Finding the Right Fitness Program for YOU!

Looking to get on track with a fitness routine to improve your health and/or appearance?  It is important that you choose a program that fits your needs.  With a never ending stream of ads for workout programs and gym making the right choice can be both confusing and frustrating.  I don’t want that to stop you.  Below are a few tips that I recommend to help you decide on the right fitness program for you. But first lets chat briefly about what a great fitness program should include:

• A well structured exercise routine
• A sound nutritional plan
• Motivation
• Adaptability
• Time Consideration

A well structured exercise routine.  The routine should be progressive and take into account your current fitness level and needs.  If you start out with something to aggressive you are likely to end up very sore from the workout.  If you start with something to easy you may feel like the program isn’t going to work for you.

A sound nutritional plan.  Don’t get caught up with all the supplements and specialty food nutritional plans.  Depending upon your specific needs that may play a part later in the program, but to begin the nutritional strategies should be simple.  For example I tell my clients each meal should consist of a lean protein, fibrous carbohydrate, starchy carbohydrate and minimize the consumption of simple sugars and processed foods.

Motivation.  To find motivation look past the typical ‘why’s’ people use to start a fitness program.  You need to finds something that you have a strong emotional connection to.  So, to say, “I want to loose weight” isn’t going to be a strong enough motivator to get you through the tough times.  Instead dig deeper as to why you want to lose the weight.  Something like, “I want to lose weight because my mother died at the age of 45 because of disease directly related to being overweight. I want to reduce my chances of getting diabetes…etc”.  There needs to be a strong emotional connections.  A good program is going to walk you through the process of discovering your ‘why’/

Adaptability.  Life throws curveballs, so the program needs to be adaptable to fit your circumstances during these moments.  Whether the program needs to adapt because of an injury or time conflict.   

Time considerations.  It is only the rare few that can and are willing to commit to 1-2 hour long workouts.  If this is you, great!  But if it is not then find a program that’s time commitments are doable for you.  Research is pretty supportive of shorter higher intensity workouts.  That is workouts that are 20-30 minutes in duration and repeating them 3 times per week.

Now that we know what a great fitness program should include, let’s look at what you need to consider when choosing a program:

• Budget
• Time
• Simplicity
• Nutrition
• Equipment

Budget. How much are you willing to spend? With so many programs to choose from budget would be the first place I would start.  However, don’t always pick the lowest price option.  If you spend to little it is easy to blow off the program which of course defeats the purpose.  It should pinch the pocket book a little bit, this contributes to the motivation aspect ;-)

Time.  How much time are you willing to commit to the program?  If you are only willing to commit to three thirty minute workouts, then it makes no sense to purchase a program that has you working out six days a week.

Simplicity.  Can you easily follow the program?  Pick a program that you can follow.  The more experience you have or get using fitness programs the more you will be able to handle.  Just start simple and advance from there.

Nutrition.  Keep it simple.  Don’t get to complicated.  I have found through the years that a simple eating strategy will go along away.  Having a lot of available recipes is nice, but I rarely find clients that use many of the available healthy recipes.  The better strategy seems to apply sound nutritional concepts to improve what is currently being consumed.  For example instead of having the typical hamburger at the summer bbq (75% lean ground beef, 200 calorie enriched white bread bun, topping of your choice) opt for a leaner hamburger patty, skip the bun or make a lettuce wrap, add your choice of toppings.  This dramatically cuts the calories.

Equipment.  You don’t need any equipment at all to achieve your desire fat loss goals.  So, anything you choose to add is icing on the cake.  If your new to fitness get the most bang for you buck by investing in a stability ball and a set of resistance cords.  From there you can add dumbbells I like to recommend a set ranging from 5-25lbs.

Ultimately when in comes to choosing a fitness program, it comes down to using the old K.I.S.S. method, Keep It Simple Sexy.  Pick a program that you can incorporate into your lifestyle.

Finding The Right Fitness Program for YOU!

Are you interested in starting a fitness program but just don't know where to start?  Your not alone.  With all the infomercials, gym commercials, internet and magazine promotions for fitness programs things can get confusing.  On Wednesday May 28, 2014 from 3-4pm at the Koelbel Library Darrell will share with you the secrets behind finding the right fitness program for you.  Finding the right fitness program will allow you to enjoy all the fabulous benefits of working out on a consistence basis.  Benefits such as:

• Improved immune function
• Increases in strength
• Decreased body fat
• Decreased midsection
• Weight loss
• Increased energy
• Improve mood

This is a free presentation offered through the Arapahoe District Library.  Just click here to register.

Top 6 Tips for Dining Out

Eating out can be frustrating.  Restaurants tend to base the quality and pricing of foods based of quantity and profits.  As a business owner myself I understand making a profit, I have not complaints there.  But as healthy calorie minded consumer we need to be aware of what we are consuming.  In my experience the average entree at a restaurant averages about 700 calories, this doesn't include the extras such as a appetizers, side salads and beverages.  Add those items back into the calorie count and the meal can quickly top 1000 calories.   The average adult female should be consuming 1500-1800 calories and the average adult male should be consuming 2100-2400 calories.  It is easy to see that eating out at a restaurant can quickly sabotage any well meaning calorie conscious person. So how can you save yourself from consuming more calories than you want to?

