Stay Healthy Fitness

A Fit Body Takes Discipline

2023-01-11T17:26:00.000-08:00

Discipline can feel like a negative word. Remember when we were disciplined as kids? It felt horrible at the time. However, if done out of love, discipline can provide structure and a healthy lifestyle. I would say I live a pretty disciplined life when it comes to health and fitness. Discipline has helped mold me into the woman I am today.

Discipline has made the ranks of being a positive part of success. It provides the drive to pursue fitness goals even on days when motivation is lacking. Without discipline, I think my life would be completely different. Without this structure, I wouldn't have the discipline to exercise, eat healthily, or take care of myself overall.

Discipline includes keeping workout appointments without excuses. Preparing meals ahead of time to stay accountable for eating right also takes discipline. Remaining true to fitness philosophies also takes a disciplined attitude. It could be easy to get off track, but a disciplined mind provides the strength to stay the course.

Discipline takes on a whole new meaning and can be defined as a good thing for you and me. Maintaining fitness is an individual responsibility and daily choices determine how that turns out. This means having the discipline to do what needs to be done to become successful with fitness and in life.

Sometimes there are bumps in the road, but they shouldn't sabotage your goals. It takes discipline to shake it off and get back on track. If you happen to skip your morning workout for example, just push it to the afternoon or evening. Never throw in the towel and forget it.

Being disciplined is what will help you find a way to be successful.

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Are New Year’s Fitness Resolutions Temporary?

2022-12-14T14:31:00.001-08:00

The New Year is a celebration of the past 365 days and looking forward to positive change in the future.

Many resolutions are made to live healthier, better, and longer moving forward. Are you planning to do that this upcoming new year?

The Problem

I'm honestly not impressed with New Year's resolutions and here's why - they are often just a temporary condition.

I'm not being a Darla downer here and the biggest cheerleader for those keeping their resolutions to get and stay healthy.

I am not a believer in waiting for a New Year to get healthy. The moment is always now to improve yourself IMO.

What Is a Resolution?

Do you know the word resolution means a firm decision to do or not do something? It's a promise to yourself that should be taken seriously. Too often these promises fizzle out in a few short months.

This continues to remain the largest problem with resolutions to get healthy. Many people are motivated in the beginning but it doesn't last long.

Why Wait?

I don't feel a special day is required to commit to improving your health. Each day should be about making healthy choices and doing your best. And the longer you wait, the longer it will take to achieve results.

Marketing Madness

Do you spend lots of money on fad diets and supplements at New Year's?

The fitness industry is a multi-billion-dollar business ready for you during its biggest money-making holiday. Companies marketing fitness products are saying everything you want to hear to get you to buy.

They will promise you quick weight loss, increased muscle size, and improved athletic performance. As consumers, many of you are believing the claims and overspending on pseudo-fitness.

This is nothing but marketing madness on steroids.

The Excuse Holiday

How many of you are using the holiday season to be unhealthy until New Year?

Many people feel validated to eat and drink whatever they want until resolution day. This is unhealthy thinking and behavior. How is using a holiday as an excuse to overindulge for several months considered a good thing?

I see nothing healthy about this mindset.

Studies indicate resolutions last for about 4 weeks. So, all that overeating, weight gain, hangovers, and stress overload is for nothing. It's an excuse to be negligent with your body and health.

Better Thinking

Instead of feeling entitled to disregard your health heading into New Year, it would be better to adopt an appreciation for being a fit person and celebrating that accomplishment.

As far as resolutions are concerned, I believe in daily resolutions. These would be choices and changes to improve your life each day, not just for a month. This may include improved ways to exercise, getting more rest, or spending quality time with your spouse. You get the point.

New Year is a meaningful way to celebrate your healthy achievements made over 365 days. It's a fabulous celebration and reflection of the past year and the New Year to come.

If you're resolving to become healthier and New Year just so happens to be the day of that choice, my advice is to take it seriously and make it a priority.

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I Maintain a Fit Body Eating Lots of Carbs

2022-11-16T08:30:00.000-08:00

I am genetically lean like my father and could eat just as much food as my brothers growing up. My body type falls between an ectomorph and a mesomorph with a raging metabolism. So, in order for me to maintain my lean mass and body weight, I need to consume lots of carbs each day. Honestly, eating can feel like an emergency if I wait too long between meals.

I also discovered how to build curves with resistance training. That said, weight training has been great for my leaner female form. And because I am a hard lean mass gainer, the majority of my food intake includes nutrients to promote muscle development. That means I am consuming a wide variety of healthy carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats.

Nutrition is the primary way to good health, and this includes lean mass gains and even weight loss. There is a difference between eating nutrients and eating crap, even if the calories are the same. And if my body says to eat, I never deny my hunger cues. The human body is an amazing machine that knows what it needs and will let you know. In my case, I eat intuitively and consume whole foods that nourish my body and brain.

I turn to healthy carbs to fuel my body and feel good throughout the day. I can feel lightheaded if I go too long without eating, especially carbs.

Carbs I eat routinely:

oats
quinoa
seeded whole grain bread
whole-grain tortillas
sweet and white potatoes
brown rice
veggies
fruits
bran cereal

Metabolism and Gains

My metabolism seems to work faster than I can fuel my body. Some people say they can just look at food and gain 5lbs whereas the opposite happens to me.

I will not exercise if I feel hungry and prefer to down a healthy meal before hitting the weights. I'm definitely not a candidate for intermittent fasting to improve athletic performance or to reduce body fat.

I just so happen to be one of those people on the other side of the spectrum that works hard to gain weight. This doesn't mean I want to gain by eating lots of crap to achieve skinny fat. My goal is to maintain or increase lean muscle mass by eating healthy carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

Genetics and Goals

Genetics do play a small role in your physical appearance, but you absolutely have the power to change things by what you eat and how you challenge your body. I work hard and eat to support my goals. I don't believe in diets nor do I teach that in my personal training practice.

Genetics may predispose some of us to become lean or overweight. However, regardless of your genetics, it remains important to strive for good health for all body types.

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More is Not Always Better to Achieve Your Fitness Goals

2022-11-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

When it comes to fitness more isn't always better. Overtraining, over-supplementing, and consuming too much protein can adversely affect your body.

More is not better, better is better.

Getting fit and maintaining a healthy body is a simple process. It really doesn't require eating loads of protein or grueling workouts to reach your goals. All it takes is a consistent effort of eating right and exercise. Quality over quantity.

Focused workouts utilizing differing energy systems of the body throughout the week are sufficient. What this means is mixing up cardio, weight training, core work, and flexibility for a well-balanced program. Exercising at least 4-times per week is shown to maintain a healthy body according to research.

Active rest days are a great way to have fun when not performing a structured workout. Enjoy being active and healthy is the point.

Food for Fitness

Having a healthy relationship with food is also important. What we think is healthy may not be healthy at all. In fact, eating more than is required of any macronutrient can derail fitness goals. Consuming a balance of whole nutritious foods including lots of veggies, lean proteins, and good fats in appropriate amounts is what maintains optimal fitness.

We require a certain amount of each macronutrient, and over-consumption can actually have adverse health effects, just as eliminating healthy foods can cause nutrient deficiencies. More is not better, better is better.

Effective Exercise

Many believe spending hours in the gym each day is needed to achieve fitness goals. This is an unsupported myth and a perfect example of thinking more is better. The truth is that quality workouts, not quantity produce quality results. And research indicates overtraining can have adverse effects on your body, not to mention an increased risk of exercise burnout.

Over-use of joints and even muscle breakdown can occur when the body is overtrained. Overtraining syndrome is shown to decrease your immunities, decrease muscle growth, and increase stress levels.

Another problem is exercise addiction which may occur for those feeling guilty about eating off track and psychologically beating themselves up in the gym. Obsessive exercise to relieve food guilt can increase the risk of overtraining syndrome.

Appropriate workouts are focused and effective taking no more than an hour to complete.

Final Thoughts

What it comes down to is being fitness smart. This means not believing more is better. It allows you to enjoy the process of getting healthy with proper nutrition and workouts.

Oftentimes, simple but challenging workouts provide the best results. You can maintain your body without overworking to the point of burnout or injury.

Also, it's important to stay away from fad diets. Remember if it's too good to be true - it is. The only proven scientific claims to successful fitness are eating right and exercise.

The takeaway is to eat right, exercise consistently, and enjoy a balanced life. This is true fitness and nothing more to it. More is not better, better is better.

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How I Eat to Stay Fit and Healthy

2022-10-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

Healthy eating will differ per person. In fact, we may eat and exercise exactly the same and all of us would look completely different. This is the beauty of body diversity and the reality of life.

This is also why fitness is not universal and diets don't work. A few things like genetics, metabolic function, medical conditions, and medications need to be considered for overall health and body composition.

That said, the way I eat and exercise may work for me, but may not work for you. However, I am willing to share a few things about myself and my daily food intake.

