More Information Than Ever yet Less Results?

All it takes is one trip to the book store or even to the grocery store checkout line to see that there is more than enough information regarding fat loss. The issue, the majority of it is junk! We know more about the human body, biochemistry, and physics than ever before yet we are getting larger, less healthy, and lethargic...

If personal trainers, PhDs of Nutrition, and dietitians can get caught up in this nearly useless information, what is someone who has never studied and trusts the magazines and the "low carb guru" suppose to do? Granted, the personal trainers, PhDs, and dietitians can sort through the information and come back to the basics that matter, but most people will be swept away in Acai Berries, or no carb junk, or what have you. 

This is a call to STOP looking at magazines. If you enjoy learning new tricks and you have the basics down then fine, but if you are struggling with losing any weight please do NOT read the magazines and fad books. Learn the basics. People learn so much they get "analysis paralysis." You're better off focusing on veggies, lean protein, and some fruit along with a few other basic habits then you are trying to stay up to date. The human body has not changed. Physiology has not changed. Our "food," habits, and mind sets have changed. 

Most people know what it takes. Eat less, move more, get your veggies. If you aren't losing weight, you're eating too many calories and/or not moving enough. It's that simple. Stop studying, start DOING! And get an accountability partner or two. You'll be glad you did. Not to mention your stress levels will drop because you aren't being confused by "gurus" and "experts."

You're better off doing something mediocre that is based on solid common sense than you are not doing the most advanced, science-based program.




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Calorie Control the Simple Way

Seriously, calorie counting works wonders, but isn't there a simpler way? The way I see it there are two options, eat whatever TYPE of food you want and just count every last calorie because the food you love is so calorie dense, or eat REAL food and just control portions with a few easy habits and methods. By the way, chances are the food you love that is energy dense is NOT nutrient dense so you'll only be able to eat tiny amounts and you won't even come close to the nutrition your body needs to have the energy you want and that tight, fit feeling. Personally, I'll take the real food and keep the other food as treats. That's right, you don't have to give up your favorite dishes! Just keep them under control. Check it out: Calorie Control Guide for Men and Women

Change for a Better Life

When I was training at an awesome bootcamp, someone told me that, after a year of hard work, for the first time they were playing with their kids and their kids were tired before she was! To see that she could actually catch them while playing tag and she could out-endure them was an eye opener to her and to me! She added a TON of value to her life through habit change! To see the emotion and how much that meant to her was AWESOME!
 
Recently I have been looking into becoming a Wellness/Life Coach. Throughout the years I've noticed that those who get and KEEP the results most people are searching for focus on lifestyle change. They gradually change their habits. They realize that they have been stagnant and they aren't where they want to be. They see a potential future of not having energy, having diabetes, obesity, not being able to enjoy playing with their kids and grandchildren, and so on if they don't do something about it now. They also see the life they could have. High energy, lean (doesn't have to mean six-pack), healthy, vibrant, playing with their kids and grandchildren, going on adventures... fulfilling whatever their life goals are! 

I've also noticed that many personal training clients come and go. They come in, a personal trainer gives them into a routine but they never really see change. Those who are truly motivated get fantastic results whether they came in with that fire in their heart or the personal trainer is a great coach and helped them reach that level of motivation. This bugs me. There must be a better way of helping people change their own lives! Not just set a New Years Resolution and spend hundreds of dollars to end up right back where they started.

Then I see Wellness Coaching on the rise. People who help guide others through life. They help get rid of the clutter in your mind and help you focus your efforts on your true goals. I see these coaches helping others get phenomenal results and those results generally stay for a lifetime! Having a strong love for restoration and improvement, I want to help others get better together! I don't want them to just come in, do their workout and walk out frustrated. If they are happy with what they are doing, that's great, but I'm talking about those who are struggling and feel "stuck."

So what's the point of this article? To open your eyes to possibility and a new part of the health and fitness industry that is on the rise and has a GREAT potential for helping change people's lives. You can reach your goals! These Wellness Coaches can help! 

Check out more in this article.




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A Lesson From the Successful

Ya know when you go into a store just to see if there's a deal. You think, "there may be ONE thing that is a steal." Well today I went into a Goodwill with that thought in my mind. Maybe there is something worth getting, maybe not, but I'm already driving by so I might as well see.

Well to my surprise I walked out with $25 in books. Now this may not seem like much but keep in mind this is Goodwill. The most expensive book was only $2.99! 

Here's a list of what I found:

     1.) "Developing the Leader Within You" by John C. Maxwell
     2.) "The 3-Hour Diet" by Jorge Cruise
     3.) "The Rational Manager" by Charles H. Kepner and Benjamin B. Tregoe
     4.) "Wins, Losses, and Lessons" by Jou Holtz
     5.) "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey
     6.) "Inbound Marketing" by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah
     7.) "The Discipline of Market Leaders" Michael Treacy and Fred Wiersema
     8.) "Leadership Secrets of the World's Most Successful CEOs" by Eric
          Yaverbaum
     9.) "YouTube for Business" by Michael Miller
     10.) "The Starbucks Experience" by Joseph A. Michelli
     11.) "Business Plans That Work" by Jeffry A. Timmons, Andrew Zacharakis, 
          and Stephen Spinelli

Well that's all fine and dandy but what's the point? Well there are 2 points here:

1.) NEVER stop learning!

