When I decided to take on fitness training as my full time career option, I never thought my competition would come in the form of an video game. I understand people want variety, a change of pace, or even something more fun. Yet I never thought that cry for change would resort to the Japanese based video game - Nintendo Wii Fit (or Fit Plus if you've advanced past the original).
According to Wikipedia, Wii Fit is the second highest selling video game sold in history with 22.5 million copies sold as of October 30, 2009. I have one word - wow! To make matters worse, this past holiday season my jaw dropped as I noticed people drool and praise the Wii Fit Plus game. As if a video game is truly going to make a difference in the problem we have with overweight people and obesity.
Maybe I sound jealous or maybe I'm a bit perturbed, either way you're right by your assumption. It bothers me that people are still looking for the easy way out or a quick fix. Had I not purchased the original Wii Fit then maybe I wouldn't have such a strong opinion. However, I have played it and let me say it wasn't so fun.
These are merely my thoughts on how as a society we get hypnotized by the hype. I'm not discrediting Nintendo totally. In fact, I'm not discrediting them at all. I think what they did was brilliant. People buy hype and that's exactly what was created. Hype in the arena of fitness that's dubbed as fun, interactive, easy, and new (we all love new, right?).
From fad diets to infomercials promoting groundbreaking fitness equipment, we often fall into the traps of the developers. One day people will wake up and realize that if we want to be fit we have to go old school - eat healthier and exercise!
When was the last time you tried a diet or purchased exercise equipment seen on television?
Monday, December 28, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Call Me a Dog....
Unfortunately for many of you right now, your body isn't getting the nutrients it needs. Although I will admit I'm a bit jealous that you are resting and I'm trying to convince my dog he doesn't have to go out and do number one or number 2. Let me remind you that it's 1:09 AM, cold outside, and I have on socks, 3 year old pajama pants (that means they've shrunk so my ankles will be cold), and a triple x shirt from Dick's. I don't want to get up as it is, so I'm definitely not wanting to go get a coat.
But looking at my English bulldog I can't help but to recognize we have two distinct qualities that make us very similar. Well now that I think about it there's actually more than that. If any of you have a pet, whether it's a cat or a dog, I'm sure you share some similar attributes as well.
After finishing some work I realized that I had gone more than 3 hours without putting food in my mouth. So in this fourth hour, my stomach is talking to me and I want to respond back. As I get up to go into the kitchen Sampson decides he wants to wake up. I have no problem with this however I do have a problem with him licking his chops as I make my turkey sandwich on wheat bread with mustard only. Unlike people, dogs aren't concerned with their weight and therefore they eat when they want. Even if it is 1:10 AM, a dog will feed it's body.
By no means am I promoting eating just because or whenever you want. What I am suggesting is we learn from Sampson and understand that our bodies need fuel no matter what time of day or night it is. Unfortunately for him, he didn't eat any of my sandwich but he did eat from his bowl. And now I definitely gotta take him out.
We've been told we can't eat after a certain time but if my dog is willing to eat at anytime of the day and still keep a lean figure (which he is very lean for a bulldog - he eats throughout the day and exercises on a regular basis) then I think I'll do what he's doing.
Sampson is lean, healthy, and farts a lot. Hmm....sounds kind of like me. Sure you can call me a dog. I don't mind at all. Are you willing to erase the idea of not eating past a certain time?
But looking at my English bulldog I can't help but to recognize we have two distinct qualities that make us very similar. Well now that I think about it there's actually more than that. If any of you have a pet, whether it's a cat or a dog, I'm sure you share some similar attributes as well.
After finishing some work I realized that I had gone more than 3 hours without putting food in my mouth. So in this fourth hour, my stomach is talking to me and I want to respond back. As I get up to go into the kitchen Sampson decides he wants to wake up. I have no problem with this however I do have a problem with him licking his chops as I make my turkey sandwich on wheat bread with mustard only. Unlike people, dogs aren't concerned with their weight and therefore they eat when they want. Even if it is 1:10 AM, a dog will feed it's body.
By no means am I promoting eating just because or whenever you want. What I am suggesting is we learn from Sampson and understand that our bodies need fuel no matter what time of day or night it is. Unfortunately for him, he didn't eat any of my sandwich but he did eat from his bowl. And now I definitely gotta take him out.
We've been told we can't eat after a certain time but if my dog is willing to eat at anytime of the day and still keep a lean figure (which he is very lean for a bulldog - he eats throughout the day and exercises on a regular basis) then I think I'll do what he's doing.
Sampson is lean, healthy, and farts a lot. Hmm....sounds kind of like me. Sure you can call me a dog. I don't mind at all. Are you willing to erase the idea of not eating past a certain time?
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
It's Time!...
We live in a society that is always on the move. No matter what we try to do, there is just never enough free time. Seriously! What is free time and where do you find it? With this mind set it makes it very difficult for someone to commit to something as boring as running on a treadmill. Let's be honest, for most people exercise is boring.
