“Someday is not a day of the week.” ~Unknown

We all say, “Someday.”

Someday we will lose weight. Someday we will take control of our lives. Someday we will get healthier, stop smoking, exercise, eat more veggies, play with our kids, go to the beach, ride our bikes.

“Someday” will never come unless you make it.

Will you make today your “someday?” Or will you wait?

~Onward

“Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.” ~H. L. Hunt

What are you willing to give up to lose weight? Think about it for a second.

Are you willing to give up that second serving of food, the chocolate chip cookie, the extra glass of wine, the 15 minutes of sleep, or the 1 hour of television?

What is being fit and healthy worth to you?

There is no magic in weight loss. You can’t have your cake and be thin, too. You have to pick and choose – what you want and what you are willing to give up to get it. You don’t have to give up everything “fun,” but you’ll need to set priorities and decide what’s important. Otherwise, we go nowhere.

Onward.

~Helen

The #1 New Year’s resolution? Probably to lose weight. January 1 always seems like a good time to start “fresh” and people, feeling bloated from ovedoing the Holidays, are desperately seeking a way to get those Holiday pounds off.

I, too, feel the bloat, so here are some of my previous blog posts on weight loss resolutions and staying with it. Time to read my own work, he he. Enjoy…and have a great, brand-spankin’ new year!

Sticking to Weight Loss Resolutions

Keeping Weight Loss Resolutions – The Beginning

Keeping Weight Loss Resolutions – Sticking With It

New Year’s Weight Loss Resolutions

Photo: ©Flickr Krissy Mayhew

“You’ve got to say, ‘I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it.’ It’s called perseverance.” ~Lee Iacocca

The secret to weight loss is summed up by this one quote above: You’ve got to want it badly enough. Period.

This Holiday season is the perfect time to see how badly you really want it. Instead of eating with abandoned at every Holiday function, ask yourself one simple little question before you reach for that extra serving: “How badly do I want it?” If you take more cookies than you should, then you’ve learned a valuable truth: You don’t want it badly enough. And there’s nothing wrong with that. When you are ready, when you really want it more than anything else, you will succeed. That’s what happened to me – and how I lost 80 pounds. I wanted to be healthy and fit…more than anything else.

Do you?

Onward.

~Helen

“So maybe tomorrow. I’ll find my way home…” ~Stereophonics

Four years ago I was a superfit 119 pounds (down from my original 200 pounds). At one point during the summer of 2005, I was down to 114 pounds – too thin by my standards (I am only 5 feet tall). Today – well, today I have no idea how much I weigh. I am going to guess about 128, judging from the fact that I can’t button most of my pants, or when I do, I have a terrible muffin top. (As an aside – I no longer weigh myself because I refuse to focus on a number.)

I way fell off the superfit weight loss wagon about three years ago when the stress of being a single mom with limited income drove me to eat too much chocolate and too many Ritz Crackers.

I still exercised and taught Spinning classes, but the calories I was snacking on were overtaking the calories I was expending.

Then – earlier this year – I buckled down, cut out most of the “white” carbs, started eating healthier overall and lost 11 of the approximately 20 pounds I had gained. Everyone noticed, and people everywhere commented. I felt good and happy about myself…good enough to get rid of the pants that had some “growing room” around the waist.

I don’t know what happened between then and now, but when I went to put on my jeans two weeks ago I couldn’t button them. Not only could I not button my jeans, but I couldn’t button any pants at all! And since I’d given away my “heavier” jeans during my last move, I had nothing left to wear but sweatpants (I refuse to go out and buy larger pants). I was very frustrated, disgusted, mad and sad. I wanted to just give up and eat everything in sight…and feel sorry for myself. Then, a week ago, I decided to once again take the bull by the horns. I lost 82 pounds before – I can lose about 10…I think.

The biggest change I noticed that had caused the weight gain is that I had gone back to my old “fat” thinking of “I’ll start tomorrow.” This is the exact thinking that got me to 200 pounds in the first place. Over the last few years, with stresses mounting, lots of late nights working, issues with kids in school – I fell right back into the old trap of “feel good now, start fresh tomorrow.”

The funny thing is – my motto for fitness has been “tomorrow never comes.” And do you know what? It doesn’t. That is how I gained those 20 pounds back – waiting for a tomorrow where everything will be easier.