About Me

I am over 55, a fitness professional, a blogger, and a freelance writer who works extremely long hours. My day doesn't end when I step out of my studio. I look the way I do because of my daily choices.

I don't spend hours in the gym. I limit my workouts to one-hour sessions 4 to 5 days per week. I indulge in treats on occasion and eat incredible-tasting healthy food.

I am a woman of God and my faith helps me with inner strength and getting through each day. I am passionate about helping people get healthy and feel honored to be in the position to do this every day. I believe life is a gift and I am not here to be anyone else or look like anyone else. I am also not here to shame others for not looking like a fitness model.

My goal is to do my best each day and in that, I may fall but pick myself up and keep trying. My life example is to show that it's never too late, no circumstance too hard, and even injury so severe to not be able to do something.

Fitness is a journey where we are all works in progress striving to be our best and never perfect. This includes loving who you are now while you work on self-improvement. It also means living today and making choices that will bring you closer to the person you want to be. And through this process being aware of what you're thinking about yourself and how you're treating yourself - is it creating a better, healthier you?

Healthy Eating

I like to teach nutrition simply and focus on health. There's nothing secret or costly about eating for fitness goals. Sadly, too much complication has been placed on this topic. Food fears and guilt have been created through unrealistic marketing.

Let's all just take a deep breath and relax about eating healthy. Removing the stress surrounding food is the first order of business. Healthy food is not the enemy and isn't the blame for your inability to lose weight. Eating the right food in appropriate amounts is what will enable your body to be fit, healthy, and strong.

Forget about diets and simply apply the best principles of healthy nutrition and fitness each day. And this will include eating foods not considered healthy on occasion. You are creating a sustainable healthy nutrition program that is enjoyable. Not a life filled with food restrictions, rules, and stress. If any fitness professional tells you indulgence should never happen, that is unrealistic and a bunch of crap in my opinion.

I have been in the fitness industry for over 30 years and have had my share of burgers, fries, pizza, and brownies. I live a life of moderation and use a 90/10 percent eating strategy and sometimes 80/20 depending on the situation. Eating healthy is about balance and allowing for fun food experiences.

Let's move on to what I eat during a typical work week. I'm a walk-the-talk trainer and adhere to what I teach my clients. Results come when consistent healthy food intake and exercise are happening.

I eat a wide variety of nutritious food from healthy carbohydrates, lean proteins, healthy fats, and lots of water. I can be a creature of habit and find myself eating the same meals every day, except for dinner which is typically changed each night.

I cook at home to be in control of what I eat. I eat simply, never count calories, and really try not to let myself feel hungry. I space my meals every 2 to 3 hours and that works for me. I use my palm as a guide for portion size and keep measuring cups handy for wet ingredients. I also eat a serving of dark chocolate daily.

Daily Nutrition:

A large glass of water

Dandy Blend herbal drink with creamer (I drink this instead of coffee)

Meal 1

No sugar fiber cereal with fruit and oat milk or bowl of oatmeal with peanut butter

Boiled egg

Meal 2
Turkey wrap or sandwich with sprouts, spinach, and avocado

I sometimes will drink a protein shake

Meal 3

Power bowl - quinoa, roasted veggies, potatoes, ground seasoned turkey breast

Meal 4
Banana with peanut butter or rolled deli turkey breast slices and string cheese

Meal 5

Grilled salmon with roasted veggies

I hope this information is helpful and provides a great foundation for reaching fitness goals with healthy nutrition.

Check out my recipe page for more meal ideas.

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Exercise Doesn't Have to Be Extreme to Be Effective

2022-10-17T13:06:00.002-07:00

Workouts are not about no pain, no gain, and push till you puke. That doesn't sound like a fitness program that is enjoyable or sustaining. There will be some discomfort with exercise but it doesn't have to be extreme to be effective.

The best exercise is one you enjoy and keep coming back to as part of a healthy lifestyle. If you hate your workout, it will more than likely be discontinued in short order.

Keep Workouts Short and Effective

Great workouts don't have to take up lots of time and good news for most of us with busy calendars. And honestly, there is something wrong if it takes hours to complete a fitness program. Time is precious in and out of the gym. Effective exercise is planned, focused, works best for your body, and can be completed within an hour.

I believe in quality and not quantity when it comes to workouts. When the focus is on quality, the exercises are challenging but without risk of injury. You are on a mission to build muscle and strength, not hurt yourself. Nobody wants to sustain an injury from exercise and be laid up unable to train at all.

Train Smarter Not Harder

Training smarter requires focus and listening to how your body feels during a workout. There is a difference between normal exercise discomfort and pain that doesn't feel right.

Many people fail to listen to the wrong pain and perform movements that should have been immediately halted or modified. Pushing through the wrong type of exercise discomfort can potentially lead to an injury that could become a chronic problem. What it comes down to is knowing how to train smarter, not harder.

Your Body, Your Workout

You don't need to prove anything to anyone when it comes to fitness and workouts. Exercise programs are individual, not universal. This means we all work at different fitness levels doing our own thing. As long as you're bringing the best of yourself to the workout is all that matters.

Your goal is to maintain a healthy body through your workouts. Of course, healthy nutrition goes along with that and will be different for each person. And the big reason why generic diets don't work and shouldn't be an option. The point is to do what works best for your body in the gym and in the kitchen.

Avoid Overtraining

Physical training is important but can overly stress the body without adequate rest periods. A body that's in a constant state of overtraining will experience wear and tear. Poor exercise technique lumped into this scenario makes it even worse. Eventually, this type of training will break down and create a body that doesn't feel good in the years to come.

It's important to include rest and recovery as part of your fitness program. As long as you're challenging the different exercise components 3 to 5 times weekly should be sufficient. Hitting the gym daily can actually be counterproductive to losing fat and gaining muscle. Give your body some time to recover from intense workouts.

Components of Physical Fitness

Smart training consists of challenging the following components of fitness:

muscular strength

muscular endurance

cardiovascular endurance

flexibility

body fat composition

Simple programs can accomplish all of these goals and are necessary to create and maintain a healthy body.

The challenge doesn't have to be gut-wrenching, feel like death kind of stuff. You simply need to push your body above the physical limits of what is considered normal physical status. Standing would turn into brisk walking for 30-minutes for example. Combine that with resistance training and a stretch program to create a smartly balanced fitness program.

Avoid Feeling Overwhelmed

When physical training is kept simple and smart, it doesn't feel so overwhelming. It's important to feel great about your workout and not consider it a burden. A positive attitude brings about the confidence you need to achieve your fitness goals.

Training smart also helps you see exercise programs as an easy process. It enables you to best select workouts to best fit your body. This creates a training environment that produces results and keeps you healthy.

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Maintaining Your Fitness is The Goal

2022-10-03T14:00:00.000-07:00

Reaching your fitness goals is a great accomplishment. It takes consistent effort to make that happen. And what remains important is maintaining those goals as a lifestyle.

Fitness is a Lifestyle

Fitness is not meant to be a temporary fix but a lifestyle of health and wellness. It may feel nice to rock that swimsuit for a season but fitness should mean more than that.

True fitness success happens when you live it daily. Consistent healthy eating and regular exercise are part of your normal routine. And getting off track for too long doesn't feel right when living a healthy lifestyle. Fitness becomes a priority and excuses no longer get in the way.

Healthy Habits For Life

Far too often, people have achieved goal weight, reduced body fat, and improved overall health but are unable to maintain these victories. Somehow, returning to a few unhealthy habits is seen as harmless and before long, all the positive changes are gone and they are right back at the beginning or worse.

The purpose of dumping unhealthy habits is to learn and keep new and healthier methods. And maintaining healthier habits is where the struggle can continue. Adopting healthy habits means keeping them for life. Life is the event you're getting in shape for not bikini season.

Forget the clothes and stand naked in front of a mirror. Standing in your truth will let you know if you're doing a great job maintaining your fitness. I'm not talking about the body and skin changes naturally occurring with aging, weight loss, or pregnancy. We all know the difference. You also know if you are really living a healthy life.

The Bottom Line

Your body keeps the most accurate record of what you're eating and drinking regardless of what you write down. It also knows if exercise is lacking. Your body is smart like that.

Reaching fitness goals is possible when a healthy lifestyle is maintained. In fact, maintaining your fitness is the goal.

So if you find yourself starting over, remember you can reach your goals again. This time, you will be wiser about the consequences of returning to unhealthy habits. You will be able to look at the process of getting fit as the goal and what it takes to maintain a healthy body for life.

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Why I Focus on Eating Healthy Not Counting Calories

2022-09-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

I stopped counting calories years ago. And the biggest reason for this positive change was years of restrictive dieting and food journaling that became stressful and burdensome.

Now I have a healthy relationship with food and just keep it simple and nutritious. I don't feel the need to track my calories because I eat primarily plant-based foods loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. I also listen to body cues of hunger and satiety so eat slowly and with enjoyment.

The food I eat keeps me strong, healthy, and feeling good and that's what matters. When your food is nutritious, it promotes healthiness and appropriate body weight.

