7 habits separate fit from flabby
Many people ask me how to quickly and easily get fit. While I know they are hoping for a simple answer, the reality is that getting and staying fit is a lifestyle, not a quick fix.
So what do fit people do in their “healthy lifestyle”? Take a peek with the following 7 Habits of Highly Fit People…
Fit Habit #1: They Don’t Buy Junk
Fit people know that if they keep junk food in the house they will eat it sooner or later. So they don’t buy any. Even buying junk food for your kids or spouse is not advised since 1) you’ll likely eat some of it eventually, and 2) your loved ones shouldn’t be eating that junk either. It’s called junk for a reason.
Rid your home of chips, cookies, candy, baked goods, pre-packaged snacks and anything else that belongs in a vending machine. Replace the above with fresh fruit, veggies, nuts and other healthy whole foods snacks.
Fit Habit #2: They Have Priorities
Fit people make exercise a priority. Along with keeping a job, paying the bills and going to the doctor, exercise is an important part of their lives. What I’ve found is that fit people put exercise before leisure time. Sure, fit people enjoy leisure, but it is scheduled around their workout time.
Treat exercise time with the same importance that you would a business meeting or trip to the dentist.
Fit Habit #3: They Stop When Full
Fit people stop eating when they feel full. Sound simple? It is, but how many times have you stuffed yourself simply to clear your plate? Or how many times have you eaten another piece of cake despite being stuffed?
The next time you feel full, take it as a sign to stop eating. Yes, even if your plate isn’t empty.
Fit Habit #4: They Push Themselves
Not only do fit people make time to go to the gym, they challenge themselves during each workout. While it is easy to simply go through the motions while exercising, you’re cheating your body out of great results when you don’t push yourself. Exercise should make you sweat, make your muscles burn, and leave you with a feeling of accomplishment.
Find ways to make each workout more challenging. For competitive people, the best way to push yourself is to exercise with a friend of similar strength. Another great way to challenge yourself is to set small attainable goals. These goals could be to push heavier weight, to sprint longer, or to do cardio at a higher intensity setting.
Fit Habit #5: They Don’t Eat and Watch
Fit people know that eating in front of the T.V. is mindless eating. When your attention is on your entertainment and not on your food, then you’ll be less tuned in to what and how much ends up in your mouth. Eating in front of the T.V. is also very habit forming. Ever notice how you crave munchies just as a reflex of sitting in front of the T.V.?
Eat before or after your entertainment and pay attention to what and how much goes into your mouth.
Fit Habit #6: They Drink Water
Fit people drink lots of water. And not just in addition to other beverages, but instead of them. Water is their main drink, while other drinks are occasional treats. Calorie-filled drinks are one of the quickest ways to consume excess calories which quickly turn into fat.
Consider water your beverage of choice. Drink plenty of it each day and drink other beverages only a few times each week.
Fit Habit #7: They Are Supported
Fit people don’t leave their motivation to chance. They know that if their personal trainer, boot camp instructor or workout partner is waiting for them, then they are less likely to skip a workout. It is so easy to hit snooze or to talk yourself out of the gym as soon as your behind hits the couch after work. Fit people take the option of skipping out of the equation.
Want instant support? Call or email me today to get started on your own customized fitness plan.
I hope that these habits have inspired you to make a change for the fitter in your own life.
If you already do some of these habits then congratulations – you are on your way to a better body. Make an effort to incorporate the rest of the habits to take your results to the next level.
If none, or very few, of these habits describe your lifestyle, then I’ve got good news – you now have 7 effective new habits to start that will get you some awesome results. Don’t try to tackle all 7 at once – pick one or two to add each week and gradually work up to all 7.
As always, you are welcome to call or email me with questions or to get started on your own customized fitness plan.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Easy Slim Down Tip
Do you want a smaller waist? Try this easy slim down tip: Don’t eat carbohydrates after 4pm. Instead stick with lean protein and green veggies. This will prevent late afternoon and evening snacking and will quickly result in a slimmer waist.
Creamy Low Fat Tuna Salad
Most recipes for tuna salad call for fat-filled mayonnaise, but this recipe uses fat free Greek yogurt instead. You get all the creaminess without added calories to set back your results.
Servings: 5
Here’s what you need…
2 (5oz) cans wild albacore tuna, packed in water
1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons champagne mustard
1 teaspoon dried dill weed, plus more for garnish
dash of freshly ground pepper
1 green apple, shredded
2 cups green cabbage, shredded
4 cups organic mixed greens
Drain the tuna and flake in a medium bowl. Add the yogurt, mustard, dill and pepper. Mix until creamy and well combined.
Add the shredded apple and cabbage. Mix well.
Arrange mixed greens on plates, then use an ice cream scooper to place the tuna mixture. Sprinkle with dill weed.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 140 calories, 1 fat, 210mg sodium, 13g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 20g protein.
Get Faster Results
Have you ever been frustrated over a lack of results from your workout routine? If so, you are in good company. Even the most seasoned athletes experience times when their results plateau.
When you continue to put in the same effort day after day with little or no results it is safe to say that you’ve hit your own fitness plateau.
Your body adapts quickly to any repetitive routine. The definition of ‘insanity’ is to do the same thing over and over while expecting different results. This holds true for your workouts. When your results stop then it’s time to do something new.
I have good news—the following 4 tactics are guaranteed to crank your workouts up to the next level and to deliver the fast results you want.