Create a quick game plan

1. Plan ahead- Take a few moments to look up the menu on line and pre-determine what you are going to eat.  This will keep your eyes from being rushed to make a decision at the restaurant. Often times a rushed decision is a bad decision.  
2. Refuse the Bread or Chips- look I know it is nice of the restaurants to offer the bread or chips. To be truthful I enjoy them. But the reality is they provide no nutritional value and just add to the calorie total. In addition over the course of conversation you are likely to partake in mindless consumption, meaning you will just eat whatever is with in easy reach during a conversation.
3. Ask for the Doggie Bag when placing your order- If you really having a craving for an entree ask for the doggie bag when you place the order.  When your entree arrives immediately cut the portion in half and get it off the table.  Most of us start out with the best of intentions at the end of the meal to put the food in a doggie bag but what ends up happening over the course of the meal is you begin to converse and mindlessly consume.  When the conversation is done you realize you've eating the entire entree.  Set yourself up for success and bag it early!
4. Choose Lean Proteins- Don't give in to the moment.  Make the best possible choice.
5. Pass on the Fries, potatoes, rice and pasta- Choose green veggies as your sides.  Of course if your having pasta for the entree practice tip #3.
6. Drink Water- Drink a 16 oz. glass of water before the entree arrives.  This will you feel full faster.
7. Here is my bonus tip-  Keep your meal under 600 calories... this should include your appetizer, entree, drink and desert.  The appetizer and desert are optional... you don't have to have them.   

Next time you are headed out to a restaurant put these tips in place and enjoy your dining experience while staying on track with your fitness goals.

Have a tip you would like to share? Please share your tip below. 

Frustration

Have you ever had one of those days when things just didn't go your way?  Perhaps you were trying to learn something new such as web design, social media, differential equations, healthy eating or a sport.  No matter what it is when you are frustrated it becomes that much more difficult.  How do you handle frustration?

For me I two ways to handle the frustrating moments in life.  First method I employ is to separate myself from the situation.   I find that if I can separate myself from the specific item causing me to frustrated I can get a different perspective and see the item for what it is and re-evaluate.  This gives me the chance to take control of the situation, establish a cool head and devise a strategy to make things less frustrating.  The second method I employ is to press the issue further in hopes of getting a break through or just make it fit.  The second method can be useful in some situation, but often time this method creates additional problems and usually leaves me more frustrated and having to apologize to other for my actions and/or fixing something that I broke.

I prefer to handle life's frustrating moments by separating myself from the situation, gaining a fresh perspective, and creating a new approach.

Tell me how do you handle life's frustrating moments?

Procrastination

Procrastination is something that we are all guilty of. It is something that more than likely has followed from youth to adult hood.  From personal to work lives.  No one is free from the epidemic of procrastination.

Procrastination is defined as: to delay doing something until later, usually something that you do not want to do… some may define this as lazy.

However you choose to define it the bottom line is it means something isn’t getting done. 

During a recent networking event a young lady named Eve spoke about ‘Procrastination Elimination’

Want to learn more about Eve please visit her website www.inspirationaleve.com

Eve uses what she referred to as the F.U.N. Method

Focus

Understanding

Nurture

Under the Focus portion one needs to clearly define what needs to be accomplished. This will help you to create a path to success.  Questions and statements to think about:

• Where is your focus going?  Are you focused on making a healthy choice at lunch or on the complimentary bread brought to the table?
• Be mindful of the lottery syndrome.  In this situation you approach things from the perspective if I win the lottery then I will do [fill in the blank].  The if this happens then I will do this approach is for dreamers.
• Every step you get closer.  Yes, we have all heard that the journey of a 1,000 steps begins with one. So, why is it so difficult to get started? What ever it is that you want to accomplish create time each day to take a step.
• Is your focus supportive or unsupportive?  In the past I have discussed the importance of having a belief that you can do it.  This question speaks right to the heart of that belief.  If you are trying to lose weight but your focus is unsupportive you are doomed to failure.  You must focus on the positive.  Focus on eating the healthy lunch not on the complimentary bread.

Understanding deals with finding a meaning as to why you are doing certain action good or bad.

• What is holding you back?  Is it something self imposed?
• What meaning are you placing on this?  This is pretty powerful.  Things, items, statements don’t have a strong influence on us until we give it a meaning, an emotional connection.
• What do you believe about this task and your abilities?  Do you believe you can? Or do you believe you can’t?  Do you really believe you can lose the weight?  Do you believe that those who have been successful have some special divine  power that you do not poses?
• Why is this important to accomplish?  Often times I speak of finding the ‘WHY’, this is the emotional connection needed to keep you focused during the tough times.
• Thoughts + Feelings + Actions = Results
• Do you have great reasons or great results?  I am guilty of this one, but I take it step further and do you have excuses or reasons.  An excuse would be, I’m tired. A reason would be I’m tired because I have the flu.