Eating Healthy

I keep my refrigerator and pantry stocked with plenty of organic vegetables, fruits, yogurts, raw nuts, grains, and lean meats. I graze throughout the day eating small healthy meals every three hours. This keeps me satisfied and well-fueled for work and physical training.

Maintaining a healthy body is about living a quality life. This means being mindful of the quality of food consumed. There's a big difference in choosing to eat a fast food meal compared to an organic chicken breast with mixed greens. Healthy food is nutrient-dense, has fewer calories, and provides health benefits. It even looks like you're eating more when eating healthy because you are.

This is a great example of why I don't bother counting calories. As long as I am eating lots of veggies, fruits, grains, and lean protein, the need and stress behind counting calories are pointless. I eat for health and listen to the cues of my body that tell me to fuel up.

Shop Healthy

I also apply a strategy when buying groceries. I shop the perimeter of the store and steer clear of the center aisles full of processed foods. Most grocery store setups are the same, produce to the right or left, dairy to the back, and the meat counter on the opposite side.

Part of my grocery shopping also means sticking to a grocery list. This allows me to stay on track and on budget. I also enjoy the local farmer’s markets and shop for organic produce as much as possible. I also love the organics at Costco.

I believe in keeping my food intake simple. Eating healthy gets a slam for being complicated and this is really untrue. How is eating vegetables and chicken breast complicated? The problem is not with the food but how we feel about making changes to our lifestyle. Diet culture has done a great disservice to society making us feel bad for fulfilling a basic need in life - eating.

Keep it Simple

Eating an organic apple with peanut or almond butter is healthy food at its simple best. Not complicated at all and something we can all manage. Grilling or baking a chicken breast is another basic way to eat healthily. Nothing difficult in the process. Again, the issue is believing healthy eating is some sort of restrictive diet that is a burden and doesn't taste good.

If we could just get back to the basics of eating to live, eating real food, and not stressing about it so much, getting healthy would be an easier process. This would mean forgetting about unrealistic diets with their false claims and simply enjoying wholesome foods.

Think about our ancestors, what they ate, and how it was provided, and prepared. They worked hard physically growing crops, raising cattle and dairy all from their own land. It was freshly picked, cooked, and consumed throughout the day. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner as they should be.

I realize many of us don't live on farms or even grow our own food. However, I do try to eat as close to farm-to-fork as possible. What I do count is quality nutrients when it comes to my calories and that's good enough for me.

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6 Strategies You Need to Succeed at Getting Fit

2022-09-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

Working on personal fitness goals will come with questions and even concerns. Besides cleaning up your diet and exercise, there are other important factors to consider.

The following strategies will get you moving in the right direction:

6 Strategies You Need to Succeed

Positive mindset - Let's start with your thinking habits. Success with your fitness program will take a positive attitude. Regardless of how hopeless you may think your life is right now, it's important to stay positive about yourself and your efforts. You have the power to change and that is done by choice. Being positive is a daily decision and essential to a healthy body and mind.

Realistic mindset - Do you fall for quick-fix gimmicks and fad diets? The truth about fitness is you're not going to drop 20lbs or get muscular in a week. Getting fit requires realistic thinking. Results happen slowly and by repeating healthy habits over time. Staying realistic is what will keep you going without frustration. You develop a patient side and appreciate what you're doing. You realize that regardless of the time it takes, your efforts are making a positive difference. A realistic mindset will take you beyond reaching your fitness goals and into a healthy lifestyle.

Consistency - This is huge! Starting your fitness program is great but consistency is what keeps it going full-time. You understand the importance of your efforts and don't want to let yourself down. Consistency is what develops those healthy habits that are important to getting fit and healthy.

Discipline - Can't say enough about this! Do you find yourself lacking motivation and giving up sometimes? This is normal and the time you will need to rely on discipline to carry you through. Getting fit and even life doesn't promise an easy road. Being a disciplined person helps you get in that early morning workout, resist unhealthy foods, and stay true to the promise you made to yourself. You will need to become a disciplined person if you want to get fit.

Balance - Are you overly busy and stressed out? This will require an assessment of your life to bring in some balance. Not having time for your health can no longer be the acceptable norm. This is all a matter of better time management and priorities. Getting fit requires a healthy, balanced life. Time to re-arrange your priorities and add in some fun while you're at it!

Self-acceptance - This is so important! So many of us struggle with a lack of self-acceptance and find it hard to say anything nice about ourselves. Getting fit requires you to love yourself right where you are while working towards the body and life you want. It requires being happy while you're getting healthy. And accepting you're an awesome person capable of achieving your goals.

The Bottom Line

While eating right, exercising, drinking plenty of water, and getting adequate sleep are essential to getting fit, the above strategies are required first and foremost. What you think, and feel ultimately determines if you will eat right, exercise, and be a healthy person.

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Exercise For 30-Minutes 5 Days Per Week For Lasting Results

2022-08-19T06:00:00.001-07:00

Exercise doesn't have to be extreme to be effective. In fact, working out for at least 30-minutes 5 days per week is shown to provide optimal fitness for a lifetime.

Athletes with certain goals may need to perform above the maintenance requirement, but in general, active adults can achieve great results using the 30-minute strategy.

Get Fit and Healthy

Most of us want to feel good and look good naked with a simple exercise routine. This is possible without extreme workouts or lifting super heavy. If the extreme is what you enjoy, and it works for your body, go for it. I am addressing the norm demographic of everyday people who just want to get fit and be healthy.

What is Recommended?

Studies have shown that 150-minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity such as brisk walking is sufficient to maintain a healthy body. It would be reduced to 75-minutes per week for vigorous exercise like running or attending an aerobics class. High-intensity interval training reduces the minutes per workout even more.

Also recommended is weight resistance training two days per week. Although the guidelines are quite variable with weightlifting, you can accomplish an effective workout in less than 45-minutes.

Give it 30-Minutes

Maintaining a healthy body is a fairly basic process. Exercise for 30-minutes five days per week and eat right at least 80% of the time for best results. It's really not that complicated.

Everyone has 30-minutes to give to their health regardless of any excuse. It comes down to choices. If health and fitness are a priority, exercise will be a priority and that's the simple truth of it.

The best part about getting your sweat on for 30-minutes is making it your own. Creating workouts that are enjoyable is what builds a lifestyle of physical activity.

If being outdoors motivates you, lace up the tennis shoes or hiking boots and find some fun trails. If using the cardio equipment and listening to music floats your boat, go for it. Love to lift weights? Get to the gym or use dumbbells at home and put in the time.

Keep it Simple and Fun

The heart muscle responds to the demands of exercise being placed on it, not what you are specifically doing. Sweat is sweat, a mile is a mile, and 30-minutes is 30-minutes. What you do to increase the heart rate at a moderate level for that amount of time is up to you. The point is just to move for 30-minutes.

Stick to the basics of exercise. Keep it simple, fun, and a part of your everyday life. The latest extreme workout until you puke, faint, or die is not what will carry you from where you are now into your elder years.

Extreme programs may be used to meet specific athletic goals for some people. However, not necessary for active adults or new exercisers looking to get healthy and improve their overall quality of life.

Get Motivated

The point of this blog is to motivate you to start an exercise program. All you need is 30-minutes to start. Work with what you like and at your fitness level.

The amazing thing about workouts and fitness is being able to create what works best for each of us. There is never only one way to achieve the body you want. The best exercise is one you look forward to doing and will repeat for a lifetime.

Effective and Efficient Exercise

Working in the industry for over 30 years, I have come to appreciate the simplicity of fitness. It truly doesn't require as much time as you think to be a healthy person.

For example, I keep my workouts to a one-hour session or less if performing interval training. Honestly, I can achieve an effective workout and prefer exercising for 30-minutes because it fits with my work schedule.

As long as you challenge your body and perform quality exercise movements, it's good enough. Try not to get caught up in the stress of what you think exercise is according to fitness marketing. Honestly, some of the things I see out there are kinda scary.

Do What Works Best For You

The caveat to remember is finding fitness programs that work best for you. Keep it simple, basic, and fun. When exercise is enjoyed and done right, you will keep it for life.

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Fitness is a Process You Achieve One Day at a Time

2022-07-19T07:00:00.001-07:00

Believing anything happens quickly is not realistic. Fitness is a process of small changes creating large results over time. There is no magic wand for instant weight loss or muscle gain. You may want that, but not how it works. Quick fix thoughts only set you up for frustration and failure.

One Day at a Time

Fitness is achieved one day at a time. Biceps don't suddenly appear after your first day in the gym. What does happen with regular exercise is progress. The muscle will show up but give it time to work, grow, and build. It's like a fine wine or great simmering stew. The journey will be rewarding but patience is required.

Fad Fitness

One of the worst things you could do is start a fad diet or take unregulated fat-burning supplements thinking this is the answer. Read the small print on any of these pseudo-fitness products. "Best results when accompanied with a healthy diet and exercise program" is what you'll find.