However, there are a handful of people who view exercise as something exciting and challenging. For those that are feeling the monotony of working out, consider group exercise or boot camps to bring a level of excitement to you routine. There's always the group classes at your local gym too.
Now that we're past boredom the next question is when is the best time to workout? This question will yield several different answers depending on who you're asking. Some will tell you mornings and others will say evenings. Then there are those that will say mid-day. Not to mention you will get a plethora of reasons as to why these times are best.
While it has been noted that working out at different times of the day can have different affects on your body, one must choose the time that works best within their schedule. It's difficult enough to commit to working out all together thus complicating the issue does no good. For example, what if I told you working out in the middle of the day was the best you could do for your body to lose fat. How many people are able to arrange their schedules to workout at 3pm?
I can hear the voices now, "I can't workout at 3. I don't have time to, I have to work." This leads me to my main point - it doesn't matter what time you workout so don't ask when the best time is! The biggest hurdle is for you to simply make time in the first place. Once you become an advocate of consistently working out, your body will let you know when it wants to be trained.
Time - I've been told it is a valuable resource. How are you making the most of your time when it comes to your health?
However, there are a handful of people who view exercise as something exciting and challenging. For those that are feeling the monotony of working out, consider group exercise or boot camps to bring a level of excitement to you routine. There's always the group classes at your local gym too.
Now that we're past boredom the next question is when is the best time to workout? This question will yield several different answers depending on who you're asking. Some will tell you mornings and others will say evenings. Then there are those that will say mid-day. Not to mention you will get a plethora of reasons as to why these times are best.
While it has been noted that working out at different times of the day can have different affects on your body, one must choose the time that works best within their schedule. It's difficult enough to commit to working out all together thus complicating the issue does no good. For example, what if I told you working out in the middle of the day was the best you could do for your body to lose fat. How many people are able to arrange their schedules to workout at 3pm?
I can hear the voices now, "I can't workout at 3. I don't have time to, I have to work." This leads me to my main point - it doesn't matter what time you workout so don't ask when the best time is! The biggest hurdle is for you to simply make time in the first place. Once you become an advocate of consistently working out, your body will let you know when it wants to be trained.
Time - I've been told it is a valuable resource. How are you making the most of your time when it comes to your health?
Friday, December 11, 2009
The Cows Got It Right...Well Part of It....
There are a few things in this world I get tired of seeing. Well to be completely honest, there are a lot of things that I get tired of seeing but that's a completely different blog. But there is one thing that puts a smile on my face every time I see it - Eat Mor Chikin.
The infamous Chic-fil-A cows definitely got a portion of it correct. Our bodies need at least .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. However, current nutritional patterns indicate most Americans get a host of carbohydrates and fats. Lacking sufficient nutrients the body basically freaks out and goes into fat storage mode especially since many people are not exercising properly or exercising at all.
Understanding nutrients is very important throughout this process. There are 4 calories for each gram of carbohydrates and protein. However, there's 9 calories for each gram of fat we enter in our bodies. Now factor in a burger and fries and you're looking at roughly 740 calories total - 349 coming directly from fat. You should also know that there are about 3,500 calories in 1 pound of fat. This means 10 cheeseburgers a month easily adds 1 pound of body fat per month.
Most people need 1,500-2,000 calories per day (nutritious calories) to support a healthy body weight. But it has been noted that many people average 3,300 calories per day. This excess in caloric intake is automatic fat gain and this overweight and obesity prevails.
Understanding your body's basal metabolic rate (BMR - number of calories your body burns at rest) is vital to understanding the caloric intake your body needs. It doesn't stop there. Next you have to factor in your daily activity levels since this will affect your caloric needs. For example, if your BMR is 1750 calories and your are active at your job and you exercise 3 times a week, your body would burn approximately 2175 calories (this is an example only). From there if you want to lose 1 pound per week, you should intake roughly 500 less per day.
Please remember that consuming calories must be balanced and sufficient protein is very important. Cheeseburgers, tacos, burritos, fried chicken, cakes, cookies, and ice cream, coffee, soda, and sweetened tea won't suffice. Green veggies, complex carbohydrates, and lean protein is the key to your success.
The infamous Chic-fil-A cows definitely got a portion of it correct. Our bodies need at least .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. However, current nutritional patterns indicate most Americans get a host of carbohydrates and fats. Lacking sufficient nutrients the body basically freaks out and goes into fat storage mode especially since many people are not exercising properly or exercising at all.
Understanding nutrients is very important throughout this process. There are 4 calories for each gram of carbohydrates and protein. However, there's 9 calories for each gram of fat we enter in our bodies. Now factor in a burger and fries and you're looking at roughly 740 calories total - 349 coming directly from fat. You should also know that there are about 3,500 calories in 1 pound of fat. This means 10 cheeseburgers a month easily adds 1 pound of body fat per month.