#1: Focus on Negatives
Each time that you do a weight lifting repetition you are utilizing three types of strength. These are:
Positive strength: the motion of lifting the weight.
Static strength: holding weight in a contracted position.
Negative strength: the motion of lowering the weight.
Most people completely miss the benefit of the negative in each repetition by allowing the weight to drop quickly with little control. It is understood that the negative portion of a repetition is just as important as the positive portion, and possibly more important.
Focus on the negative portion of each repetition by lowering the weight very slowly. Concentrate on the negative contraction, and make each repetition count.
If you are advanced, then use a training partner to assist you in moving heavier-than-normal weight into a contracted position, then lower it very slowly.
Another way to utilize negative repetitions on a machine is to lift the weight using two limbs but then lower it with just one. For example, use both legs to lift the weight on a leg extension machine, but then lower it back down slowly using only one leg.
#2: Do a Drop Set
Drop sets have long been used to fight off exercise plateaus. This technique is great for adding muscle strength, endurance and for increasing the cardiovascular benefit of your workout – resulting in more fat burn.
Here, in a nutshell, is how to do a drop set: When you perform an exercise to exhaustion, don’t stop there. Drop the weight by 80% and do another set.
You could take it a step further by dropping the weight twice, making it a double drop. Or drop the weight three times for a descending drop set.
Use this technique only once or twice per workout, on the final set of the exercise.
#3: Modify the Exercise
There are certain exercises that are considered ‘staples’ in the gym. The squat. The lunge. The chest press. The shoulder press. The bicep curl. You get the idea…
While you shouldn’t throw these exercises out the window, find creative ways to modify the familiar motion in order to challenge your muscles. Try these exercise modifications:
Squat on a Bosu ball or balance board.
Place a weighted bar across your shoulders and do walking lunges.
Use an exercise ball for chest presses instead of the bench.
Do a full squat between each repetition of shoulder presses.
Do a shoulder press between each repetition of bicep curls.
#4: Use Active Rest to turn each workout into High Intensity Interval Training
Every minute of your workout is an opportunity to increase intensity and to burn more fat. Don’t waste precious minutes with long rest periods between exercises.
While it is important to catch your breath if you feel winded, most of the time you would benefit more from an active rest than a passive one. Perform one of the following activities for 30 seconds between exercises and turn your regular workout into High Intensity Interval Training.
High Knees with Alternating Punches: Alternately bring each knee high to your chest in a quick jumping movement while alternating forward punches at shoulder level.
Burpees: Start in a sanding position and bend at the waist. Once your hands hit the floor, push your entire body back, extending your legs until they’re straight and you’re in the push-up position. Go down for a push-up, and when you push yourself up, jump slightly to bring your feet back near your hands. Finally, jump in the air with your arms fully extended over your head.
Side-to-Side Jumps on Bench: Stand on one side of an exercise bench. Place the foot closest up onto the bench, jump up and switch feet, then land on the opposite side of the bench.
Mountain Climbers: Place your hands wider than shoulder-width apart on the ground in a push-up position. Bring one knee to your chest and then back to the starting position, alternate each leg quickly.
Side-to-Side Ab Twists: With feet close together, jump and twist your legs left to right – holding your abs tight. Keep a bend in your knees and swing your upper arms with each twist.
Jump Lunges with Pop Squat: Start in a lunge position, lunge down then quickly jump up, switching your leg position in midair, land in an opposite leg lunge. Once you’ve done both legs, jump straight into a squat.
Medicine Ball Squat Jumps: With feet wider than shoulder-width apart hold a medicine ball at chest level. Squat down until your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Explosively jump up, raising the medicine ball straight over your head.
If you’d like a sure-fire way to break through your fitness plateau and to melt away unwanted fat, then contact me for a fitness consultation.
Call or email today – I look forward to hearing from you.
My custom-made fitness programs remove all of the guesswork for you. I know what works, and I make it my mission to see you reach your goals.
Call or email today and we’ll get you started on the program that’s best for you.
Push Yourself
Get the most from your workouts. Use compound movements (train multi joints at a time). Big muscle groups burn more calories. And to get even better results, cut your rest period in half and push yourself harder – results will come faster than you ever thought possible.
Herb-Coated Halibut with Zucchini and Whole Wheat Couscous
Not only is this meal delicious, it’s also incredibly healthy. A tangy herb paste coats both the fish and zucchini, which roast on the same pan. The entire meal is ready in 30 minutes – perfect for busy weekday dinners.
Servings: 4
Here’s what you need…
6 scallions, chopped
1 cup packed fresh cilantro
½ cup packed fresh mint
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon chopped, peeled fresh ginger
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
1 zucchini, cut into spears
4 skinless fillets firm white fish
1 cup dry whole-wheat couscous
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Throw the scallions, cilantro, mint, oil, ginger, coriander and ½ teaspoon salt into a food processor and pulse until a coarse paste forms. Season with pepper.
Toss zucchini with 3 tablespoons herb paste in a bowl. Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 5 minutes.
Rub remaining herb paste onto both sides of fish fillets. Push zucchini to edges of baking sheet, and arrange fish in center, leaving about ½ inch between each fillet. Roast until fish is opaque and semi-firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare directions. Serve fish and zucchini over couscous.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 354 calories, 10g fat, 29g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, and 32g protein.
Healthy Eating is Simple
Not happy with your body?
