen TO me, it doesn’t mean I have to  be reactive, I can now be proactive. Now I understand this quote, because I know that I could have continued to wallow in the mire, or I could choose to dust myself off and get back to it. I choose to get up, apply the bandages as needed, and plug on.

I hope that my journey helps you. Maybe you’re trying to lose weight, but life gets in the way at times. It does! The difference in the successful people is the successful ones don’t quit. Click here for a neat gathering of inspirational quotes about failure and success. I couldn’t just pick one to share with you, so read through here when you need help standing back up again.

You will always regret the workout you don’t do, but you’ll never regret the one that gets done.

I’m not sure where that quote comes from. I heard it from a friend once, and it stuck. We’re heading into the homestretch for the holidays now, so get rid of that Halloween candy, plan your meals, and don’t skip those workouts. Now’s when you need them the most.

 Today I bought the FitnessRx magazine for women, and flipping through the first few pages I found a picture that made my heart jump. Taking up an entire page is a picture of a gorgeous, fit, long – dark haired woman holding an EZ bar. If you go to the web site, click on the Digital Preview, you’ll find her a few pages in. I think my mind’s eye saw me as that fit, beautiful woman. She and I share the same coloring and long hair, but her body is nice and tight. Later, thinking of that picture I recognized that this picture is my motivation, so I decide to share it with you. Now here’s my thinking, and I want to see if you can think the same way:

I know if I want that body I can get it through hard work and dedication.

I can, so what about you? For me, the question is just how bad do I want it? I know exactly what it will take me to get to that, and for me, that is a whole lot of work! Honestly, I’m not thrilled knowing just how many hours of cardio along with weights it’s going to take, but I felt that ‘pang’ when I saw that picture.  I want to have that body by next May when the pool opens up, and they key will be to stay motivated for 7 months.

So how to motivate and stay motivated? I’m going to cut out her picture and put it on  my cork board in my closet where i will see it every day. Visualization is an important factor in getting what you want. You have to feel it, believe it, and have a burning desire to get it. I like to close my eyes and imagine what it will be like to wear cute, skimpy gym clothes in public, how I’ll walk in confidence at the pool, and how when I sit down I won’t have to suck in my tummy.

When it’s time to workout, I think ot myself, “I get to go workout!” If you think working out and eating better are chores, then you are dooming your efforts from the start. On the other hand, regard your new fitness endeavors with gratitude and you will begin to look forward to your workouts. Really, you are lucky to be healthy enough to stand on your two feet and walk, so why not act happy to take a nice brisk walk? You must rethink your attitude about becoming healthier, sexier, and stronger.

Positive self talk is another important factor in keeping motivated. Learn to re-phrase your thoughts, for example, instead of “My butt is too big for these jeans”, say “My butt is going to look fantastic in these!”  One trick I ike to use is to wear a rubber band on my wrist, and when I think something negative I snap it associating pain with negative thinking.

Reward Yourself

Knowing that I have 7 months for my pool debut, it will be helpful for me to break my goals down into smaller victories. Sometimes that may even be a daily task like getting your cardio done when you really don’t want to do it. Reward yourself for achieving these little miracles, and use rewards that will keep your eyes on the prize. My ultimate goal is to buy a really nice new bikini, but in the mean time I have to find other things. Something I think I may try is giving myself a day off from cardio for every 10 hours of cardio done.

One of the best things to do is partner with a friend, join a class or hire a personal trainer. When you have someone you know will be there to help you through the tough spots, you will be more likely to succeed. It’s about the accountability. If no one knows you are scheduled to go to the gym, then it may be easier for you to back out. Of course, plunking down some money in return for services also will motivate you much more! You don’t want that precious cash to go to waste!

Lastly, variety is the spice of life and workouts. Not only will doing different things be fun, it’s also good for your body. Play tennis, take the dog for a hike, ride bikes, or do anything that gets you moving. A friend of mine raves about the new Wii Active saying it’s more like a real workout. Make sure to change up your strength training routines also.  Your muscles get used to doing the same things, and changing things up a bit keeps them working correctly.

I hope you are able to find your own motivation to become more fit and active. You’ll know what it is when your body has a physical reaction like I did. I felt those butterflies of excitement, and I began to think about actually going for the goal. If your goal is long way off, you have the gift of time on your side along with time when your will may begin to crack. Get everyone you know on board with your plans, plan your attack, and start your journey. You will get there with work and a burning desire to win.

So you’ve set your goals, you’ve planned your workouts and meals, and you’ve been so very good at keeping up the hard work for a month. Weeks 1 – 4 you lost 2 pounds a week! Week 5 you take your stats, and your weight has not dropped any. Hm. You decide to add more cardio knowing that’ll blast that fat! Week 6 stats actually show a .8 weight gain.  Oh dear! Okay, then you’ll drop those calories as low as you can possibly go, and surely another extra 30 minutes of cardio will do the trick. At Week 7 you’ve made no progress. You are frustrated, decide this whole healthy lifestyle is for the birds, and quit. Or you eat a vat of Ben & Jerry’s. Better yet, you keep changing things every couple of days knowing that something will kick in. Your trainer then fires you, and yes I said your trainer fires YOU. It’s no use if you don’t follow a plan whether it be your trainer’s plan or your own, and if you’ve gone off willy nilly, then really your trainer is nothing more than a workout partner.

1st attepmt

So what do you do? When you hit a plateau, or are just having a hard time being motivated, this is the time to get out that goal sheet and re-evaluate.  The first question you have to ask yourself is, how bad do you want it? Let me tell you a little about my story. When I decided to start dating again in my mid 30s I knew I need to get my body in better shape if I wanted to have more possibilities. I wanted to look good, and the closer I got to my goal, the more compliments I got, which just pushed me harder to get in the gym. I wanted to date who I wanted to date, not just date anyone I could get a wink from. I met some really wonderful people that way, and I had a blast doing it.