Most people need 1,500-2,000 calories per day (nutritious calories) to support a healthy body weight. But it has been noted that many people average 3,300 calories per day. This excess in caloric intake is automatic fat gain and this overweight and obesity prevails.
Understanding your body's basal metabolic rate (BMR - number of calories your body burns at rest) is vital to understanding the caloric intake your body needs. It doesn't stop there. Next you have to factor in your daily activity levels since this will affect your caloric needs. For example, if your BMR is 1750 calories and your are active at your job and you exercise 3 times a week, your body would burn approximately 2175 calories (this is an example only). From there if you want to lose 1 pound per week, you should intake roughly 500 less per day.
Please remember that consuming calories must be balanced and sufficient protein is very important. Cheeseburgers, tacos, burritos, fried chicken, cakes, cookies, and ice cream, coffee, soda, and sweetened tea won't suffice. Green veggies, complex carbohydrates, and lean protein is the key to your success.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
You're Afraid to Lose Weight....
I'm sold on the idea that fear will warp your perception of your life and what you can do to make it better. It has been said that first we form our habits then our habits form us. I find truth in this statement as well.
With that being said, procrastination is a direct indication of your fears and it gives you the resistance needed expand your capacity to push past your fears and create the things you really want in your life. We are all human and we often reach for comfort and it is automatic that we reach for comfort at the moment we feel we need it. This explains why we procrastinate with things that will give us so much pleasure in the future versus the discomfort of today - getting healthy versus exercise and daily nutrition.
Looking at fear and procrastination from this angle tells me many people will never get the body they want/deserve because your thoughts will ultimately create your actions.
If you disagree, tell me why is it you haven't reached your fitness goals?
With that being said, procrastination is a direct indication of your fears and it gives you the resistance needed expand your capacity to push past your fears and create the things you really want in your life. We are all human and we often reach for comfort and it is automatic that we reach for comfort at the moment we feel we need it. This explains why we procrastinate with things that will give us so much pleasure in the future versus the discomfort of today - getting healthy versus exercise and daily nutrition.
Looking at fear and procrastination from this angle tells me many people will never get the body they want/deserve because your thoughts will ultimately create your actions.
If you disagree, tell me why is it you haven't reached your fitness goals?
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Fitness: Then and Now...
Nothing interesting happened today nor was I focused enough to find some sort of correspondence to fitness in my conversations. However I did stumble across some interesting information that does relate.
Since I'm only 28 I would not naturally know what happened in the 1940's through the 1980's as it would relate to fitness. Thanks to my never-ending thought process and Google, I was able to do some simple research and found these interesting facts.
In the 1940's there was not a single workout in sight for women. This was a supposed era when experts suggested women did not workout because of potential damage to the uterus (Fitness for Dummies). The first elastic band used for exercise came about in the 50's from creator Jack LaLanne and was called the Glamour Stretcher. It was even sold with a record called "Glamour Stretcher Time."
Then the 1960's rolled out the vibrating belts. This in my opinion has to be the biggest gimmick and joke of them all. People believed, and still believe today, that the vibrations would somehow disrupt and melt the fat away. C'mon now, is that remotely possible? No wonder it's socially acceptable to think there's a quick fix to our fat bellies. Interesting enough, there are infomercials that are advertising something very similar today that are just as ineffective yet someone out there is buying it.
I won't mention much of the 70's and 80's but let's just say it was all about more sensible things that had legitimacy with them - roller skating (that's a valid leg workout and a way to elevate your heart rate) and Jane Fonda workout tapes.
As I mentioned, today was probably one of my dullest days. I've been busy doing a lot research, creative thinking, and meeting with potential employees. Overall, I've been too swamped to provide rich content but at least I was able to dig deep into the fitness catalog to find some exercise roots. Sadly enough, not much has changed. Only different designs, new labels, and fancier tag lines - wouldn't you agree?
Since I'm only 28 I would not naturally know what happened in the 1940's through the 1980's as it would relate to fitness. Thanks to my never-ending thought process and Google, I was able to do some simple research and found these interesting facts.
In the 1940's there was not a single workout in sight for women. This was a supposed era when experts suggested women did not workout because of potential damage to the uterus (Fitness for Dummies). The first elastic band used for exercise came about in the 50's from creator Jack LaLanne and was called the Glamour Stretcher. It was even sold with a record called "Glamour Stretcher Time."
Then the 1960's rolled out the vibrating belts. This in my opinion has to be the biggest gimmick and joke of them all. People believed, and still believe today, that the vibrations would somehow disrupt and melt the fat away. C'mon now, is that remotely possible? No wonder it's socially acceptable to think there's a quick fix to our fat bellies. Interesting enough, there are infomercials that are advertising something very similar today that are just as ineffective yet someone out there is buying it.