All that needs to happen is to follow the small print which is the best advice on those bottles. In fact, any results achieved come from implementing a healthy nutrition plan and exercise. You're the one doing the work, not what's in those bottles.

Healthy Lifestyle

Fitness done daily will take time and effort but the lifelong results are the reward. A healthy lifestyle is a journey and not a destination. There's no need to feel rushed or stressed about getting fit. It's really a simple process often over-complicated. Find healthy foods and exercise you enjoy to stay motivated and keep you coming back for more.

Avoid jumping ahead in your mind to what you want now - focus on today. What are you doing today to reach your fitness goals? Did you exercise, eat healthily, and get plenty of rest? Awesome! Celebrate your daily achievements. Write them down if it helps. Stay positive even when things aren't showing up as fast as you think they should.

Health is Personal

We're all different in how our bodies respond to change. Comparing yourself to friends or people you see at the gym is the thief of joy. You're not here to be or look like someone else. Your job is to become your best healthy self through daily choices. Who cares if your friend lost 5lbs and you didn't reach that mark. Fitness is not about who is faster at achieving results.

The goal is to get fit and love yourself through the process. The days are going to pass anyway so focus on adopting a healthy lifestyle the right way. Today is what we have, tomorrow isn't promised and yesterday is gone. Be in the now with your fitness and you'll get there one day at a time.

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How to Lose Weight and Gain Muscle in 7 Steps

2022-06-04T06:00:00.001-07:00

How do I lose weight and gain muscle? This is probably the top-ranked question heard daily as a trainer/coach. The question is not always easily answered.

There is never a one-size-fits-all fitness program. That being said, I'm providing a general list of factors that should be considered to achieve your goals:

Mental Readiness

If you're not ready mentally, your body is unable to follow. Mental readiness is accepting a change that is needed in your life to improve your health. Your desire to finally get serious may come from a doctor saying your cholesterol, triglycerides, or blood pressure is too high. You may have been told being overweight has contributed to these issues and the potential for increased risk of diabetes or heart problems.

Many times, the desire to change comes from you reaching a point of not liking how you feel or what you see in the mirror. Moments like this typically motivate you to finally commit to eating healthy and exercising regularly. You are ready for a lifestyle change.

Plan to Succeed

Nothing happens without good planning. Whether achieving fitness goals with a qualified personal trainer or solo, you will require knowledge and a plan to succeed. If working on your own, you will need reliable nutrition and fitness books or online sources. Stick with realistic approaches and stay away from fad diets and trends. These are typically short-term quick fixes without long-term solutions.

Another strategy is seeking the help of a qualified personal trainer/nutrition counselor. Proper fitness/health coaching can really motivate you in the right direction. If taught correctly, you will gain lifelong education on healthy eating, proper exercise technique, weight loss management, and muscle growth.

Food and Fitness Journals

Recording progress is a great strategy for successful weight loss and muscle gain. You can include 'before' pictures and measurements, feelings of the day, daily food and water intake, and exercises performed in your workout. This consistent information will allow you to repeat successful weeks and show you where things didn't go quite right.

Progressive Fitness

You have heard fitness is about progress, not perfection. Getting fit will require patience and consistent effort. Every positive step toward your goal is making a difference even when you don't see it right away. Progressive fitness means you take it slow, keep going, and trust the process.

Eating Healthy

Losing weight and gaining muscle requires eating for your goals. This means the majority of your food intake will include vegetables and leafy greens, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and lots of water. This will be a nutrition lifestyle change taking you from unhealthy eating habits to eating a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods. Physical demands will also increase the number of calories coming from these foods. For example, weightlifters and long-distance runners will require more fuel than an individual selecting a light aerobics class for physical activity.

Exercise

Workouts don't have to be extreme or long duration to be effective. We tend to overcomplicate fitness and consider workouts a burden. Find an exercise you enjoy and stick with it. Working out at least 4 times per week is recommended to increase muscle mass and reduce body fat. A balanced workout program includes exercise that challenges your aerobic, strength, balance, and flexibility.

Applying a progressive workout strategy is also important. Allow yourself to be a beginner and slowly increase exercise intensity and duration. This will give your body time to adapt, promote muscle growth, and progress at a healthy rate reducing the risk of injury.

Healthy Lifestyle

Adopting a healthy lifestyle includes a combination of eating right, exercise, adequate sleep, and balancing work and play. Losing weight and gaining muscle is just a result of living this way. It's really a goal achievable for everyone and simply applying these 7 steps is a great way to start seeing results that will last a lifetime.

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12 Things Not To Do If You Want to Get Fit

2022-05-12T10:00:00.002-07:00

There are plenty of articles telling you how to get fit, but what about things you shouldn’t be doing to accomplish this goal? The truth is there are certain strategies that fit people use to achieve results and maintain their bodies. So what exactly are they not doing that you can learn from to get fit?

The following list will cover 12 things not to do if you want to get fit:

1. Procrastinate

Waiting wastes your time and negatively affects your health. If you want to get fit, it will take action starting now and not tomorrow. Fit individuals don’t wait around for things to happen, they make fitness results happen.

2. Make Excuses

Excuses don’t burn calories or improve your health. You want to improve your fitness but keep coming up with reasons not to do the work. Fit people understand the importance of their health, make it a priority, and live a disciplined lifestyle. This includes exercising even when they don't feel like it.

3. Go on a Diet

Going on a diet only provides short-term results and lots of frustration. Weight loss may happen initially but returns, plus some, when the diet is over. Fit people consume nutritious foods most of the time and accept that all foods have a place in a healthy lifestyle. Food freedom eliminates food restriction, removes food guilt, and allows for a nutrition plan that is sustainable.

4. Bash Yourself

Negative self-talk and body shaming aren't beneficial to you or your fitness. You desire to look good but aren’t able to accept who you are now while working on the body you want. Fit and healthy people maintain a positive attitude, self-love, and body acceptance every step of the fitness journey.

5. Avoid Making Health and Fitness a Priority

Not making fitness a priority is a big reason you do not see results. You want to be fit but are not willing to take the time to eat right, exercise, and get plenty of rest. There is always something more important than you. Fit individuals see the value of health improvement and make the time to live a healthy lifestyle.

6. Compare Your Progress

Your fitness results will differ from another. Constantly comparing your body and fitness program with your friend or whoever can lead to frustration, disappointment, and even quitting. Fit people focus on their own body, progress, and do what works best for them without caring what other people think.

7. Get Fit for Others

Getting fit to please someone else is not really taking care of you for you. Others can disappoint you and even make you feel bad about your fitness efforts. The reason to get fit and feel good is a decision fit people make for themselves for their own happiness and health.

8. Expect Instant Results

Fitness results take time and many people struggle with being patient for realistic results. This often leads to frustration and searching for the next fad diet program offering false guarantees. Fit individuals maintain a relaxed mindset, trust the process, and realize getting healthy is a consistent process that requires patience.

9. Focus on Slipups

Being focused on slipups like eating a cookie instead of celebrating daily fitness efforts is a problem. Slipups are part of life, health, and fitness but many people are unable to accept slipups are part of the program. Instead, food guilt and negative self-talk make a fit lifestyle feel like a burden. Those who live a fit lifestyle understand it’s not perfect, do their best each day, focus on the positive, and enjoy all foods as part of a balanced healthy life.

10. Fear Trying New Things

Doubt and fear steal more dreams than failure ever will. You want to get fit but fear the gym environment, being around new people, and trying new things. This kind of thinking can become an excuse for not getting involved in a fitness program. Fit people will try new things even if they feel scared or intimidated because they understand the health benefits gained are life-long compared to a temporary feeling.

11. Sabotage Your Program

A fitness program can be easily sabotaged by your own choices or the influence of others. Skipping workouts becomes more frequent, and eating healthy, is inconsistent. The program may have started strong but no longer is a priority. Those maintaining fit and healthy bodies keep their exercise appointments and eat healthy at least 80% of the time.

12. Give Up

If you stop now, what was it all for in the first place? You may be unhappy about lots of things like not seeing results, exercise, and a restrictive diet. Instead of trying a better strategy, many people choose to return to unhealthy habits. Giving up is not respecting your body or your health. Fit people never give up and if something isn’t working, they keep trying until they find what does work best for their body, health, and life.

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Sorta Kinda Fitness Doesn't Work

2022-04-28T08:00:00.001-07:00

You want to be fit, feel good and look great. Awesome!

Unfortunately, many people are going about it the wrong way. In fact, you may be searching the internet right now for the newest fad diet or quick fix to fitness.

The Problem

A common problem is not wanting to give up unhealthy habits for healthy ones. Instead of looking at all the positive things that would be gained, there is a belief that something in life is lost. And many people believe that fitness is a burdensome process.

This type of thinking usually leads to sorta-kinda trying to get fit and with that comes sorta-kinda fitness results.

A common scenario is not being able to commit to a healthy lifestyle. This often includes blaming others and ourselves for eating off track and making excuses for missing workouts. The truth about fitness is when it's not done consistently, small to no results are the outcome.