So in the course of one short week my pants fit a bit better and I feel more confident. Why? Because, once more, I cut out (or way back on) the “white” carbs (which are really just sugary foods, crackers, white breads, pastas), added more protein and really paid attention to my diet. But the biggest secret was nipping myself in the bud when I was tired and not allowing myself to overeat for energy and then “start tomorrow.” Last week, I started “today.” And kept going.

Even tonight when I went out for Mexican food, I did have lots of chips, salsa, and even sour cream. I had eaten pretty healthily most of this week and ate a light breakfast this morning in anticipation of this “linner.” The “slipping back” me would have taken this a step further and continued to eat junkie foods tonight because I’d “already blown it.” The me that lost the original 82 pounds took control, though, and said, “You’re done. You didn’t blow it. You planned this, you had fun, and now you go back to eating lightly.”

So yes – my pants fit a bit better. And by Christmas I hope to report that the muffin top is no longer “muffining.”

Onward.

~Helen

Photo: ©Flickr: nhanusek

“We have women in the military, but they don’t put us in the front lines. They don’t know if we can fight, if we can kill. I think we can. All the general has to do is walk over to the women and say, ‘You see the enemy over there? They say you look fat in those uniforms.” ~Elayne Boosler

“It’s not that some people have willpower and some don’t. It’s that some people are ready to change and others are not.” ~James Gordon

Weight loss success is all about “being ready.” How many times have you tried – and failed – to lose weight? The only reason you have not succeeded is that you didn’t want it bad enough. In other words, you weren’t ready to make the sacrifices it takes to do it. Don’t beat yourself up over it, though. We are often not ready to make necessary changes in our lives. Think about it for a moment: You didn’t change jobs, get married, get divorced, went back to college, started a new hobby…until you were ready. Some day you will be ready – really ready – to lose weight. And then you will succeed.

Onward.

~Helen

“I hate myself for loving you…”~Joan Jett

If you’re like me, sometimes you eat things you don’t even like.

Take Cheetos, for instance. I don’t like them. They taste like styrofoam and they make me puffy. And yet…when I am tired or stressed, I sometimes discover that my fingers are orange from eating my daughter’s Cheetos (Puffs).

The bummer with eating foods we don’t really like is that we waste calories on things that have nothing to do with pleasure or fun. If I am going to eat something fattening and pretty much useless, wouldn’t it be better to eat some expensive, delicious melt-in-my-mouth Belgian chocolate rather than Hershey’s (wax) chocolate?

In all reality, when I am “stress eating,” I am eating not for flavor or fun but to relieve some pressure in an overbooked and fatigued day.

I want salt, sugar, salt, sugar…and it doesn’t matter what form those ingredients come in. Just bring it.

I think the trick is for us to find other ways to relieve our stress and fatigue. In the past I have used exercise as a stress release and it works most excellently. Sleep is oftentimes out of the question, but what about yoga? Or reading a book, or watching a movie? Maybe snuggling with your child or significant other? Do these things really work, or are they poor substitutes for some good, old-fashioned carbs?

What do you think?

Onward….

~Helen

Photo Flickr ©vkareh

{This post was written my fitness column on LA’s the Place – “The Fit Life.” It gives you some quick and easy real life tips on getting in shape for the summer. . ~Helen}

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You’re standing in the fitting room filled with dread. The harsh overhead lights don’t do anything to ease your fear of the garment clutched in your hand. You slowly strip down, peel on the suit. And scream. Yup, it’s bathing suit season once more.

It may seem a daunting task to fit into that suit (or swim shorts), especially if you have more than a few pounds to lose. There is no quick hacks to safely losing weight, however, but there are some simple steps you can take to get you there faster.

1.     The magic weight loss combo
You need to both firm up your muscles and burn the layer of fat over them to put your best body forward. Doing just cardiovascular activities (ones which raise your heart rate) will help with fat loss but won’t change your basic underlying shape. Strength training will help firm and sculpt your muscles, and burn some fat, but may not be enough to trim that pesky layer. Cardio and weight training together is the magic combination for a new and improved physique.