I won't mention much of the 70's and 80's but let's just say it was all about more sensible things that had legitimacy with them - roller skating (that's a valid leg workout and a way to elevate your heart rate) and Jane Fonda workout tapes.
As I mentioned, today was probably one of my dullest days. I've been busy doing a lot research, creative thinking, and meeting with potential employees. Overall, I've been too swamped to provide rich content but at least I was able to dig deep into the fitness catalog to find some exercise roots. Sadly enough, not much has changed. Only different designs, new labels, and fancier tag lines - wouldn't you agree?
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Timeout...
Timeout! What the .....? This word has been haunting me for the past week and no matter what I do, I can't shake it. If you know me then you would know I have a very athletic build but I'm not so athletic. However, I will attempt any sport you throw at me (by the way if it involves running, then I have the advantage). Last week when playing racquetball, I found myself dominating the court against a player that I very seldom beat. The score was 9-2 (we play to 11) and this dude yelled "TIMEOUT" right before I served! Let me mention we've been playing for over a year and he's never called for a timeout. I was livid! Not only that, I ended up losing that game (I still need to check the rules to see if a timeout is valid in racquetball).
As the days passed I found myself uttering that word - timeout. Then it hit me today, America needs a timeout too! From the television, inactivity, and laziness that is. When I spent my time running LA Fitness I would always hear someone say "I don't have time to workout." What? You don't have time but you can tell me all about the shows you recorded with your DVR/Tivo. Nielson Media Research said "the average American watches 142 hours of TV in a month." That's more than 4.5 hours a day! And you don't have time to workout - I'm calling your bluff right now.
It's been noted that over a billion adults are overweight and the part of that contribution is a lack of physical activity. Jobs have become less physically demanding, automated transport (that shuttle service you use at the airport or that escalator at the mall) and more passive leisure activities (Facebook/Twitter/etc) all contribute to the physical inactivity America faces. So what are we going to do about it?
My opponent knew what to do on the racquetball court. He called for a timeout to slow me down; to distort the onslaught of points I was racking up. But does America know what to do about it's dormancy? Does America know when to yell "TIMEOUT?" Honestly, I'm not sure. As it stands, obesity is on the rise and the only way to slow it down is to take a timeout - from inactivity, procrastination of exercise, and laziness.
As the days passed I found myself uttering that word - timeout. Then it hit me today, America needs a timeout too! From the television, inactivity, and laziness that is. When I spent my time running LA Fitness I would always hear someone say "I don't have time to workout." What? You don't have time but you can tell me all about the shows you recorded with your DVR/Tivo. Nielson Media Research said "the average American watches 142 hours of TV in a month." That's more than 4.5 hours a day! And you don't have time to workout - I'm calling your bluff right now.
It's been noted that over a billion adults are overweight and the part of that contribution is a lack of physical activity. Jobs have become less physically demanding, automated transport (that shuttle service you use at the airport or that escalator at the mall) and more passive leisure activities (Facebook/Twitter/etc) all contribute to the physical inactivity America faces. So what are we going to do about it?
My opponent knew what to do on the racquetball court. He called for a timeout to slow me down; to distort the onslaught of points I was racking up. But does America know what to do about it's dormancy? Does America know when to yell "TIMEOUT?" Honestly, I'm not sure. As it stands, obesity is on the rise and the only way to slow it down is to take a timeout - from inactivity, procrastination of exercise, and laziness.
Fat as an Energy Source...
Everyone wants to know how they can burn more fat. Yet those same individuals struggle with doing the necessary things to achieve this. Well to be honest, there are multiple ways you can burn fat. However, one of the simplest is understanding how the body processes food and your sugar levels.
Look at it this way, when you eat your body will use that food as a source of energy. If you want to burn fat this makes it more complicated for the body to do when your blood sugar has been elevated by the food you just consumed. From this we can conclude that it will be better to burn fat more effectively if there is minimal food energy within the body.
I have always suggested people exercise first thing in the morning but before eating. Your body has basically fasted for the night and at this time your body has the lowest level of blood sugar for the day. Normally at this time it take the body 10-15 of continuous exercise to tap into it's fat burning mode. This is achieved by elevating the heart rate. Now I don't mean getting to the point of running like an Olympic sprinter. A brisk walk will do it for most people. If you overdo it, you will begin to use muscle as a fuel source and that's not what you want.
As I mentioned earlier this is not the only way to burn fat but it is a simple way. Many of my clients have achieved great results from doing 30-45 minutes of walking combined with some basic healthy eating, and exercise.
I would recommend you invest in a $40 heart rate monitor and keep your heart rate at or below 65%. To calculate this use this formula: 220 - your age. Then subtract 65 from that number to get your resting heart rate. From there multiple the last number by .65. Once you get the final number add 65 and that's the rate you should stay below.
EX: 220-30=190; 190-65=125(resting heart rate); 125*.65=81.25; 81.25+65=146 (at or below this zone).