We are wasting too much time and missing too many opportunities to get healthy. Why is that? What is going on in your life where health is no longer a priority? Instead of trying to figure this out, unhealthy is accepted as the new normal. And this is an unfortunate truth.

Other Factors

A large percentage of people have great intentions and even put in some effort to eat right and exercise. However, our mental outlook about ourselves sometimes halts the process. Our mind plays negative games, you may hear a hurtful comment, or not seeing immediate results can cause frustration. What it comes down to is mental and physical readiness are important components to getting fit.

Other factors below may be sabatoging your efforts:

Partying too much with friends or at home.
Eating unhealthy processed food half the time.
Managing only one or two workouts per week.
Being in denial about unhealthy habits

Resentment can also be a problem with sorta-kinda fitness. You fail to understand why you're not losing fat or not seeing muscle. This typically leads to negativity, more self-doubt, and believing fitness just can't happen for you.

Fixing the Problem

Acknowledging unhealthy habits keeping you from reaching your goals is important. If you believe nothing is wrong, nothing will change.

When you honestly start taking responsibility for your health is when true fitness happens. Fitness is a lifestyle and sorta kinda just doesn't work.

Helpful tips to adopt a healthy lifestyle include:

Stop looking for quick fixes
Be honest with yourself and others
Drop the diet mentality
Remain realistic about your results
Adopt a positive attitude
Focus on health not weight
Be patient with your progress
Keep going

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Are You Really Eating for Fitness Goals?

2022-04-14T06:53:00.003-07:00

Fitness goals are awesome but there are a few things to think about to reach and maintain those goals.

The most common fitness goals are weight loss, losing fat, gaining muscle, and overall good health. Achieving these goals requires good eating habits, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and life balance. Basically, the goal is to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

However, a large percentage of people may have the wrong idea about how to eat right or exercise. And most are following the latest diet trends or extreme exercise programs that are not sustainable. This has led to an overfed, undernourished society with physical injuries sustained from fitness programs not best suited for each individual.

That said, this blog will briefly look at food intake and reaching your fitness goals. And since nutrition plays the largest role in health and fitness, it's important to talk about it.

What Are You Eating?

Nine times out of 10 if you feel you're doing everything right and not seeing fitness results, your nutrition program needs to be re-evaluated.

In order to achieve good health, it requires consuming healthy food and exercising consistently. And you know when this is happening or not. I found keeping a food journal at the beginning of a fitness program to be a great accountability tool for healthy eating. And can be implemented at any time to help get you back on track.

What often happens is food intake remains on track at the beginning of a fitness program when motivation is high but starts lacking over time. Unhealthy eating habits start creeping back in as something validated and acceptable because you exercise several times per week. Unfortunately, this unhealthy eating pattern continues more often than people want to admit and is the real reason fitness results are not maintained or achieved.

An unhealthy pattern of eating off track and using exercise to burn off unwanted calories can also become a problem. Food guilt and performing an excessive amount of exercise become a vicious unhealthy cycle that leads to frustration, burnout, and depression. This is not a healthy approach to food intake or exercise and is not the definition of a healthy lifestyle. Remember, you can't out-exercise a crappy diet.

The takeaway here is nutrition plays the largest role in your fitness success. Without eating right, achieving goals will not happen in a healthy way.

Food is Not a Reward

A healthy lifestyle includes all foods as part of the program. And because no foods are restricted, it's not a diet but eating nutritious foods most of the time with an allowance of those foods with less nutritional value on occasion.

Sadly, many diets are not sustainable with heavy restrictions and minimal calories. This has caused a large percentage of people to view food in an unhealthy way. And in order to enjoy a certain food, they would have to restrict themselves for a long period of time to get a food reward like pizza or a brownie. Unfortunately, the cycle of restriction and food reward has been shown to lead to disordered eating, bingeing, and an unhealthy relationship with food.

The important thing here is to see all food as having a place in a healthy lifestyle. Food is not good or bad, or to be used as a reward for a job well done. Food sustains the human body and is part of the enjoyment of life.

Food is Powerful

The food you eat and what you drink represents the body you show. Think about that statement. Food is powerful and makes you feel healthy or unhealthy. It can also make you look fit or fat.

Consuming unhealthy processed food products increases inflammation in your bloodstream. Inflammation is said to be one of the main causes of increased risk of chronic disease and cancer.

Eating right includes consuming lots of plant-based foods, lean proteins, nuts and seeds, grains, and healthy fats that clean up inflammation in your body. You feel great and look great.

A healthy lifestyle is learning how to balance nutrition. Eating right at least 80% of the time allowing for a few splurges is considered healthy and sustainable. It's also an enjoyable way of living.

Take Responsibility

Being in denial about what you're eating doesn't fix the problem. Now is a great time to perform a nutritional assessment and take an honest look at what you are eating. Reaching fitness goals means being true to yourself and taking responsibility for your nutrition.

The great news is you can always get back on track and start again. This time, with healthier choices and a real commitment to living a healthy lifestyle. Fitness is always about progress and not perfection.

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Finding the Best Exercise Program That Works For You

2022-03-29T11:45:00.001-07:00

Are you struggling with finding the right workout? You're not alone. It can feel overwhelming with so many different programs available.

The Best Exercise Program

The best exercise program is one that works for your body and lifestyle. It's also one you should enjoy and keeps you coming back for more.

There are many factors to consider when choosing the best workout program for you. Your fitness level and lifestyle are the first things that come to mind. Also, your overall feeling about exercise.

Exercise is a component of physical fitness and an important part of achieving lasting results. Keeping this in mind, it will be essential for you to first identify where you see yourself regarding exercise:

The Physical Part

I am a sedentary person and don't exercise at all.
I exercise occasionally. (a few times per month).
I exercise regularly (3-5 times weekly).

The Mental Part

I dislike the thought of exercising.
I don't like exercise discomfort and being sore the next day.
I don't like to get sweaty or feel hot.
I feel overwhelmed, intimidated, and don't know what I am doing.
I am too busy to exercise.
I fear going to the gym.
I can get bored easily and quit.
I feel pretty confident in my exercise program.
I enjoy going to the gym, feel stronger, and better because of it.

Choosing Your Workout Program

Acceptance of where you are physically and mentally will be the start of selecting the best workout program for you. Allowing yourself to be a beginner will be an important part of this process. It will also help with improving how you feel about exercise.

All components of fitness are individual, not universal, and should be used to create a personal program that caters to your body and your progress. Your workout may mimic an exercise program through guidance but it belongs to you. This is true for everyone at any fitness level.

That being said, the following tips will help you get motivated about choosing a workout program that works best for you:

Accept and allow yourself to be a beginner. This may require enlisting the help of a qualified personal trainer, watching online fitness expert workshops and exercise classes, and buying books on the subject of exercise for beginners.

Understand that exercise will be a brief uncomfortable process. Change takes challenging your body and exercise discomfort is normal. Remember, short-term discomfort for lasting results. This will take getting comfortable with getting uncomfortable.

Write down physical activity that sounds fun to you. Look into classes, videos, etc., that cater to your likes. This is very helpful for those who dislike the thought of exercising.

Make it a goal to exercise at least 3 days per week to start.

A challenging workout will heat up your body and produce sweat. This will require a change of mindset for those uncomfortable with this. Remember, it's only for a short time and gets you closer to your goals. This also requires getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Avoid boredom and promote muscle confusion by changing up your workout programs regularly. This will keep you motivated.

Gain workout confidence by pushing past your fears and into the gym. This will feel hard, but each time will get easier.

Being too busy is an unacceptable excuse not to take care of your fitness. This is an issue of priorities, not having time. Remove the calendar clutter and make time to exercise.

Already confident in the gym but have hit a plateau? Research different ways to challenge your body, join a new fitness class, increase your weight resistance/reps. There is always a way to improve and progress your workout program.

Your ultimate goal is to become a regular exerciser (3-5 times per week for life).

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Cleaning Up Your Nutrition For Results

2022-03-18T10:00:00.001-07:00

Achieving fitness results the right way will require good nutrition. Although exercise is important, nutrition does play the largest role in getting fit and maintaining your health.

Eating Right is Easy

Eating right for results isn't complicated as many people believe. This line of thinking has much to do with fitness products and supplements marketed as the only way to lose weight, get fit, and increase muscle size. Wrong!

Let's put these myths aside and take a simple look at what really is required nutritionally.

Food Journals Can Help

It may be helpful to use a food journal for a short time until you have adopted how to eat right. Food journals are shown to keep you on track and enable you to repeat healthy weeks. This part may sound like a burden to start, but it really is quite simple.

Forget about counting calories, grams, weighing food, etc. to start. Keep your journal simple and enjoy the process of learning. As long as you're eating healthy throughout the day to support your body and physical activity is the goal.