It’s hardly your fault.
Have you ever stopped to notice how many times you’re bombarded by food marketing each day?
Ads come at you from magazine pages, T.V. commercials, on websites and billboards, each boasting of cheap, convenient and tasty ways to cure your hunger.
The question “What’s for dinner?” has never been more complex than now.
Extensive menu options and large entrees have distorted your concept of a proper meal, and before you know it you’ve fallen into the trap of the chain restaurant, the drive thru, and the take-out line.
But wait – truly healthy eating is simple.
First of all, block out the blizzard of food marketing around you.
Remember that advertisers want your money, and they don’t stop to consider if the food they promote will expand your waist – that’s your job.
Thus it’s safe to say that, with few exceptions, any food that you see marketed should be avoided. When was the last time you saw an ad for grilled white fish and steamed broccoli?
So what does truly healthy eating look like?
A healthy meal contains lean protein, fresh vegetables and the occasional modest serving of whole grains.
Also, just as importantly, a healthy meal does NOT contain:
Refined sugar / corn syrup
Fried / fatty food
Full fat dairy food
Processed food with chemical additives
Healthy Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What you decide to eat when you first wake up will set the tone for the rest of your meals that day. So try these healthy options:
1. Scrambled egg whites, sliced tomato and steamed spinach.
2. Whole grain oatmeal, a scoop of protein powder and sliced fruit.
3. Homemade breakfast sandwich: Multi-grain English muffin with lean turkey slices and egg.
Healthy Lunch
It is important to plan your lunch ahead of time in order to avoid turning to a fast food joint or vending machine. Pack your lunch the night before and carry it with you. In addition, try these healthy options:
1. Dark baby greens topped with chopped chicken breast and diced tomatoes.
2. Albacore tuna (packed in water), mixed with finely chopped cucumber.
3. Lettuce Wrapped Sandwich: Lean turkey slices, lettuce, tomato and mustard.
Healthy Dinner
Dinner is the meal where most people splurge and eat far more calories than they should. Therefore, eating at home is the first step in reducing your dinnertime calories. In addition, try these healthy options:
1. Grilled white fish, sautéed spinach and whole wheat couscous
2. Baked chicken breast, steamed broccoli and brown rice
Try the recipe for Cajun Salmon with Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli below.
While healthy eating is a huge factor in achieving your ideal weight, exercise is the other half of the equation. Your exercise routine should be challenging and should be done on a regular basis.
I know that you have more than enough in your life to think about without having to plan your own exercise routine. Leave that job to me—call or email today to get started on a personalized fitness program that will leave your body no choice but to shed those unwanted pounds.
Not Another Diet
When you eat a simple, healthy diet you’ll never again be tempted to try the latest fad diet to drop a few pounds. So choose to eat lean proteins, seasonal vegetables and whole grains and avoid sugar, fried food and processed carbohydrates on a daily basis and enjoy living life at your ideal weight.
Easy Bake Cajun Salmon with Roasted Cauliflower & Broccoli
This recipe for Cajun Salmon is a simple and flavorful way to eat a lean dinner. The Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli are delicious enough to save the leftovers for a mid-afternoon snack! So start your healthy eating and cooking with these recipes.
Servings: 2
Here’s what you need…
Roasted Cauliflower & Broccoli:
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 head broccoli, chopped into florets
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
½ lemon, juiced
Cajun Salmon:
2 (4-oz) salmon fillets
2 Tablespoons Cajun seasoning blend
½ lemon, sliced
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. On a rimmed baking sheet combine the cauliflower and broccoli florets with the olive oil, salt, black pepper and garlic. Roast for 20 minutes, until lightly charred then toss with lemon juice.
2. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Rub the salmon fillets with the Cajun seasoning then place on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, until flaky. Serve with lemon slices. Enjoy!
Why you gained instead of lost, in the gym
You head to the gym because you know that exercise burns calories and helps you to shed extra pounds.
Knowing this, you may think that losing weight should be easy with enough exercise. However the truth is that if you aren’t accustomed to exercising and are out of shape, beginning an exercise program may actually lead to an initial increase in your weight.
This fact, however, shouldn’t stop you from exercising, as you’ll eventually turn the weight corner and start losing.
What is it about exercise that may cause some people to gain instead of lose weight?
Muscle
One of the main reasons exercising can lead to initial weight gain is that it promotes the growth of muscle.
If you are not used to working out and haven’t used certain muscles regularly, after exercising your muscles will be sore and will increase in size. While you may burn off fat, muscle is denser than fat. Therefore, the weight you gain is in your muscles.
Don’t sweat it. Since muscles take up less space than fat, your extra weight doesn’t necessarily translate to larger size. In fact, once you start working out, you’ll become thinner, even if you maintain your previous weight. Instead of using a scale to determine if you are slimming down, have your body fat tested regularly or measure your body at certain areas.
If you see that you’re losing inches, then you know you’re on the right track.
Cardiovascular activities like walking, running, or swimming will encourage the growth of lean, toned muscles. Other activities such as weight lifting promote the growth of larger, stronger muscles.
But there is good news in this. If you stick with the exercise program, your muscles will soon stabilize in size and after a time, become toned. After your muscles are strong and able to handle more strenuous workouts, you will be able to burn calories faster.