Look at it this way, when you eat your body will use that food as a source of energy. If you want to burn fat this makes it more complicated for the body to do when your blood sugar has been elevated by the food you just consumed. From this we can conclude that it will be better to burn fat more effectively if there is minimal food energy within the body.
I have always suggested people exercise first thing in the morning but before eating. Your body has basically fasted for the night and at this time your body has the lowest level of blood sugar for the day. Normally at this time it take the body 10-15 of continuous exercise to tap into it's fat burning mode. This is achieved by elevating the heart rate. Now I don't mean getting to the point of running like an Olympic sprinter. A brisk walk will do it for most people. If you overdo it, you will begin to use muscle as a fuel source and that's not what you want.
As I mentioned earlier this is not the only way to burn fat but it is a simple way. Many of my clients have achieved great results from doing 30-45 minutes of walking combined with some basic healthy eating, and exercise.
I would recommend you invest in a $40 heart rate monitor and keep your heart rate at or below 65%. To calculate this use this formula: 220 - your age. Then subtract 65 from that number to get your resting heart rate. From there multiple the last number by .65. Once you get the final number add 65 and that's the rate you should stay below.
EX: 220-30=190; 190-65=125(resting heart rate); 125*.65=81.25; 81.25+65=146 (at or below this zone).
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Fire Your Trainer Today...
You hear me correct. I said it and in fact I will stand behind it. Fire your trainer. Your not getting results anyway. The last time you went to weigh in I'm sure you weren't happy with the read out on the scale. And you probably got some line that sounded like this "we'll just up the cardio!"
Who needs all that? All the time and hard work you have put into getting your high school, pre-kids, or pre-30's body back have gone to shame - shame, shame, shame! You already know what's around the corner, New Years. 2009 began with the thought of riding your body of the extra baggage you've been carrying around and now it's December and it's still there. Some trainer you have. Fire your trainer right now and make sure in 2010 you hit your goals by doing it yourself.
Anyone reading this may be wondering, how can he say that? Isn't he a trainer? Your absolutely right I'm a trainer! And the one I'm telling you to fire is (drumroll please) - YOU! That's right, you sitting in your chair reading this post.
You see that voice inside your head that has been telling you all along you can do it has fooled you. Your conscience has been your trainer for the last 20, 30, 0r 40 years. Telling you that you can do it all by yourself. Telling you to eat less when the scales didn't read out a favorable number. Telling you to up the cardio when you didn't lose the 10 pounds in 10 days. That inner voice in your head has been your trainer pumping you with all the wrong information until you had a paradigm shift - I quit! This doesn't work! I'm supposed to be this way! Working out isn't for me!
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but none of those statements are true. You may not be seeing the results you want because you haven't fired your trainer yet. You haven't fired you - your conscience that's been telling you what to do. Say this out loud (and I really mean it): "I haven't seen the results I want, therefore I cannot continue to follow your advice." Congratulations you just fired your trainer!
So what's the next step? If you've read any of my posts, you should already know....
Who needs all that? All the time and hard work you have put into getting your high school, pre-kids, or pre-30's body back have gone to shame - shame, shame, shame! You already know what's around the corner, New Years. 2009 began with the thought of riding your body of the extra baggage you've been carrying around and now it's December and it's still there. Some trainer you have. Fire your trainer right now and make sure in 2010 you hit your goals by doing it yourself.
Anyone reading this may be wondering, how can he say that? Isn't he a trainer? Your absolutely right I'm a trainer! And the one I'm telling you to fire is (drumroll please) - YOU! That's right, you sitting in your chair reading this post.
You see that voice inside your head that has been telling you all along you can do it has fooled you. Your conscience has been your trainer for the last 20, 30, 0r 40 years. Telling you that you can do it all by yourself. Telling you to eat less when the scales didn't read out a favorable number. Telling you to up the cardio when you didn't lose the 10 pounds in 10 days. That inner voice in your head has been your trainer pumping you with all the wrong information until you had a paradigm shift - I quit! This doesn't work! I'm supposed to be this way! Working out isn't for me!
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but none of those statements are true. You may not be seeing the results you want because you haven't fired your trainer yet. You haven't fired you - your conscience that's been telling you what to do. Say this out loud (and I really mean it): "I haven't seen the results I want, therefore I cannot continue to follow your advice." Congratulations you just fired your trainer!
So what's the next step? If you've read any of my posts, you should already know....
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Who You Are Isn't Necessarily Who People See You As...
I spent this past weekend inside Walmart in a part of town that I would say isn't the nicest. Although there's the glamour of Cowboys Stadium directly across the street, this isn't enough to do any justice for this particular Walmart.