Last but not least Nurture

• There an exercise called “If All I do is….”  In this game you want to set yourself up in a position to be successful.  Write down what you need to do each day to consider the day a success.  Ideally limit it to 5-6 things to start.  The write down, If all I do is…. Eat one veggie with lunch, drink water before each meal then today I will have be successful.  The last statement is important.  Read the sentence out loud.
• Weight your options. Regret questions.  What are you options?  If I do this will it take me one step closer to my goal? If I do this will it take one step further away from my goal?
• Take action- Are you fishing in the same lake?  Remember the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.  If what you are doing now isn't leading you to success you need to make a change.  If that doesn't work, make another change.
• Check on your emotional alignment.  What you think and how your feeling need to line up with the an action.  If you are out of alignment talk with a professional to get you in alignment so that you can maximize success.

Thanks for the great information Eve.  If you would like to learn more from Eve please visit  www.Inspirationaleve.com 

Can I Change?

This is a question that I believe we have all asked ourselves at one point or another in life.  The only difference is what we want to change.  The changes could involve: relationships, financial, career, business, weight, knowledge or even hair color.  Some changes are easier to make.  We all have different starting points.  However what we all have in common is a desire to change. 

Funny or ironic as it maybe the changes we desire the most on the ones that aren’t so easy to change.  Losing weight isn’t an easy change.  Losing weight is a life changing experience.  Losing weight takes a consistent focus.  Losing weight takes heart.  Losing weight takes a willingness to revamp all aspects of ones life.

When one carries a few extra pounds there are tendencies to make an effort not to draw attention to ones self.  To choose activities that don’t put our physical body in a position to get attention, to be judged. When weight loss occurs one is still tied to old habits and often unprepared socially for the new found attention.  This new found attention can often times lead one into a tail spin.

The path to weight loss is often a journey to get to know ones self.  Face the demons of the past and personal growth.  We must be willing to accept and understand our past behaviors. We also must be willing to learn to love ourselves.

Many times our current actions are a coping mechanism to avoid having to deal with the fact of weight loss.  What is important to understand at this point is why we change.  Change occurs for two reasons: its an effort to avoid pain or to seek pleasure.   If you are trying to lose weight and are constantly finding excuses not to make better eating choices or exercise this could be construed as an effort to avoid the perceived pain of exercise or eating foods you are not particularly fond of.  Instead you turn to the pleasure of eating chocolate for instance. 

This is why it is important to find your ‘WHY’.  The ‘WHY’ is an emotional connection to a specific reason for weight loss.  It is a reason that is more painful than doing what is required to lose the weight.  For instance: if your day at work was rough, say the boss yelled at you, you got a call from the school that you child did something boneheaded and then to top if off on the drive your car breaks down.  You may think to yourself, “man I think I’ll just skip my workout and order a pizza”.   Your reason and emotion connection need to be strong enough for you to think, say and then act upon.  You need to think of a means to keep on track nutritionally, tell yourself that you can find a way and then act upon, go get the workout in and eat healthy.

There is no magic to losing weight.  There is only a strong enough emotional reason attached to why you want to lose weight that will help drive you during your journey.  Making the right choices when it feels like the rest of the world is against you.   I believe that you can.  Can you change?

Don't be fooled by the quick fix products

Federal regulators crack down on deceptive weight loss products Posted on: 10:18 pm, January 7, 2014, by David Mitchell, updated on: 10:19pm, January 7, 2014

Fitness Success Tips for 2014

Can you believe 2013 has passed us by?  Funny the older I get the fast the years pass by. That said, did you make good on your goals for 2013?  If not, what happened?  From my past experiences I have realized that when I failed to reach a goal it came down to only a few consistent points:

1)     I didn't make the goal a high enough priority

2)     I failed to be consistent in my actions or choices

3)     I procrastinated

When it comes to improving your fitness level and changing your physic there are a few things that you must do:

1)     Make improving your fitness or changing you physic a top priority

2)     Be consistent in your actions and choices

3)     Don’t procrastinate

If you are willing to do the above three items then here is how you can change you physic for the better… lose the fat:

1)     Quit looking for the easy route.  There is no magic pill.  There is no short cut. There can be no excuses.

2)     Eat a high protein, high fiber diet filled with lots of fresh fruits, veggies, and healthy fats and cut out all the added sugar from your diet.  Yes cut out all he ADDED SUGAR!

3)     Higher me as your trainer and work your butt off!!!   All kidding aside you need to get on a workout program that kicks your butt.

4)     Drink Water.  8-12 cups per day.

5)     Avoid liquid calories.  Sodas, juices and smoothies will add unwanted calories and sugar to your diet.  Limit you liquids to Green Tea, Greens, or protein shake (limit 1-2 per day).

6)     Stay motivated!!!

7)     Get social support and accountability

8)     Plan, shop and prepare your foods each week. 

9)     Make a goal and set a deadline.