You decided you want it so bad you can taste that pink bikini. What you need to do next is some math. Okay, I hated math, but I found out it’s actually kind of fun playing with numbers when it comes to weight loss. Compare your calories in versus your calories out. Look at how many calories you burn in a workout and see if that’s putting you too far into a deficit. If your workout and nutrition combined bring you below 1200 calories (As an example only. Your minimum requirement may vary.), your body has most likely gone into starvation mode. This means it thinks you are trying to starve it so it will hold tight to your fat and store it. For example:

• Your daily caloric intake is 1500
• Your cardio workout of intervals on the treadmill for 60 minutes burned 450 calories.
• This left your body only 1050 calories to live off of sending it into panic mode.

The solution to this problem (and I can already hear the ladies!) is to increase your calorie consumption. This seems to be the hardest concept for women to grasp, but if you try it you will see a difference. 

• Increase your calories to at least 1650
• Workout burns 450
• Leaving you your minimum of 1200

On the other hand, you may be doing the opposite and eating too much, and eating the wrong foods. If you’re consuming 2300 calories a day and your workout burns 450, this leaves you 1850 calories to burn. If your body only needs 1200, then you have 650 extra calories you need to dump.  If this is the case I strongly suggest reducing your caloric intake by about 10% at a time. A sudden change can panic your body as well.

Once you figure out the numbers of the plateau, what about motivation? When you set down your goals, did you ever think of the true, deep, real reason why? One thing I think needs to be reiterated is that you should never makes changes for someone else because in the end, it just won’t work. You have to decide this is for you, and what is it in you that wants this?

• Do you want to be able to ride bikes with your kids?
• Do you want to be able to buy clothes without trying them on?
• Did your doctor tell you your health is in danger?
• Do you want to look better than that 27 year old at the pool?

This is when you need to dig deep to find what will get your butt up and to the gym, and keep that chocolate pie out of your mouth.  What is so important to you that you would learn to eat sugar free foods, or run in the rain? Use this questionnaire  (courtesy of Office Arrow) to help you find what it will take for you to achieve your goals. Personally, this began as a vanity issue and remains

Spring Ft. McPherson Power Lifting Challenge

so. I was active way back in high school, and remained unhealthy until my mid-30s. You can do this too.

Lastly, I want to talk about self talk. Today on my Facebook page I decided to post something positive as opposed to all the negative Monday posts. I posted how grateful I am to have not flooded last week, and to have a job that I get to go to today. Whenever you find yourself saying things like, “I might as well eat that hamburger anyway, I’ve already blown my whole diet”, make it a positive statement with something like, “I will eat the burger without the bun so I won’t destroy all my hard work with one burger.”  Don’t say or think you’re fat; think you are a beautiful work in progress. Don’t think yourself too weak to run 20 minutes; know that you have the ability to work your way up to the time.

There you have it in very simple terms. To lose weight/fat you need to have a plan with some expertise to back you up. Find friends and others who are working towards like goals and help each other. Research new recipes on the internet. Hire a trainer to get you motivated, to give you a reason to go to the gym. I hope I have helped some of you, and please feel free to email me if you have questions.  We are approaching the holiday season which begins with Halloween, the mega candy night, through teh New Year. You have plenty of time to plot how to get into that bikini, but if you need to get started now, we’ll talk about ways to survive the upcoming holidays. As always, remember on-line training is available when you’re pinching pennies.

Part 1: Setting Goals

Part 2: Nutrition

Part 3: Exercise

Part 4: Plateau Busting

I’ve decided to start a little series on the best way to approach and plan for a successful fat loss program from the beginning. Many times we just know we need, should or want to lose weight, but we don’t know how to go about it successfully. The key word here is successfully. The old adage of  fail to plan, plan to fail is most relevant to planning a program that will not only insure fat loss but give you with the tools to keep it off. I want to walk you through the process from setting your goals through maintenance so you have a more clear and concise vision of the planning process.

 Part 1: Goal Setting

S.M.A.R.T. Goals

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Realistic
• Timed/Trackable

Using this system for achieving any goal you set in any area of your life will yield you much success. Let’s look at how they can help you develop a fat loss plan using this statement:

“I want to lose weight.”

Specific: You need to bring that statement down even further, to a specificnumber, a certain goal weight, a certain percentage of fat loss or an amount of pounds.

Measurable: You need to decide the criteria you will measure, such as inches lost, pounds lost, or body fat percentage.

Attainable:This one’s a toughie when it comes to weight/fat loss. Sometimes we can be a bit unrealistic when setting a goal for weight loss, and here is where we need to pay attention to our bodies. If you have a large amount to lose, try breaking it up into phases, maybe 30 pounds in the first 3 months. The best thing to do is break each goal into smaller, more attainable goals. This is setting yourself up for success, not failure.

Realistic: This goes hand in hand with attainable goals. The way to know if your goal is realistic is if deep down you truly believe you can reach it. If you think you can’t, you won’t.

Timed/Trackable:This one is so important! You must set a deadline for goal that will help keep you focused on the task at hand. I have an annual goal of being bikini ready when the pool opens where I live. I know when I need to start getting ready, and I know a specific date it has to be done.

Now, let’s apply S.M.A.R.T. goals to our original statement:

“I will lose 2 pounds a week for 5 weeks by sticking to 1600 calories a day, and doing five 30 minute workouts per week.”

 Here is a good worksheet to use to start planning. You must get them written down, make them real, then make a pact with yourself to stick to it. Next we’ll talk about how to plan your nutrition and how to choose a plan to suit your needs. For now, work on making SMART goals.