While it may be frustrating and disappointing to see the scale go up after starting an exercise routine, it shouldn’t stop you from exercising. You may just be building muscle faster than losing body fat. This can be especially true if you’re genetically prone to building muscle fast. The key is to incorporate bouts of cardio exercise in addition to strength training. That way you will burn plenty of calories during your routine and be more able to shed pounds.
Eating Habits
When you work out and burn calories, your body will feel the need to replace those burned calories.
This may make you feel hungrier than usual, which can cause you to eat more than normal—sometimes without knowing it. A good idea is to keep a food journal to track of the actual number of calories you are consuming.
You may also end up eating more calories and justifying their consumption since you’re exercising. After a good workout, you may see an ice cream sundae as a reward for the calories you burned. Just be careful. If you’re interested in losing pounds, you can’t simply break even with your caloric intake and the amount of calories you burn.
At the same time, eating too few calories can be counterproductive and slow your weight loss. Without enough calories, your body may slow its metabolism. So eat plenty to keep your body well fueled, but choose healthy calories that will help your body recover after a workout and grow stronger.
Hydration
Depending on the time of day you weigh yourself, the scale may read differently. Your weight can fluctuate as much as five pounds depending on the amount of water or food you have recently consumed or the amount of water you have shed in sweat. It is therefore important to weigh yourself at the same time each day.
My exercise programs are specifically designed to produce results quickly.
Call or email today to test drive a program that will get the numbers on your scale headed in the right direction.
Give It Time
Whatever the cause of your weight influx after exercising, don’t give up! Not only is exercise the key to slimming down, but it is also vital for overall health and well-being. Give your body time to respond to a new routine. It can take several weeks for your body to “recalibrate” itself to increased activity and changes in eating habits. But once it does, you’ll begin seeing the results that you seek!
Zucchini Pizza Boats
Pizza cravings have derailed many well-intentioned dieters, so it’s essential to have a solution that doesn’t leave you filled with regret and excessive calories. This recipe for Zucchini Pizza Boats delivers all that you love about pizza – the flavors of basil, marinara, pepperoni and cheese – and swaps out the calorie-laden crust for guilt-free and fiber filled zucchini. Enjoy as a meal, an appetizer or as a snack.
Servings: 6
Here’s what you need…
6 organic zucchini
½ cup organic spaghetti sauce
½ cup mozzarella, shredded
¼ cup sliced olives
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
3 oz uncured pepperoni, sliced
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a shallow baking dish with olive oil
2. Wash the zucchini and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out some of the zucchini flesh to make little boats. I used a knife to slice down the sides and then a spoon to scoop it out. If the zucchini is soft then you won’t need to use a knife. Arrange the zucchini in the prepared pan.
3. Spoon some spaghetti sauce in each zucchini boat and then top with mozzarella, olives, basil and pepperoni. Bake for 20 minutes or until the toppings are cooked and the zucchini are soft. Enjoy!
Yes, it’s happening – Change Your Lifestyle
It happens to everyone. That moment when you realize that it’s time to do something about your weight.
It may happen when you’re looking in the mirror or standing on the scale.
Your first thought is to go on a ‘diet’ but as quickly as that enters your mind the ghosts of a hundred diets past return…along with all the frustration.
Then you wonder, why bother?
The weight will come back, as it always has. Then you’ll be back in front of the mirror as discouraged as ever.
The answer is not to go on another diet.
The answer is to change your lifestyle instead.
Making the Change. It’s time to lose your ‘all or nothing’ mentality. So embrace simple, small changes that will add up to big improvements in your lifestyle. These are your main venues for change:
What You Eat. Let’s face it, most of the foods you eat aren’t the healthiest. Some are downright terrible (the burger and fries you had last week). While others are simply excessive (the snacks you eat while watching TV).
The solution to cleaning up your daily diet is NOT to go back on a ‘diet’. In fact, I never want you to go on a ‘diet’ again. (Yes, you heard me right!) Instead I want you to make permanent healthy changes to your eating habits.
Here are some practical examples:
Choose salad over chips or fries
Don’t add butter to your food
Eat fresh produce with every meal
Purchase fat free dairy products
Limit desserts to one or two per week
Cut out mindless snacking
Drink water, not soda
I don’t expect you to eat a perfect diet every day of the week because that’d be ludicrous. You should, however, make MORE healthy choices every day than unhealthy ones.
How You Move. Exercise is a huge component to a healthy lifestyle, and quite frankly you’re not getting enough of it. How often does an entire week go by without you ever lacing up your tennis shoes? Hence, don’t disregard the importance and power of a good workout.
Moreover, your new healthy lifestyle means exercising on most days of the week. This may seem tough, but I have the perfect solution – my training programs were created for busy people just like you who only have so much time to dedicate to exercise.
I understand how hard it is to find the motivation to stay consistent and to push yourself. Make exercise a no-brainer—contact me to get started on a lifestyle enhancing program today.
Here are simple ways to move more:
Watch less TV
Stretch stiff muscles every day
Play at the park with the kids
Go for a jog
Do some pushups every morning
While none of the above are meant as substitutes for a solid exercise routine, they are great ways to become more active and to improve your lifestyle.
Your lifestyle is the balance of all the choices that you make regarding your body so swing the balance in your favor—make a majority of your choices health conscious.
So the next time you’re in front of the mirror you won’t worry about your weight.
You’ll relish it.
So are you ready to transform your lifestyle and body? Call or email me today to get started.