A simple food journal may look something like this:

Water intake for the day: 2 quarts
Meal 1: 1 slice seeded toast, 1/4 to 1/2 avocado, 1 boiled egg
Meal 2: large greens and fruit blended shake
Meal 3: large green salad topped with grilled chicken breast, balsamic vinegar
Meal 4: sliced apple with 2 tbsp peanut butter
Meal 5: grilled salmon with lots of veggies
Meal 6: yogurt topped with raw nuts

Dump the Junk Food

Eating right will require getting rid of the junk food in your house. This can be difficult especially if you struggle with tossing out food. If it helps, box it all up and donate it to a food kitchen or church.

Take a day and go through your refrigerator and pantry. Remove all processed, packaged, frozen dinners, pastries, white products, etc. Unhealthy food products contain a lot of trans fats, high-sodium, and chemicals you really don't want to be ingesting. A short list includes:

sugary drinks, sodas, and some sports drinks
white bread
refined vegetable oils (corn, soybean, cottonseed, canola)
margarine
pastries, cakes, cookies
boxed crackers and chips
low-carb meals and bars
yogurt high in sugar and chemicals
processed gluten-free products
ice cream, candy, candy bars, and some protein bars
processed meats (salami, pastrami, deli meats, hot dogs, etc)
processed cheese (American, cheese in a can, etc)

Eat Clean for Results, Fitness, and Health

Getting fit for life requires eating cleaner which is just another way of saying you're eating healthy. You have taken the steps to remove all processed foods from your house and are now ready to replace those with real whole foods.

Let's go shopping! The best way to stay on track at the grocery store is not to go when you're hungry. Eat a healthy meal first and stick to your written list of items.

Having healthy food at home will also reduce eating at restaurants and fast-food chains. This keeps you in control of your food intake and is the goal of adopting a healthy lifestyle.

We all differ in nutritional likes and that is great because there is a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods for everyone. You will want to include all the macros in your nutrition which just means eating a balance of lean proteins, nutritious carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

The following shortlist includes healthy selections from each category and also takes into consideration vegetarian/vegan preferences:

Proteins:

B/S chicken and turkey breast
Salmon, halibut, tilapia, albacore tuna
Lean beef (90% lean)
Greek yogurt (natural, no sugar added)
Cottage cheese
Eggs
Milk (2%), almond milk, coconut milk, low-fat chocolate milk
Lentils, dried beans, navy beans, no to low-sodium canned beans
Peanut butter (natural, no-sugar-added), almond butter
Raw mixed nuts
Tofu
Edamame
Quinoa

Carbohydrates:

Vegetables (broccoli, peppers, squash, asparagus, etc)
Leafy greens (spinach, chard, kale, etc)
Fruits (apples, berries, mango, cherries, etc)
Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, peas, and beans)
Quinoa, Kamut, barley, buckwheat, flax meal
Brown rice (white rice for some athletes)
Whole wheat, whole grain bread
Steel-cut oats
Sweet potatoes
White and red potatoes (baked not fried)

Fats:

Avocados
Chickpeas (hummus)
Walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, pecans, etc (raw-unsalted, not roasted)
Olive oil
Salmon (Omega-3 fatty acids)
Nut and seed butter (natural, no sugar added)
Ground flaxseed or flax meal
Chia seeds

You Can Do It!

Eating better is typically the biggest struggle with adopting a healthy lifestyle. I believe in keeping nutrition simple and fun. When eating right is enjoyable, you will repeat it for life.

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Setting Realistic Fitness Goals You Can Stick With

2022-03-03T09:57:00.001-08:00

Having a realistic mindset when setting fitness goals is important. And there are a few things you should know to feel successful along the way.

Take it Slow

Many of us can jump too far ahead wanting instant results. Unrealistic expectations can derail how you feel about yourself and your fitness program. The goal is to avoid frustration and maintain a positive outlook.

Part of being successful with your program is learning to slow down and allow yourself to be a beginner. This will take being patient and trusting the process.

If you have reached your goals and fallen back into unhealthy habits, this is for you as well. Recovering from injury will also require being patient and conservative with your fitness.

Stay Consistent

Fitness takes time and consistent effort. Achieving your goals is a life-long progressive program. We are always a work in progress.

And there will be times you don't feel motivated and must depend on a disciplined lifestyle to keep going. And that is the important thing - not to give up. And discipline helps you stay consistent.

Staying consistent is what develops a healthy life, body, and mind. Remember it's what you do all the time that matters.

Stay Positive

You can't develop a positive life in a negative mind. Staying positive is so important in health, fitness, and life. And this takes daily work and choices.

We all have blah days and can feel overwhelmed with our fitness program. When results are slow, sometimes staying positive is difficult.

What is helpful in these moments is reading positive affirmations, talking your feelings through with a supportive spouse or friend, and not losing focus on the realistic expectations of all fitness programs.

Helpful Tips

The following tips on how to set realistic fitness goals will be helpful:

Allow yourself to be a beginner.
Adopt the mindset that fitness is a life-long journey.
Results don't happen fast so be patient with your progress.
It's ok not to know everything at once.
Start where you are and enjoy the process.
Take one day at a time and avoid jumping too far ahead.
Healthy weight loss is 1/2 lb to no more than 3lbs per week.
Muscle takes time to build, be patient.
It will feel hard and that is normal, keep going.
Maintain a fitness journal and repeat healthy weeks.
Baby steps create big results.
Avoid quick-fix diets and fitness gimmicks.
Workout 3-5 days per week for at least 30 minutes. (this is doable)
Drink more water, eliminate soda, decrease alcohol. (you can do it)
Focus on today and making healthy choices.
Don't expect to lose 20lbs in one week - stay realistic.
Avoid comparing yourself to others.
Each day you will become healthier, stronger, and better.
Start by making 3 healthy changes per day and repeat until it's a habit.
You can do it!

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Maintaining a Healthy Perspective About Fitness is Important

2022-02-22T14:00:00.001-08:00

I adopted a healthy lifestyle years ago and never looked back. Today it's my state of being and natural existence.

In fact, my passion for health and fitness has become my occupation. When you do what you love, it really doesn't feel like work. It's a sharing and teaching of how I live my life. It feels awesome to be able to provide this gift to so many people.

About Fitness

I am realistic about health and fitness. I don't teach perfection but celebrate progress. Fitness is not about a restrictive lifestyle but a healthy balance of eating right most of the time and regular exercise.

I also don't believe in taking fitness to an extreme where it feels like a burden. What I do encourage is a positive mental game and a healthy perspective about health and fitness. This includes enjoying the food you eat and the exercise you perform. Living healthy should feel like a happy daily existence.

About Food Intake

I prefer cooking at home and enjoy the process. This allows me to have control over what I am eating and reduces the salt and saturated fats that come with restaurant fare. I prefer to buy organic, real whole foods that include a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, lean meats, nuts, grains, and certain dairy products. I also believe that all foods can and should be in a healthy lifestyle. This means I enjoy homemade brownies, cookies, burgers, and steak when I want it. Eating healthy most of the time allows for those occasional cravings like chocolate or french fries to be satisfied without the guilt. Life is about balance, not deprivation.

I don't believe in diets and don't count calories. Diets are overly restrictive, not sustainable, and set people up for frustration and failure. Studies have shown that people may initially lose weight on a diet but gain it back plus more because it can't be sustained as a lifestyle. I couldn't agree more with the coined phrase that 'diets don't work'.

Diet culture has done a great disservice to healthy eating and what that means. It has caused lots of stress and frustration over what should be a basic process to sustain life. And this is a big problem today with how people view food and themselves. Helping clients breakthrough diet cycles is one of the biggest challenges of a nutritional guide. And the greatest success is helping someone develop a healthy relationship with food to complement improved fitness.

About Workouts

I believe workouts can be effective without being extreme and drawn out. I don't spend endless hours in the gym to maintain my body. In fact, studies indicate an effective workout can be completed in 60 minutes or less. I also feel my workouts are a healthy outlet and not a punishment for eating crappy. I make sure to get in 4-5 workouts per week with at least two recovery days. I would describe my healthy lifestyle as realistic, sustainable, and mentally positive.

About My Best Self

Doing my best means doing what works best for me and my body. And that's good enough.

Fitness is an individual, not a universal process so we can't compare our fitness programs and results with another person. The truth is we could all eat the same, perform the same workouts, and not look the same.

Doing my best is based on daily personal improvements and that is the beautiful part about health and fitness. It will be different and look different for each person. And the acceptance of this is so important for self-love and body positivity.

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Eat Right Not Less for The Body You Want

2022-02-10T08:35:00.001-08:00

We have been taught to believe getting fit means going on a strict diet. Why?

Fad diets and quick-fix scams have caused consumers to believe unrealistic claims. Sadly, these fad diets restrict important nutrients your body needs.

There is nothing purchased in a bottle or package that is going to make you a fit person.

The way to a fit and healthy body is eating right most of the time combined with a regular exercise program. Getting plenty of rest and water intake is also important.