Before you develop any thoughts as to why I was there for an entire weekend I'll let you in on a secret - I'm a mystery shopper! Ok, I'm really not but I am there doing a marketing promotion with Sony. Despite the lanyard engraved with Sony all over it, my shirt being solid black versus the blue Walmart associates wear, and I'm in black slacks and not khakis people still think I'm a Walmart employee.
"Sir you work here, tell where I can find...." Uh, no I don't work here but because I'm nice, I'll try to help you find.... At least that is what I'm thinking. But the funny thing is, I found myself doing the same as the shoppers. There's this guy that is always in the store walking around on his phone and sometimes in the electronics section playing video games. I would say to myself, "this guy has no life, he's always here." It took someone trying to steal something this past Sunday for me to learn that he's an undercover officer. Shows what I know right?
This ties into fitness in the craziest way. People will often view you as being in shape or out of shape but in your mind you may believe your the total opposite. If you feel you have not reached your fitness goals don't let someone worse off than you tell you how great you look. It will only limit you in your mind and that will translate to your physical self. Only you know how you feel and want to look. Therefore don't let someone's perception of you become your reality.
Before you develop any thoughts as to why I was there for an entire weekend I'll let you in on a secret - I'm a mystery shopper! Ok, I'm really not but I am there doing a marketing promotion with Sony. Despite the lanyard engraved with Sony all over it, my shirt being solid black versus the blue Walmart associates wear, and I'm in black slacks and not khakis people still think I'm a Walmart employee.
"Sir you work here, tell where I can find...." Uh, no I don't work here but because I'm nice, I'll try to help you find.... At least that is what I'm thinking. But the funny thing is, I found myself doing the same as the shoppers. There's this guy that is always in the store walking around on his phone and sometimes in the electronics section playing video games. I would say to myself, "this guy has no life, he's always here." It took someone trying to steal something this past Sunday for me to learn that he's an undercover officer. Shows what I know right?
This ties into fitness in the craziest way. People will often view you as being in shape or out of shape but in your mind you may believe your the total opposite. If you feel you have not reached your fitness goals don't let someone worse off than you tell you how great you look. It will only limit you in your mind and that will translate to your physical self. Only you know how you feel and want to look. Therefore don't let someone's perception of you become your reality.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Eat Less to Lose Fat...
Yep, you heard me right. I'm going on record right now and telling you if you eat less, I promise you will lose fat. Besides you already knew this anyway, right? I mean when you want to shed a quick five pounds you start skipping meals anyway. So I'm supporting you, continue to eat less and watch the fat melt away.
I know what some of you may be thinking right now and trust me I'm not crazy. Despite what you have read, heard, or seen I know I am right and I'll spend the next few minutes proving it. But let me say it once more: EAT LESS AND I PROMISE YOU FAT LOSS!!!
Here's how it works. At some point in your life you will hear or make the statement, "my metabolism has slowed down," or something to that nature. But have you ever taken a moment out of your day to ask why that is? Well I've got the answer for you. Your metabolism is your muscle. And we all know what our metabolism does don't we? As rhetorical as the question is I'll answer for complete clarity, it is what allows our bodies to burn calories.
So let's get this straight. Our metabolism burns calories and muscle is our metabolism. However, we often say our metabolism slows down when we get older. But if the metabolism is muscle, why wouldn't we just add more muscle or keep what we got to burn more calories. Hopefully by now you see where I'm going with this.
By eating less muscle you will definitely lose fat - and yes you eat muscle. In fact, you probably eat more muscle than you do ordinary foods. Heck you might even be eating muscle right now! Every time you wake up your body is expecting to be nourished with a food (a well balanced breakfast that is). Yet you deprive it and thus your body enters a state of starvation. So to keep you moving and energized your body uses muscle as it's energy source. After days, months, and years of repeating this cycle (and similar cycles such as missing lunch or dinner) your body constantly depletes itself of muscle. Hence your metabolism is slowing down and when that happens you store more fat.
Be sure to get in breakfast, lunch, and dinner and more importantly the snacks in between each of those meals. This my friend is what all the talk of eating 5-6 times a day comes into play. By doing so your body will be fueled by the foods you eat versus your muscle. You see it is possible to eat less and burn more fat depending upon the context of the statement. In this scenario I'm suggesting you eat less muscle.
I know what some of you may be thinking right now and trust me I'm not crazy. Despite what you have read, heard, or seen I know I am right and I'll spend the next few minutes proving it. But let me say it once more: EAT LESS AND I PROMISE YOU FAT LOSS!!!
Here's how it works. At some point in your life you will hear or make the statement, "my metabolism has slowed down," or something to that nature. But have you ever taken a moment out of your day to ask why that is? Well I've got the answer for you. Your metabolism is your muscle. And we all know what our metabolism does don't we? As rhetorical as the question is I'll answer for complete clarity, it is what allows our bodies to burn calories.