Degrees Of Change
True change happens in degrees, not in one fell swoop. This is a relief when you realize that you have miles to go on your goals. There is no need to attempt all of the change at once – simply nudge yourself in the right direction each and every day and maintain the small changes as you go.
Did you eat a big bowl of spaghetti noodles with your favorite sauce for dinner last night? Tonight eat a smaller bowl. Next week eat zucchini noodles and your favorite sauce. The following week eat zucchini noodles with the protein-filled sauce recipe below.
Small changes in the right direction, maintained over time, will make all of the difference as you strive toward the body and lifestyle that you desire.
Beef Ragu and Zucchini Noodles
Yes, it is possible to enjoy Spaghetti night while living a fit and lean lifestyle. This is accomplished with noodles made from fresh zucchini and a sauce that is simply made and packed with protein. Feel free to sub in ground beef for the minced beef if desired.
Servings: 6
Here’s what you need…
2 lbs minced, grass-fed beef
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon chili sauce
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ teaspoon sea salt
4 zucchini
¼ cup fresh parsley
1. In a large skillet, brown the beef over medium-high heat. Drain the skillet and turn down to medium heat.
2. Add in the tomato paste, tomato sauce, chili, cherry tomatoes and sea salt. Mix to combine. Sauté until the cherry tomatoes are soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Peel the green skins from the zucchini, the run through a spiral slicer to create long, thin spaghetti noodles.
4. Plate a handful of zucchini noodles topped with the beef sauce and a sprinkle of parsley.
What Happens To You Body When You Are Fitter
Being and staying fit. Not only is it a goal but it should be a lifestyle. It’s a surefire way to setting yourself apart from the legions of people who are too timid or scared to really make the changes necessary to get physical fitness. If you are already among the individuals who have yet to genuinely commit to being healthy, knowing the perks of physical fitness might actually help you dig in and choose physical fitness, starting today.
So what can you expect from your life when you are fitter? Here are a list of things you’ll go through when you turn the corner on physical fitness.
Thing #1: You’ll Definitely Want More
If you are new, you’ll have difficulty believing it, but there will come an occasion when you crave exercise. It might not be during those first few days or weeks. Yet once the body becomes fit and begins to do just absolutely how it’s built to do, you’ll hunger going to the gym everyday, and you’ll give it your all once you’re there. Miss each day in the gym? You’ll feel guilty and lazy enough to never miss again!
Thing #2: Bedtime Will Be Even Better
That one doesn’t involve your sex life (though becoming fit will improve that as well). Rather, it’s about your sudden ability going to the hay, drift off quickly, and stay asleep all night long. Because you’re simply fit!
Thing #3: Your Confidence Becomes You
Feeling your best when not fit is impossible. Not being physically active leaves you feeling…well, frumpy. Be fit and watch your self-image skyrocket. Alongside it, your confidence. Your confidence won’t necessarily push you into cockiness. Nonetheless it can make you more enjoyable to be around, as it’s awkward to be around people who are down on themselves.
Thing #4: You Eat Better
Just as becoming fit makes you want to get in the gym everyday, additionally it inspires one to want to eat well. In the end, you spent all that point eating the proper things to have fit. The past thing you want to do is throw all of it in the trash just for the passing and momentary pleasures of two slices of pecan pie.
Thing #5: Showers Feel Better
Unlike popular belief, sitting at a table all day long everyday doesn’t allow you to get dirty enough to have a shower. On the contrary, when you’re living the fit lifestyle, you’re in the gym regularly, allowing sweat to cover every pore of your body. After a hard day at the gym, your shower feels magical, because you actually deserve it!
Thing #6: Heavy Isn’t Heavy
Spend plenty of time not being fit and perhaps you are surprised that fit folks can cope with things in life that need strength. Whether it involves carrying a baby through the food store, picking up several bags of groceries, moving a stack of bricks from your own truck bed to your garden, or perhaps getting up the stairs, fitness allows you to get it done with ease.
Thing #7: Your Body Functions Improve
Get fit and your heart will work more efficiently. You know that. But becoming fit gets your other body systems in line also. Whether you’ve were struggling to think clearly on the feet, plagued with constipation, or always out of breath. Getting fit remedy every one of these issues and more.
Thing #8: You’ll Go Shopping
You most likely know individuals who have to upgrade their closets every couple of years to support their ever-growing bellies. Not you. When you go fit for a lifetime, you should have to go shopping, but only because your waist slimmed up and your muscle tissue tightened up and now situated where they belong.
Thing #9: You Won’t Fear Sore
At one time, sore always meant something was wrong. Being sore is something that you welcome when you’re getting fit. In the end, you realize the soreness means you’re working the body in new ways that will only improve your physical fitness. If it is a bad sore, you’ll realize that also because, well, fit people know their bodies.
Now could be the best time to get going on a fitness program. A program that will allow you to get into the best shape of your life. What have you been waiting for? Becoming fit feels too good for you to lose out on. Call or email me – Personal Trainer Houston – today!
Your doctor wants you to read this
Your doctor feels like a broken record.
That’s right—he’s sick and tired of telling you how important exercise is to your health because YOU DON’T LISTEN.
He’s sick of explaining how so many of your health problems will improve or even disappear as the result of a consistent exercise program.
Moreover, it’s tiring to tally your controllable risk factors that include physical inactivity and obesity.
So why does he continue to give you the same lecture?
Because he’s seen exercise change lives.
He’s even seen exercise save lives.