Eat Right Not Less

Getting fit the healthy way includes eating right not less. This means tossing your unhealthy eating habits and consuming nutritious foods to improve your health and fitness.

Diets don't work and set us up for failure because they can't be sustained. Your body requires nutrients from all food groups (proteins, carbohydrates, fats). Many diets advise removing important carbohydrates, dairy, grains, legumes, and certain fats. Drastic methods such as this can leave you feeling tired, ill, and may potentially cause nutrient deficiencies.

Restrictive diets are not recommended for successful weight loss, lean mass gain, or health improvement.

What Your Body Needs

Your body needs energy and that comes from the food you eat. There is a difference between healthy and unhealthy food so eating right is important. Each macronutrient or food group (protein, carbohydrates, fats) supports optimal body function. Proteins help build and repair muscle, carbs provide energy, and healthy fats regulate hormones for example.

Getting fit requires consuming more nutritious foods to support exercise demands and normal body functions. Whole foods are nutrient-dense and lower in calories compared to processed food products. This means your body needs more of the good stuff throughout the day and quite the opposite of a diet.

Eating plenty of nutrient-dense foods consistently (80% of the time) will enable you to reach your fitness goals and maintain a healthy body. It's sustainable because it's not a diet but a healthy lifestyle.

As you work toward getting fit and healthy, resist the temptation of fad diets, and simply eat right for your goals.

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Fake Health Foods Can Lead to Fake Fitness

2022-01-31T07:00:00.001-08:00

Health food is marketed not for your health but for financial gain. In fact, the health industry brings in billions of dollars each year on fitness trends and gimmicks, including food and supplements. As consumers trying to get healthy, we are targeted with health food products promising no-fat, low-fat, no sugar, no calories, and gluten-free. The industry knows how to work the trends and reap the financial benefits. Unhealthy organics are even making headway.

Please be aware that organic labels don't always mean healthy. In fact, most of these food products are still pumped full of sugar, preservatives, saturated fat, chemicals, and who knows what else. There is something wrong with any food that can sit on the shelf for years. And there is something wrong with food companies presenting organic chips like Ruffles, Doritos, and Cheese Puffs as a healthy alternative.

Chips are Chips

Sadly, many consumers believe organic chips and similar items are healthy because they claim to be organic.

The bottom line - chips are chips, organic, or not. Potato chips of any kind are one of the worst things to put in your body. Potato chips have one of the highest levels of acrylamide. Acrylamide is a chemical used for industrial purposes but is also formed when starchy foods like potato chips are cooked at high temperatures. It's also found in cigarette smoke. The chemical is shown to be linked to cancer and other diseases. Does that bag of chips still sound appealing?

Other food items try to squeak by stating they are minimally processed, but processed is processed.

Read the Ingredient Labels

Store shelves are lined with convenient organic items and granted some may be fabulous, but most are not. The ingredients tell the real story for anything in a box, bag, or wrapper. If you can't understand or pronounce what's on the ingredient label, you better believe it's a chemical sh*t storm.

Many fitness enthusiasts rely on protein and energy bars. Have you looked at those labels? Most are the same as eating a candy bar. These bars are also available in organic versions but does it make them any better? Removing pesticides is great but what about all the additives, preservatives, sugar, and salt?

When it comes to buying any food, rely on the ingredient label, and look for understandable quality ingredients. Fewer ingredients are better when it comes to packaged products.

Become Food Smart

Become wise consumers and discontinue believing fake health food marketing schemes. Eating a bag of organic chips post-workout isn't muscle recovery food. Reaching for that energy bar may not be the best choice, and forget the organic white pasta.

Real organic food is just that, real in its raw state. Sometimes organics can even look ugly with blemishes. It also ripens quickly.

It's important to understand whole foods are the most important part of getting healthy and staying that way.

Eat Right for Health

You achieve optimal fitness, improved athletic performance, fat loss, and muscle gain when you feed your body the good stuff. Just because the label says organic, fat-free, gluten-free, or any "free" doesn't mean healthy. Be a wise shopper and eat what you understand and what is real.

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My Journey through Menopause

2022-01-12T01:00:00.001-08:00

My journey through menopause is more of an update of my "Menopause Frustration and Finding Relief" blog post. Head on over and read that before diving in here to get the full story of my symptoms, frustrations, and actions to resolve them.

My Menopause Journey

Instead of being mad at menopause, I'm now calling it a journey through menopause. The drastic symptoms have softened thanks to research, talking with my doctors, and making treatment decisions that best fit my body. As women, we will all experience menopause and the havoc placed upon our bodies during this transition.

Menopause is part of life and health and not a topic to be hushed under the rug. There is no shame or embarrassment in discussing anything that relates to health and fitness. We have lived too long with our heads tucked between our tails and still thinking how dare we use the term 'vagina' in public. Come on now, we're all adults and this is an important issue for women and the men who support them.

Menopause Symptoms

Starting menopause, I was plagued with unbelievable hot flashes that tormented my days and nights. Fatigue was at an all-time high. I felt irritable, experienced foggy thinking, and inability to sleep. Vaginal dryness was insane, numerous urinary tract infections were intolerable and lastly, my libido tanked. I was completely frustrated and menopause absolutely consumed me.

I think menopause was at the forefront of every conversation with hubby back then. I thank God every day for such a supportive man. It didn't matter how physically fit I looked on the outside because my inside was so out of balance. I didn't feel confident sexually or as a woman. This weighed on me heavily and I was desperate to fight menopause with all I had.

Menopause Update

This update comes two years into my menopause and happy to report, I feel so much better. I no longer take OTC herbal blends and decided to give bio-identical hormone therapy a try.

I have been on bio-identical hormones for two years now and the improvement in menopause symptoms is remarkable. In addition, I have continued the low-dose estrogen vaginal insert pill and very happy with the plumped-up results. I also use natural coconut oil and vitamin E suppositories regularly for internal vaginal moisturizing.

My hot flashes went away within weeks of bio-identical therapy. As the months have gone by, I feel like my old self again. Emotionally and physically my body feels like it has been brought back into hormonal balance. I am now functioning at what I would call a normal level.

My confidence is renewed, my thinking is clear, and sex is great. My lifestyle of eating healthy and regular exercise continues to help residual menopause symptoms. My cycles have not made an appearance for over a year which is one of the indicators of being in full menopause.

I don't know how long I will require transdermal bioidentical hormone therapy but I am happy with the decision to go this route for my body. It has changed my frustration into stress-free days and I can better accept going through menopause. Not having a period feels like sweet freedom. I can wear white pants with confidence.

Sharing my journey through menopause is my way of supporting other women going through this process. However, we are all unique individuals who need to be our own health care advocates. It's important to make the best choices for ourselves through research and doctor discussions.

What works for me may not be the best option for you. Be motivated there is hope to feeling better going through menopause and always be pro-active when it comes to your health.

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How to Lose 12lbs in 6 Weeks

2021-12-30T12:30:00.001-08:00

Losing 12 pounds is not only a realistic goal but can be done in a short amount of time.

Skip The Diet, Just Live Healthy

I'm not talking about a fad diet or weight loss gimmick. I'm referring to healthy weight loss using appropriate methods. This means a healthy lifestyle that includes:

Consistent healthy eating (at least 80% of the time)
Intuitive eating (listen to satiety and hunger body cues)
Regular exercise (3-5 times weekly)
Adequate water intake
Limited alcohol intake
Plenty of rest
Positive mindset
An active lifestyle outside the gym

Healthy Weight Loss

Applying a healthy lifestyle is said to promote successful weight loss at a rate of 1/2 to 3 pounds per week. This is considered sustainable and healthy weight loss.

I find those clients following my nutritional coaching combined with consistent workouts are losing in the middle range of 1 to 2 pounds per week. Although weight loss will happen differently for each person.

Think about what this means in terms of time. This is only six weeks of sticking to a consistent fitness program. This is not a diet but eating lots of amazing healthy food.

Sodas are eliminated and alcohol is limited to not more than two nights per week and 2 drinks maximum for a male, 1 drink maximum for a female. Water intake is increased to drinking 1/2 your body weight in ounces daily to start.

It also means exercising 3 to 5 times weekly for at least thirty minutes per session.

Sound like something you could do?

Get Motivated

Sometimes it just takes someone to motivate you to start. The great thing about this program is it's not considered a diet but simply living healthily. No diet stigma or frustration that goes along with feeling food restricted. The truth about diets is that they don't work because they can't be sustained.

Healthy living is sustainable and the best way to promote fat loss, and lean mass gains. It improves the quality of your health and life. Are you motivated?

Get Fit the Right Way

Doesn't this sound reasonable, exciting, and realistic? Getting fit the right way shouldn't feel like a burden or complicated. What it does do is provide you with the knowledge of what and how to eat, how to exercise, and how to successfully apply a healthy lifestyle.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle is getting fit the right way. It becomes an enjoyable habit and way of life. It's not a temporary condition and the results are maintained for a lifetime.