So let's get this straight. Our metabolism burns calories and muscle is our metabolism. However, we often say our metabolism slows down when we get older. But if the metabolism is muscle, why wouldn't we just add more muscle or keep what we got to burn more calories. Hopefully by now you see where I'm going with this.
By eating less muscle you will definitely lose fat - and yes you eat muscle. In fact, you probably eat more muscle than you do ordinary foods. Heck you might even be eating muscle right now! Every time you wake up your body is expecting to be nourished with a food (a well balanced breakfast that is). Yet you deprive it and thus your body enters a state of starvation. So to keep you moving and energized your body uses muscle as it's energy source. After days, months, and years of repeating this cycle (and similar cycles such as missing lunch or dinner) your body constantly depletes itself of muscle. Hence your metabolism is slowing down and when that happens you store more fat.
Be sure to get in breakfast, lunch, and dinner and more importantly the snacks in between each of those meals. This my friend is what all the talk of eating 5-6 times a day comes into play. By doing so your body will be fueled by the foods you eat versus your muscle. You see it is possible to eat less and burn more fat depending upon the context of the statement. In this scenario I'm suggesting you eat less muscle.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Your Training is Insane....Literally!
Have you ever been to a meeting and all you hear is "blah, blah, blah?" To make matters worse, it's a meeting that's held at the end of the day, you know when there's only 10 minutes left on the clock. Seriously, what manager expects their employees to REALLY listen to what's being said.
We have all been in a situation exactly like this or at least very similar. The last time I was, I took away one thing and one thing only from the meeting (or wrap-up as they put it). This one thing was this - "if you do what you have always done, you'll get what you've always got!" Now you've got my attention buddy!
Unfortunately for this manager my attention was not on him and his rambling about how we should be better at our jobs, my focus was on how this relates to fitness. I have had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of people regarding fitness and they all have one thing in common - they do the same things over and over. By definition this is insanity (not that I'm calling these people insane, although technically they are).
Now the purpose of this blog isn't to determine who's a lunatic and who isn't. This post is written with one thing in mind - challenge yourself. Once your progress has neutralized, you have to push harder than you ever imagined. Remember when you first started working out and it was so tough, well if you want progress you must relive those days. This doesn't mean you have to go in the gym and hurt yourself. However, it does mean you have to be willing to push it to the limit. Don't become a victim of doing the same circuits week in and week out. Variation is vital to your success but this does come at the expense of knowing what it is your body needs.
I'll leave you with this: go to the gym and inspect the equipment before you use it. If any of the cushions on the machines appear to have what looks like someone's rear end is embedded in it, it's probably yours. What you do at this point is easy - stop doing the same exercise and try something totally different that works the same muscle group. At this point your sanity is now restored!
We have all been in a situation exactly like this or at least very similar. The last time I was, I took away one thing and one thing only from the meeting (or wrap-up as they put it). This one thing was this - "if you do what you have always done, you'll get what you've always got!" Now you've got my attention buddy!
Unfortunately for this manager my attention was not on him and his rambling about how we should be better at our jobs, my focus was on how this relates to fitness. I have had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of people regarding fitness and they all have one thing in common - they do the same things over and over. By definition this is insanity (not that I'm calling these people insane, although technically they are).
Now the purpose of this blog isn't to determine who's a lunatic and who isn't. This post is written with one thing in mind - challenge yourself. Once your progress has neutralized, you have to push harder than you ever imagined. Remember when you first started working out and it was so tough, well if you want progress you must relive those days. This doesn't mean you have to go in the gym and hurt yourself. However, it does mean you have to be willing to push it to the limit. Don't become a victim of doing the same circuits week in and week out. Variation is vital to your success but this does come at the expense of knowing what it is your body needs.
I'll leave you with this: go to the gym and inspect the equipment before you use it. If any of the cushions on the machines appear to have what looks like someone's rear end is embedded in it, it's probably yours. What you do at this point is easy - stop doing the same exercise and try something totally different that works the same muscle group. At this point your sanity is now restored!
Friday, November 20, 2009
The Real Reason You Aren't Getting Results...
I'm actually in shock that I have taken the time to put my thoughts on this subject on paper (well, on Microsoft Word to be technical). My position on this is quite simple however it may not be accepted by most - and I'm ok with that.
As frank as I can be, you're not getting results simply because you don't want results. If you disagree for now I can understand but please read on. I was raised on very solid principles and while my mom is a young mother, she was old school. We had a picture frame that was in the living room that housed the Golden Rules of Living. As I think about that old dusty frame, I remember reading "if you can't fix it, call someone who can."
Now consider you fitness progress over the last few months. Has it been at a standstill? Are you frustrated with your scale (and trust me, your scale isn't broke)? Have you changed your routine but still nothing has changed? Let me not forget to ask, have you changed your diet but still haven't made the physical changes you desire? Answering yes to anyone of these questions or any question similar to these confirms that you do not want results.