The more I observe and read about the successful, whether CEOs, stay at home moms, and someone in the middle of their journey to better health, they all share a certain habit. They are always learning. Now this doesn't mean looking for the newest fad information and what have you, the successful search for TRUTH. They observe other people, read books, and so on. They even hang out with people who are further along the road they want to take! That is KEY! Did you absorb that? The crowd you hang around will affect who you become! Zig Ziglar even suggests investing in "automobile university."

2.) Truth!

As I mentioned above, the successful search for truth! People all over the world are becoming more and more hungry for truth. I personal believe this is one reason why Dave Ramsey's books and services sell so well.

Notice in the list of books I got, there was only 1 book related to fitness and nutrition. This isn't just because I have already learned what the other books were about but because many of them were junk! They were about fad diets! I saw a few that were actually decent and about the PRINCIPLES behind weight loss and body transformation. That's why I made this blog, to help you.

Continued learning will not only expand your horizons but it helps keep you focused on whatever you are learning about. The more you learn about weight loss and being healthy, the more you think about it and the better the chance of your habits changing! Listening to the Bible while driving may help keep you more focused on God instead of holding a grudge against the guy who cut you off. 

I conclusion, "Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance," Proverbs 1:5

"Suck" up the knowledge.

For those of you who recognize Dunkin Donuts colors, that is a Dunkin Donuts straw I am using to pretend to drink information from a Starbucks book. Oops! :)

Dreaming is Great, Action is Better

This post is going to be more of a quick ramble/thoughts type of post.

What stops most people from reaching for their dreams and accomplishing them? Recently, I've been dreaming about owning a business and becoming one of the top fitness professionals in the country... not to gloat. I noticed I actual felt scared. Scared of the unknown? Yeah. But was I scared of actually succeeding? It was weird but finally I thought, "Why not? Why not actually become a leader in this industry? What's stopping me?" I came to the conclusion that I was stopping myself! No one else and nothing else! Sure there is the fear of the unknown but success doesn't usually come overnight. There's time to learn. You work and reach a certain level of success and slowly progress higher and higher. Realizing that I'd get use to the success as I went relieved some of the fear. Sure I'd be pushing my comfort zone but isn't that one of the habits of highly effective people that Stephen Covey wrote about?

So now I give you the same question. Are you afraid of success? Are you actually afraid of having your dream body? A better financial situation? Or maybe are you afraid of the process... what it will take to get there?

If so, why are you afraid? It takes time to change and with that time comes a new, larger comfort zone. You'll learn along the way and over time success and pushing your comfort zone will become habit. Change will become comfortable and you'll be pushing higher and achieving more than ever.

While reading about other businesses and how they got started I've observed something. This is a fairly obvious observation but I'll share it anyway. The highly successful dream AND DO! They don't just dream and then get scared and backdown. They take action. They take a little calculated risk. Sure their probably afraid but so what? They take it one step at a time.

Will you just dream or will you dream and take action? Will you step out of the boat and onto the water like Peter did with Jesus? Why not do something AMAZING? What's stopping you?

Courage is taking action despite fear.

"Put one foot in front of the other"

Do You Need a Diet?

This should be an interesting post.... Hopefully it will make you stop and think.

Do you need a diet? Interesting question. Many people view a diet in 2 words, die + t. Death. Horrible. Terrifying. Do you cringe when you think of going on a diet? Believe it or not, I'm right there with ya! 

Here's a few issues with diets:

     1.) Your view. People view diets with a beginning and an end. Now the beginning is obviously fine, but having an end date is not. It's okay to slow down or stop losing once you've reached your goal weight, look, whatever but then you must maintain it. If you stop altogether the weight creeps back on.

     2.) Many diets are too drastic! I've heard people say time and time again, "I'm not eating bread," or "I'm only having 10 or 20 grams of carbs a day," or "I'm only eating chicken and broccoli." Seriously? You're going to eat ONLY chicken and broccoli? First, no one will want to be around you're gassy self! Second, where's room for life? Parties and get-togethers? There's no wiggle room and there are too many habits to change at once.

     3.) Which one? Many diets can be confusing and even DANGEROUS to your health! Because of the confusion you may develop beliefs that are either slightly off or completely wrong and based on little or no evidence. This can lead you down the wrong path.

So what do we do? We progressively change our eating habits, ONE habit at a time! Would you go into a fight against multiple opponents at once? Wouldn't 1-on-1 be better odds or even tip the scales with support from family and friends, a personal trainer, and this blog? 

It's up to you to find the bad habit that is draining you the most. Find the one that could cut out a few hundred calories a day and start seeing results! Or find a habit that leads to many other bad habits. Are you stressed out after a long day of work? Is the ice cream is calling your name? Instead of sitting in front of the TV and downing a pint of Haagen Dazs, go for a walk with the family or some friends, have a family game night, DO something instead of eating something. It's up to you. It's important to REPLACE the bad habit with a good one. If you are stressed, find a way to deal with the stress that is constructive and will leave you feeling good not guilty.

View this as lifestyle change. If you want to be lean(er), develop the habits of a lean(er) person. It's up to you. There are more articles on the way about habits :) Just think about yours and how you can stop the bad and replace them with the good.