It's time to stop over-complicating weight loss and start implementing the simplicity of eating healthy and exercise. Fitness is often thought to be a difficult process with overwhelming life changes - not true. Diet culture and diet marketing make things harder than they really are.

Change Takes Change

Change does take change. Yes, weight loss and getting fit require some choices and changes. It means creating healthy habits. This isn't a bad thing.

It also means applying realistic thinking about losing weight and getting fit. We want all the results but don't want to give up a current unhealthy lifestyle. Sound familiar?

If you want to see changes, you need to be willing to make the necessary changes.

The Bottom Line

Giving 100% effort for at least six weeks will provide positive results. And will allow enough time for you to embrace a healthy lifestyle and keep going with healthy choices.

You can do it!

My Typical Healthy Day

I like to teach by example and will eat something similar to the following menu on any given day:

1 cup peppermint tea
Meal 1: Oatmeal with blueberries and boiled egg.
Green shake: 1 cutie, ½-cup chopped pineapple, 2 large handfuls of power greens, 1/4 cup rolled oats, 1tbsp flax meal and chia seed, water, and blend until combined.
Meal 2: Ground turkey cooked with roasted vegetables and sweet potatoes.
Meal 3: Fruit in season with mixed raw nuts or celery sticks with peanut butter.
Meal 4: 4 oz grilled salmon or chicken with large side roasted vegetables like Brussel sprouts and cauliflower (drizzle olive oil on veggies, and large tbsp. basil pesto, mix well, roast)
Meal 5: 1oz square of dark chocolate with 1tbsp peanut butter, or 1/2 glass organic low-fat chocolate milk

I exercise 4 to 5 times per week and for 30 to 60-minutes per session. I believe in focused physical training and complete my workouts in a short period of time. I include a variety of fitness training and enjoy weight lifting, HIIT workouts, and stretching.

I also listen to my body. If I require more rest, I may only exercise four times that week.

I enjoy active rest days being outdoors with hubby, playing with our dog, going on long walks, hikes, or swimming.

Fit For Life

Studies indicate losing 1/2 to three pounds per week provides healthy, long-term sustainable weight loss. Unlike fad diets that may shed weight quickly but is regained plus more once the program is over.

Now is always the right time to get fit. Start by implementing a six-week fitness challenge makeover. This is a great beginning and short-term goal of shedding 12 pounds. It will be helpful to keep a fitness journal and track your food intake and exercise. Do your best, and have fun with the journey.

I would love to hear from you. Sharing success stories, asking questions, or sharing concerns is a great way to encourage and support each other along the way.

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Find Your Motivation Mojo For Health Improvement

2021-12-23T14:21:00.001-08:00

Have you found motivation mojo when it comes to improving your health?

Motivation is an important part of your fitness journey. And when that is lacking, having a disciplined lifestyle can jumpstart that motivation.

Staying motivated includes finding the best workouts, healthy foods, and lifestyle that keeps you interested. A healthy life that is enjoyable, sustainable, and suits who you are.

What Motivates You

Some may not be motivated by visual images of healthy people and respond better to written affirmations: YOU CAN DO IT, FIND YOUR STRONG, or BE YOUR BEST HEALTHY YOU for example. Regardless of what suits your motivational fancy, the important thing is to just get yourself going.

Motivation comes from what makes you happy and keeps you coming back for more. The following are a few examples of things that have helped people get and stay motivated:

upbeat music
fun fitness clothes/shoes
positive affirmations
joining a gym
goal setting
seeing results
eating better
good health
wearing whatever you want
feeling better
fun workouts
living a quality life

I will not tell you it will be easy because there are days when it will be straight-up hard. I'm speaking from personal experience. We all struggle with tough days of keeping it healthy. At the same time, I want to stress the importance of living the healthiest life you can. You only have one life with no playbacks.

Making Time

I don't accept that anyone is too busy to take care of their health, and that includes me.

For example, I am a business owner, personal trainer, and writer with a demanding schedule. And if the day only allows a 20-minute workout then I do that.

Exercise doesn't have to be some long-duration program lasting over an hour. In fact, studies have shown the greatest benefit of exercise is achieved within the first 30-minutes. Also, 45-minutes of focused exercise is sufficient to maintain a healthy body. I adhere to this philosophy and keep my exercise sessions limited to 45-minutes and no more than 5 times per week.

Steps to Motivation

So how do you find your motivation mojo?

Get out a piece of paper and write down your active passions … fun things you like to do. It's time to get off the couch, dance your pants off in the living room, go hiking, play games with the kiddos and fur babies.

What is it that makes you happy and will ensure you keep coming back for more? Changing up your thinking about fitness being a burden is also important. Think positive and create a plan you can maintain for a lifetime. Share your mojo in the comment section and I look forward to reading and responding to all of your shares.

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What You Need to Know About Sugar Intake to Lose Body Fat

2021-11-01T09:00:00.002-07:00

Are you eating too much sugar? Many of us may not realize the hidden sugars contained in foods being consumed. Also, much of the food we eat is converted into sugar.

The problem remains consuming too much sugar isn't healthy. It contributes to weight gain, obesity, and illness. Refined and added sugar can be addictive and keep you coming back for more.

Because of this, many of us are overfeeding but starving for nutrients. The outcome is a temporary sugar fix and an added flab layer.

In order to improve your health, reduce body fat, and ultimately reach your fitness goals, reducing sugar intake needs to happen.

What You Should Know About Sugar

Your body actually needs sugar to function properly. Carbohydrates break down into sugar (glucose) and provide energy. This is a good thing. However, there is a difference between naturally occurring sugar and refined, white sugar.

Refined white sugar is processed to look pretty and found in foods like bread, sauces, soups, ketchup, crackers, and the list goes on. It's also included in sodas, creamers, salad dressings, and sitting on your table to be added to coffee and cereal. This is the sugar that should be reduced in your diet.

Naturally occurring sugars in fruit, veggies, and milk are considered healthy. These are also known as good carbohydrates and provide either quick or slow-release energy for optimal body function, health, and fitness.

So, it's better to consume naturally occurring sugar as opposed to added or refined sugar. Your body will appreciate you eating an apple over a donut for example. One is nutritious while the other is nothing but empty calories filled with preservatives you really don't want in your body.

This doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite dessert or occasional pasta, just be smart about your choices. Eating healthy 80% of the time will enable you to achieve your goals without worry because you have taken care of the problem of consuming too much sugar.

What Foods Turn into Sugar

Carbohydrates are foods that turn into sugar and provide energy. This doesn't mean to stop eating carbs because they convert to sugar. Remember, your body needs sugar (glucose) to function properly. The important thing is to eat the right carbs to fuel your body.

The biggest carb offenders and weaknesses for most people are bread, bagels, pasta, white rice, noodles, baked goods, crackers, and chips. Many of you fail to realize cutting down on sugar means more than not drinking soda. It means reducing white food products and processed foods because they convert into sugar once consumed.

More obvious foods and drinks containing sugar and converting into sugar once consumed include jams, table sugar, sodas, candy, alcohol, processed syrups, and coffee creamers. If the food product is processed, it most definitely contains sugar. Start reading your ingredient labels.

The bottom line is that too many unhealthy carbohydrates are being consumed and flooding your body with sugar. There is also the issue of these foods causing inflammation in your body, the primary cause of most illnesses and chronic diseases. Eliminating processed white products will help reduce added sugar from your diet and promote good health.

Know Your Sugar - Read Ingredient Labels

Many foods contain added and hidden sugars that should be avoided. In fact, there are over 100 different names for sugar (pretty scary). The following shortlist includes other names for sugar to be aware of when reading ingredient labels:

Anhydrous dextrose
brown sugar
cane crystals
cane sugar
corn sweetener
corn syrup
corn syrup solids
crystal dextrose
evaporated cane juice
fructose sweetener
fruit juice concentrates
high-fructose corn syrup (the worst)
liquid fructose
malt syrup
maple syrup
molasses
pancake syrup
raw sugar
sugar
syrup
white sugar
carbitol
concentrated fruit juice
diglycerides
disaccharides
evaporated cane juice
erythritol
Florida crystals
fructooligosaccharides
galactose
glucitol
glucoamine
hexitol
inversol
isomalt
maltodextrin
malted barley
malts
mannitol
nectars
pentose
raisin syrup
ribose rice syrup
rice malt
rice syrup solids
sorbitol
sorghum
sucanat
sucanet
xylitol
zylose

The Best Way to Avoid Added Sugar

Added sugar is contained in almost all processed foods and white products. The best way to reduce added sugar is cleaning up your nutrition by eating whole foods. This means fresh vegetables, leafy greens, fruits, lean poultry and fish, nuts, seeds, and grains.

This may require a pantry and refrigerator purge. Remove any food products containing added sugar, and replace them with nutritious whole foods. If you struggle with tossing food, box it up, and donate to a food kitchen or local church.

Reducing added sugar will be an excellent start to getting fit and healthy. You will feel better, look better, and your body will appreciate the detox.

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