1. Feel Great: The first thing that patients tell their doctor after starting an exercise program is how much better they feel. People don’t realize how bad they feel since they are used to feeling bad. Then when they start exercising they feel so much better.
Your energy levels boost and you feel great.
2. Pain Be Gone: Next patients notice a reduction in aches and pains. Chronic muscle and joint pain that they’ve lived with for years begins to fade. In addition for some, it postpones joint replacement surgery. For others, it reduces arthritis pain.
Your muscles and joints feel better than ever.
3. Goodbye Coronary Heart Disease: While patients can’t feel this healing benefit of exercise, it is the one that saves lives. Indeed, exercise removes two of the major risk factors that lead to heart disease: 1) physical inactivity and 2) obesity. Exercise also increases your good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers your blood pressure.
Your risk of heart attack or stroke is reduced.
4. Goodbye Type 2 Diabetes: Patients with type 2 diabetes gain substantial benefits from exercise. Moreover, exercise improves the body’s use of insulin, and the related weight loss improves insulin sensitivity. Of course patients with type 2 diabetes need to get guidelines from their doctor before starting an exercise program.
Your blood sugar levels are better controlled.
5. Goodbye Sleep Apnea: Patients with sleep apnea are often caught in a destructive cycle. Their weight promotes occurrences of apnea then inadequate sleep promotes weight gain.
With all of these benefits it’s hard to see why anyone would avoid exercise. So what’s your excuse?
I know you’re tired…exercise gives you energy.
I know you’re in pain…exercise alleviates your muscle and joint pain.
I know you’d rather stay in bed…exercise makes your sleep more restful.
I know you’re pressed for time…exercise improves your efficiency and extends your life.
I know you don’t know where to start…that’s where I come in.
Reply to this email or call me and we’ll schedule a consultation where I can show you the fastest and safest way to reap all of the benefits of exercise.
Then the next time you see your doctor he won’t give you a lecture.
He’ll congratulate you.
Your Ideal You
Take a moment and imagine your ‘ideal you’.
What does the ‘ideal you’ look like? How does the ‘ideal you’ spend their time? Who would the ‘ideal you’ spend time with? What would the ‘ideal you’ accomplish?
The distance between you and your ‘ideal you’ is created by laziness.
When faced with decisions, big or small, do what your ‘ideal you’ would do, rather than taking the easy way out.
(I’m pretty sure that your ‘ideal you’ is a client of mine!)
Chorizo Egg Skillet
Here’s a flavorful and exciting way to start your day! Chorizo, eggs, tomatoes and arugula are the star ingredients in this protein-filled breakfast skillet. Feel free to enjoy it for dinner or lunch as well!
Servings: 4
Here’s what you need…
2 links chorizo, casing removed
½ yellow onion, chopped
15-oz can diced tomatoes
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 large eggs
1 cup arugula
sea salt
black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Place the chorizo links in a medium, oven-proof, skillet over low heat. Cook until all sides of the chorizo become browned. Periodically deglaze the pan with water. Allow the chorizo to cool, remove it from the skillet, and then slice each link into 10 pieces.
3. Sauté the onion in the leftover chorizo fat until tender, about 5 minutes then add the can of tomatoes to the skillet. Arrange the halved cherry tomatoes and slices of chorizo around the edge of the skillet then use a spoon to create four 2-inch wells in the tomato and egg mixture. Crack each egg into a ramekin and gently pour one egg into each well.
4. Place the skillet in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the eggs set. Then top with fresh arugula and season with sea salt and black pepper. Enjoy!
This is motivating…
A dose of motivation will change your life almost overnight.
The best part of my job is seeing clients achieve amazing results. Whether they drop a few sizes, lose the baby weight, get off their blood pressure meds, or shrink their waist, the excitement is always contagious.
There really isn’t a clear way to describe the euphoria that settles in once you’ve realized your fitness goal. Thus, you have to experience it.
Though each successful client is unique with different goals, one element unites them.
They are all highly motivated.
You see, I am in a unique position. So I know how to get you (or anyone else who walks through my door) into great shape and coach you through a 50-pound weight loss. I can guide you to a healthier body and can even train you into a toned athlete.
But there is one catch.
You’ll need to be motivated.
See, saying that you want to get into great shape isn’t enough. You need motivation—and that’s just half of the equation. The other part (and the most important) is ACTION.
Nothing happens until you take action.
So you can want it, think about it, mull it over, ponder it, plan it, and then re-plan it. But nothing happens until you take action.
While I may not know your story—it’s probably safe to assume that you are dissatisfied with your body and know that you can improve your fitness level. You want to look better, to have more energy, to experience fewer aches and pains, and to enjoy sweet satisfaction as you achieve your goals once and for all.
I know that all of my successful clients were once in your shoes. They wanted to change their bodies. They felt urgency. And then they did what most fail to do. They took action and contacted me.
But there is more to it than that. They then committed to a program, put in the exercise, stuck to their diet and met their goals. There’s nothing more gratifying than getting back into those jeans that now sit in the back of your closet.
People who take massive action get massive rewards. And so those that simply talk about losing weight will continue to put weight on, pound after pound. I hate to put it that way, but it’s the truth.
So what do you want?
To drop 20 pounds
Feel younger
Look better in your birthday suit
Become healthier
How bad do you want it? How much motivation do you have? Enough to take MASSIVE ACTION?
The rewards are great IF you do.