If we were all living through the Golden Rules of Living we would have stopped and realized that we just can't fix our weight loss dilema on our own. I believe that if you really wanted to make the changes you would make the commitment to bring in professional help. Would you ask the server at McDonald's to perform your annual physical? Didn't think so. That being said, my role as a fitness trainer means I have to be educated and well versed in areas the general public has no clue about. Therefore it offends me when I hear people say "I can do it on my own." If that were 100% true my profession wouldn't exist.
When your employer hired you, at some point you went through a training program. So how would you feel if I went to your work place and sat in your seat and suggested to do your work for you? Initially this may sound good but the catch is this, you will only get paid your salary if I did everything correct and I mean every single thing. We probably wouldn't have an agreement then would we?
If you felt confident I would do a great job you would stop working today and bring me in. But you won't so I'll say this one last time, you're not getting results because you don't want them. If you truly wanted results then you would find someone to fix your problem.
As frank as I can be, you're not getting results simply because you don't want results. If you disagree for now I can understand but please read on. I was raised on very solid principles and while my mom is a young mother, she was old school. We had a picture frame that was in the living room that housed the Golden Rules of Living. As I think about that old dusty frame, I remember reading "if you can't fix it, call someone who can."
Now consider you fitness progress over the last few months. Has it been at a standstill? Are you frustrated with your scale (and trust me, your scale isn't broke)? Have you changed your routine but still nothing has changed? Let me not forget to ask, have you changed your diet but still haven't made the physical changes you desire? Answering yes to anyone of these questions or any question similar to these confirms that you do not want results.
If we were all living through the Golden Rules of Living we would have stopped and realized that we just can't fix our weight loss dilema on our own. I believe that if you really wanted to make the changes you would make the commitment to bring in professional help. Would you ask the server at McDonald's to perform your annual physical? Didn't think so. That being said, my role as a fitness trainer means I have to be educated and well versed in areas the general public has no clue about. Therefore it offends me when I hear people say "I can do it on my own." If that were 100% true my profession wouldn't exist.
When your employer hired you, at some point you went through a training program. So how would you feel if I went to your work place and sat in your seat and suggested to do your work for you? Initially this may sound good but the catch is this, you will only get paid your salary if I did everything correct and I mean every single thing. We probably wouldn't have an agreement then would we?
If you felt confident I would do a great job you would stop working today and bring me in. But you won't so I'll say this one last time, you're not getting results because you don't want them. If you truly wanted results then you would find someone to fix your problem.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
America's Best Fat Burner...
What's the best fat burner? Tell me the best thing I can do to loose fat? What diet will allow me to burn fat? I have the answer but the question is "Do you really want to know?"
Before I answer let me ask this question, "What dictates something being the best?" Is it scientific study, personal preference, or celebrity endorsed? Sadly enough only when something is socially acceptable do we feel confident we have made the right choice. A friend and I once suggested we develop a sugar pill and sell it as new fat burning phenomenon. Obviously we put more thought into it because surely a sugar pill alone won't cut it. We decided we'd add a few ingredients other fat burners had in them and photo shop a few before and after pictures to add to our testimonials. Throw in some marketing dollars and boom - instant success! Oh and we'd sell these pills for $30 knowing a large bag of sugar would allow us to make millions.
However, there's this thing called reality that set in and we scratched that plan. My point is this: there are plenty of companies out there that make millions marketing their fat burners and consumers will continue to throw their money with anticipation of 30lbs lost in 30 days. Our world is one of instant gratification. The old adage, hard work pays off, doesn't mean squat these days. Another friend once said "it's fun getting out of shape, but it sure as hell isn't fun getting in shape!" His reference was to the foods we eat.
So the answer to the original questions are quite simple: your mouth. Once you learn to control what goes in it, there's no need to ever ask or wonder.
Before I answer let me ask this question, "What dictates something being the best?" Is it scientific study, personal preference, or celebrity endorsed? Sadly enough only when something is socially acceptable do we feel confident we have made the right choice. A friend and I once suggested we develop a sugar pill and sell it as new fat burning phenomenon. Obviously we put more thought into it because surely a sugar pill alone won't cut it. We decided we'd add a few ingredients other fat burners had in them and photo shop a few before and after pictures to add to our testimonials. Throw in some marketing dollars and boom - instant success! Oh and we'd sell these pills for $30 knowing a large bag of sugar would allow us to make millions.
However, there's this thing called reality that set in and we scratched that plan. My point is this: there are plenty of companies out there that make millions marketing their fat burners and consumers will continue to throw their money with anticipation of 30lbs lost in 30 days. Our world is one of instant gratification. The old adage, hard work pays off, doesn't mean squat these days. Another friend once said "it's fun getting out of shape, but it sure as hell isn't fun getting in shape!" His reference was to the foods we eat.
So the answer to the original questions are quite simple: your mouth. Once you learn to control what goes in it, there's no need to ever ask or wonder.
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