2.     Be a better body time-saver
Performing both aerobic exercise and strength training seems like it would take a lot of time, but it really doesn’t have to. The secret is working harder, smarter and being more efficient. Walking on a treadmill for hours on end is great for your overall health, but it’s not going to do that much to stoke your fat burning furnace. You need to work focused and targeted. Pick a challenging activity such as Spinning®, running, swimming or step aerobics (yes, that’s still around and better than ever). Or perform plyometric intervals like jump squats, knee tucks or side jumps. When you strength train, do exercises> that use multiple muscles at once – push ups, squats, lunges, walking lunges, planks and pull ups. These burn more calories and work more of your body faster. The best of both worlds? Kettlebell training. Kettlebells are incredibly challenging cardiovascularly, and also strengthens your muscles. Kettlebell training burns a ton of calories and turns you into a fat burning machine (read my column on kettlebell training to learn more).

3.     Supercharge your diet
Start your morning with a protein-rich meal to keep you fueled throughout the day. Low fat cottage cheese (without any sugary additives) is an excellent choice. Sprinkle some almonds and fresh berries on top to give you staying power and better heart health. Another benefit to eating a high-protein breakfast is you avoid the “afternoon slump” that plagues so many of us. This bout of fatigue often causes you to rush for a sugary, fattening snack to help keep you awake. Sugar in the afternoon does not help you fit into that bikini.

4.     Carbs: To eat or not to eat…that is the question
Carbohydrates (breads, pastas, rice, sweets, cakes, tortillas, chips, candy, even some vegetables and fruit) are often villainized. In truth, we need carbs in our diet. What we don’t need are processed foods high in simple carbohydrates with little nutritional value. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables are an important part of most diets. However, it’s easy to overdo “carbs” overall and if your goal is to lose weight quickly, backing off on the carbs might be a help.

What works for many is to limit “obvious” carbs to once per day (this does not include fruits or vegetables). You might have old fashioned rolled oats with your cottage cheese for breakfast and that would be your carb for the day. Or you choose an “extra fiber” bagel with lunch. Perhaps save your carb for dinnertime. The best time to eat a carbohydrate, by the way, is immediately before or after a hard exercise session. So if you really want that muffin, time it to correspond with your workouts.

It’s all a matter of finding what works for you. Too few carbs can leave you exhausted. Too many and you don’t lose weight. Chart what you eat and how you feel. Base your carb intake on that. There is nothing wrong with cutting back for a short period of time. But for the longer term, we all need the fiber and other benefits whole grains provide. Just use common sense and try to eat a balanced diet.

5.     It’s all in the ‘tude
One of the easiest ways to look good in your bathing suit? Wear your smile and a happy attitude. It sounds hokey, I know, but if you think you look good, other people will think you look good, too. Stand confident. Stand tall. Be happy. Think of all the things your body has accomplished. Every scar, every stretch mark tells the story of your life. Remember – you are your own harshest critic. Others don’t see the faults you do. Cut yourself some slack.

Work hard. Eat smart. Wear a smile. It really is that simple.

Helen M. Ryan is an ACE-certified trainer, Spinning® director, author and speaker. Follow her on Twitter & Facebook.

“I see a red door and I want it painted black, no colors anymore I want them to turn black.” ~Rolling Stones

I remember those days of ugly PMS clearly.

I was angry, tired, aggressive, my breasts hurt horribly and I was bloated.

The world was black, my life felt bleak, and it was nearly two weeks of hell.

Pre-menstrual syndrome might not seem like a topic for a weight loss blog, but this is more than a weight loss blog. It is a blog about improving your weight, your health and your life.

PMS doesn’t improve anyone’s life.

Over the last seven years I have had very minimal PMS symptoms except for cravings for salt and sugar (and occasional breast tenderness – TMI). I can’t seem to get away from those. But I no longer cry or get angry. I still do what experts say not to do (eat sugar, drink caffeine) and yet over the last seven years I have been a new woman just before “that time of month.”

Why?

Put quite simply – exercise. Lots of exercise. Exercise has been a miracle for me in many ways (helping me lose 80 pounds of fat, for example) but suddenly last year I realized that exercise had also made my PMS symptoms much lighter. I’m not sure if strength training would give me the same benefits, but I have taught Spinning® at least four days a week for six years, which directly correlates to my amazing reduction in PMS.

Coincidence? I think not. So let’s see what cardiovascular exercise does for menopause, which is just around the corner. Sigh.

Onward and forward.

~Helen

Photograph ©Mars(3)