(Your first step is to call or email me now to get started.)
Stressed Out?
Regular exercise is a simple solution to get you feeling good fast.
This is because every time you exercise your body increases its production of endorphins, which are responsible for that feel-good euphoria you get after a great workout or while chomping down on a piece of chocolate.
However, before you turn to chocolate and skip the gym, remember the end result of each and choose which one will help you reduce stress in the long run. (Hint: It’s not the chocolate!)
Sausage and Cabbage Comfort Soup
Homemade soup is a wonderful way to enjoy healthy, quick meals at home. This recipe for Sausage and Cabbage Comfort Soup is packed with wholesome fiber from fresh vegetables and protein from sausage. Make a big pot on the weekend and then reheat bowls throughout the week for fast, nutritious meals that will keep you on track with your fitness goals.
Servings: 20
Here’s what you need…
1 ½ pounds mild Italian sausage, loose
1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼” rounds
1 head green cabbage, core removed and shredded
3 large tomatoes, diced
2 teaspoons sea salt (plus more as needed)
fresh ground black pepper (about 5 cracks)
1 teaspoon ground sweet paprika
8 cups chicken broth
Basil leaf to garnish *optional
1. Brown the sausage at the bottom of a large soup pot over medium high heat, breaking it into small pieces as it browns. Remove the cooked sausage from the pot and set aside in a bowl, leaving the oil from the sausage in the pot.
2. Add the onions, garlic and carrots to the pot with the hot oil. Continue to cook over medium high heat, stirring often as the veggies become tender, about 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and tomatoes, and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Mix in the remaining ingredients and bring the soup to a low simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add more salt and pepper to taste and serve hot. Enjoy!
Not Pleased With What You See In The Mirror?
It’s hardly your fault.
Maybe you have stopped to notice how many times you’re bombarded by food marketing each day?
Ads come at you from magazine pages, T.V. commercials, on websites and billboards, each boasting of cheap, convenient and tasty approaches to cure your hunger.
The question “What’s for lunch?” never been more complex than now.
Extensive menu options and large entrees have distorted your idea of a suitable meal, and before you understand it you’ve fallen into the trap of the chain restaurant, the drive thru, and the take-out line.
But wait – truly healthy eating is simple.
First, stop the blizzard of food marketing around you.
Understand that advertisers want your money, and they do not stop to take into account if the meals they promote will expand your waist – that’s your job.
So it’s safe to say that, with few exceptions, any food that you see marketed should be avoided. When was the final time you saw an offer for grilled white fish and steamed broccoli?
So what exactly does truly healthy eating look like?
A healthy meal contains lean protein, fresh vegetables and the occasional modest serving of whole grains.
Just like importantly, a healthier meal does NOT contain:
Refined sugar / corn syrup
Fried / fatty food
Full fat dairy food
Processed food with chemical additives
Healthy Breakfast
Breakfast is the most crucial meal of the day. What you decide to eat when you wake up will set the tone for the remainder of your meals that day. Try these healthy options:
1. Scrambled egg whites, sliced tomato and steamed spinach.
2. Whole grain oatmeal, an information of protein powder and sliced fruit.
3. Homemade breakfast sandwich: Multi-grain English muffin with lean turkey slices and egg.
Healthy Lunch
It is essential to plan your lunch in advance in order to avoid looking at a junk food joint or vending machine. Pack your lunch the night before and make it with you. Try these healthy options:
1. Dark baby greens topped with chopped chicken breast and diced tomatoes.
2. Albacore tuna (packed in water) and blended with finely chopped cucumber.
3. Lettuce Wrapped Sandwich: Lean turkey slices, lettuce, tomato and mustard.
Healthy Dinner
Dinner may be the meal where most people splurge and eat far more calories than they should. Eating at home may be the first step in reducing your dinnertime calories. Try these healthy options:
1. Grilled white fish, sautéed spinach and whole wheat grains couscous
2. Baked chicken breast, steamed broccoli and brown rice
While healthy eating is really a huge factor in achieving your ideal weight, exercise is another half of the equation. Thus, your exercise routine should be challenging and should be achieved on a typical basis.
I realize that you have more than enough in your life to consider and never having to plan your own personal exercise routine. Leave that job to me-call or email today to begin with on a personalized fitness program that will leave the human body no choice but to shed those unwanted pounds.
Not Another Diet
Once you eat a simple, healthy diet you’ll never again be tempted to try the newest fad diet to drop several pounds. Choose to eat lean proteins, seasonal vegetables and whole grains and avoid sugar, fried food and processed carbohydrates on a daily basis and enjoy living life at your ideal weight.
Find this interesting, your Houston Personal Trainer has more information that will surely get you back on track.
Is Being Fit Even Worth It?
There’s a perfectly sane explanation as to why most people say they want to be fit, and yet only a very small percentage actually are fit. Most of us, instead, are firmly cemented in the Flab Life rather than the Fit Life.
Why is this? Because the Fit Life is hard.
Want to know just how hard it is to lose the flab due to full immersion into the Fit Life? Here’s a glimpse into the Habits of Being Fit:
Fit Habit#1: Exercise Daily
The truly fit among us choose to hit the gym instead of getting extra sleep, watching TV or doing whatever else it is that you’d rather be doing. Exercise is a daily habit that simply becomes a way of life, rather than a task that’s begrudgingly undertaken on occasion. Those who adhere to the Fit Life incorporate challenging exercise into their lives so often that – gasp – they begin to enjoy and look forward to it!
Fit Habit #2: Eat Clean – All The Time
In the Fit Life you choose your meals based on the nutrition rather than taste and desire. This means plenty of salads, lettuce wrapped sandwiches and lean protein at most meals. Becoming fit means making it a habit to limit your intake of simple carbohydrates and get lots of protein and fiber.
Fit Habit #3: No Room For Junk
Truly fit people turn down their favorite junk foods –even when they really, really want it. Treats and indulgences are saved for special occasions, and the fact that it’s Monday or that there’s traffic doesn’t count as a special occasion (nice try though!). The Fit Life means cutting out simple sugars and harmful, processed fats out of your diet completely.
Fit Habit #4: Push Harder
Living the Fit Life is a constant progression. You push your body to be stronger, faster and better during each workout. There’s no such thing as simply going through the motions of your routine – instead your focus is to consistently challenge your muscles to do more each day.
Fit Habit #5: Control Calories
Forget the unlimited buffet line. The Fit Life requires that you limit your total calories to within an appropriate range for your size and goals. Remember, even healthy calories can add up to weight gain when you’re not careful, so calorie control becomes a way of life.
That’s just the basics to living the Fit Life and some of the work that it takes to enjoy a fit and healthy body. Pretty hard, right?
So let’s check out what the Flab Life looks like…
Flab Habit #1: Forget Exercise
Your focus is to spend your spare time being as relaxed as possible. This means plenty of kicking back on the couch. The less that you use your muscles, the more aches, pains and mobility limitations you’ll experience. Oh, and if you’re consuming more calories than your natural metabolism burns then you’ll steadily gain weight.
Flab Habit #2: Eat For Taste
Adhering to the Flab Life means that you get to eat whatever sounds and tastes good. Our human palate is naturally drawn to items that are high in sugar, salt and fat so your eat-whatever-diet will naturally be filled with these fattening foods and will be lacking in protein and fiber. You’ll find your weight increases, and your energy levels plummet, accordingly.
Flab Habit #3: Indulge Often
The Flab Life says YES to junk food. Snacks and meals purchased at convenience stores and fast food restaurants are a staple in your diet. And as I mentioned above, your favorite foods are likely high in sugar, salt and fat. Your indulgent eating is going to raise the number on your scale higher, and higher, in addition to putting you at risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other weight related ailments.
Flab Habit #4: Stay Comfortable
The goal of the Flab Life is to be comfy. This means use as little muscular strength as you can on a daily basis. When you don’t use your muscles they begin to atrophy (shrink!), leaving you with less lean tissue. Since lean tissue raises your metabolism, a drop in lean tissue means you’ll be burning fewer calories at rest than ever before causing fat gain to be automatic.
Flab Habit #5: Pile It On
In the Flab Life there’s no limit on how much you eat – in fact, more is better. As a result you often feel sluggish from your overloaded digestive system. And your motivation to exercise and turn your Flab Life into a Fit Life gets dimmer and dimmer.
So which life is harder? The Fit Life? Or the Flab Life?
The truth is that both of these lifestyles are hard. Just depends on which hard you’d rather deal with.
The Fit Life’s hard has to do with discipline, motivation and determination. It’s about doing the right thing rather than the easy thing. Most of all, the Fit Life is about constantly striving forward.
The Flab Life’s hard has to do with excess fat, aches, pains and physical limitations. It’s about avoiding doing the hard thing now and ending up with a body that’s just plain hard to live in. Most of all, the Flab Life is about NOT taking action.
Which hard do you choose?
If you’d like the Fit Life then take action now by calling or emailing me today to start on a fitness program that’s going to be hard. And rewarding. And life changing.
The best kind of hard.
Fit Life Snacking Secret: Pay Attention
Do you ever find yourself snacking away without paying attention to how much you’re eating? Maybe you’re focused on a movie or the ball game. This is a sure-fire way to gain weight.
When your goal is to live the Fit Life it is important to practice the art of eating mindfully. This means that when you eat you should stay tuned in to your level of satiety so that at the first sign of fullness you will stop.
Spinach and Egg White Breakfast Wrap
I forgot to mention that Fit Life food, while healthy and controlled, is still quite delicious! This Breakfast Wrap is satisfying and nourishing for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s ready in a flash, tastes amazing, and is filled with lean protein, veggies and whole sprouted grains. Try it today, but don’t be surprised if you get hooked!
Servings: 2
Here’s what you need…
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup tomato, finely chopped
2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
1 cup egg whites
dash of salt and pepper
2 sprouted grain tortillas
2 Tablespoons pesto (purchase it pre-made, or combine ½ cup walnuts, 2 cups basil leaves, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ cup olive oil, and 1 Tablespoon lemon juice in a food processor and blend until it becomes a paste.)
1. Spread a tablespoon of pesto over each tortilla and set aside.
2. In medium sized skillet warm the olive oil over medium heat then add the garlic and sauté until golden. Add the tomato and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until it is soft and wilted. Remove the veggies from skillet, set aside in a bowl.
3. Pour the egg whites into the skillet, season with salt and pepper. Cook until the egg is no longer runny.
4. Arrange half of the egg whites in a line down the center of each tortilla. Top with half of the veggies and then fold the ends up and wrap like a burrito.
YES! Contact me today to schedule a FREE no obligation consultation and trial workout.