Temporary Resolutions Don't Count

It's that time of year again where resolutions are flying left and right and the excitement of a New Year and a "new you".  We all want self-improvement and that means different things to everyone.  Always at the top of the list is weight loss and gaining muscle definition.  Working in the fitness industry for 30 years, this is one of my busiest times and although happy for the job security, I am disenchanted about temporary resolutions.

I always see a "gung ho" attitude to start and sadly a large percentage of people return to old unhealthy habits after only a few weeks.  Beginning a fitness plan can feel easy, fun and fabulous but it's the continued lifestyle where many struggle. Typically, unrealistic goals have been set and the inability to adhere or be happy with strict healthy food changes and over-committed workouts wins and resolutions fly out the window.

The majority want to make changes but expect it to happen tomorrow not taking into consideration years of living unhealthy.  Patience and self-acceptance need to be part of the resolution decision and also going about it with realistic expectations.  If you have been overweight and without muscle definition most of your life, it is unreasonable to think a week of healthy eating and pumping iron is going to magically create results.  Frustration usually sends people running from one "quick fix" fake fitness plan to the next.  The only thing achieved here is spending tons of cash on unregulated crap, a continued unhealthy body and left without proper nutrition and exercise knowedge.

If you are serious about your fitness resolution, begin by accepting where you are and progressing slowly with choices you can live with, be happy about, and maintain for a lifetime.  "Rome wasn't built in a day" and neither will you. Allow yourself to be a beginner and be proud for each day accomplishing steps toward your goals.

I recommend reading my recent article "Resolve to Get Fit" covering vital information on how to eat for muscle, avoid diet mistakes, improve your metabolism and more. Take your time perusing the landing page for other articles that will help with accountability to your health and fitness resolution.

           

Don't Bite Off More than You Can Chew

The thing about getting healthy is doing a good job balancing both healthy eating and exercise.  Nutrition plays a huge role in the equation and eating too much is off the charts for a large percentage of the populous.  Portions are out of control and people are literally biting off more than they can chew.  Super-sized plates draped with enough food to feed an army are common in restaurants and don't get me started on the "all you can eat" buffet.

I love the famous quote "eat to live, don't live to eat" because this gold nugget of information is absolutely true.  This is not saying to not indulge occasionally and doing so in proper portion size is not going to break our fitness banks.  However, stuffing our faces to the point of having to roll to the sofa in a food coma is an upsetting example of living to eat.

Calories people!  What it comes down to is the basic science of chemistry and calories.  When we eat too much, fat is stored.  Eat too little, weight is lost.  Eat just right and we maintain.  Sounds like the "Three Little Bears" but you get the drift.   The quality of calories are also important.  We may eat "junk food" in very small portions and within the calories great for our body, but our inside would look like crap.  Further, we would feel like crap.  This is called being "skinny fat".

When calories from quality "real" food are consumed at the right portions for our body, then health is realized from the inside out.  However, eating too many calories from healthy foods will result in weight gain if we are taking in more than we are burning off.  It would be more difficult of course if most of our carbs came from veggies, but let's say we are chomping down tons of oats, wheat pasta, brown rice and yams...well now that's a whole different thing.

Size does matter when it comes to any food we eat and biting off more than we can chew is not good regardless if the calories are coming from healthy or unhealthy sources.  Portion control is one of the old new secrets to achieving a healthy body. Nothing magic to shutting our mouths at the "food trough" when we feel satisfied.  Start paying attention to portion size, don't go back for seconds, and listen to body signals of satiety.

I have just published an article on how "Preventing Insulin Resistance is the New Trend in Health and Fitness" even over weight loss.  It is a growing concern affecting people of all ages and until insulin levels are mastered, fat and weight loss will continue to be a struggle.

Preventing Insulin Resistance..

Other great reads to help with fitness goals:

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Fitness is All Day Long

Being a fit person is not a temporary condition but fills our entire day and life. The motivation to get in shape may have initiated with bikini season or an event but the lasting results should carry us the rest of this journey.  Some may give up the "fitness ghost" and settle back into old unhealthy habits, but that's not the way it's supposed to work.

Fitness is all day long and lifelong.  Personally, I enjoy a morning workout when my energy is highest and after a strong cup of coffee.  This kick starts my day, I feel great and it prepares my mind and body for the remainder of my 24/7 fitness shift.  My workout is not the only part of staying lean and muscular.  I have lots of healthy food ready to go and I stick pretty hardcore to a 90/10 nutrition plan.  I may relax some on the weekend shifting down to 80/20 to allow for the treats I enjoy, but never overboard.  I am a firm believer of drinking lots of water and easily down a gallon per day and yes, it means lots of bathroom visits.  My only downfall is not getting enough sleep which I lovingly blame on menopause, because the effort is there.

My personal share about fitness being all day long is showing the importance of thinking and incorporating what it takes to be a fit person.  I would be a hypocrite if I didn't walk the talk of what I teach daily to my clients and passionately write about online.  Fitness doesn't end at the workout, but includes the 23-hours after sweating your butt off. Don't think you'll be able to down pizza, beer, and donuts on the regular and call yourself a fit person.  Being fit all day long includes the type of food you eat, what you drink, how you think, getting quality rest, and balance of work and play.   When fitness becomes a habit, the healthy behavior is done without thought and going through the motions comes naturally. This is not about playing pretend or faking it because you know the truth.  In fact, those who are close to you will know the life you lead because as a fit person, there comes admiration from others. You become a motivator without even knowing it and may even be asked how you are able to maintain your healthy lifestyle.  Welcome to my world!

         

Make Time or Forget It

If I don't make time to get in a workout and let the day get away from me, it's easier to say forget it.  Other things become a priority and being a high energy morning person, I dread afternoon workouts.  It doesn't mean I skip it, but I somehow don't feel the same when I'm dragging.  I'm determined not to let myself down and push through.  It's on me when I miss my morning exercise appointment and my consequence is not feeling my best.  My fault, I own it and learn from it.

There will be times when missing a morning can't be helped and that's acceptable.  It's those days where "other things" seem to snowball into the afternoon and I'm left still needing a sweat session.  I have learned to plan better, make time and not skip a workout.  Without a plan, it's just a wish, right? Without making the time, it's not going to happen, right?

We go through life making so many excuses on how we don't have time. Really?  I love that quote "someone busier than you is working out right now" and it's the truth.  We must start owning our excuses and just say it's something we don't want to do.  Now that's the beginning of a revelation. Why wouldn't you want to take time to take care of your health?  What's so burdensome about moving your body for a few minutes and eating awesome healthy food?  It's not about time at all, but your feelings toward working out and eating right.  Honesty is always the best way to create change.

The continued truth remains if something is important to you, it gets done. Everyone has time to hit up daily social functions, watch hours of TV and surf the web but when it comes to one hour of exercise, the "busy button" rears it's ugly head.  Give the offer of meeting for a drink, and suddenly a burst of energy occurs.  Unfortunately an unhealthy epidemic is happening because too many people are "forgetting it."  Those who exercise and eat right on a consistent basis are in the minority.

If we continue to not make time for exercise, we will eventually be making time for illness. The same applies to eating right because we are what we eat.  No exercise and eating processed crap leads to problems and reality TV shows.  This has become a horrible fact. Straight talk, but we need to start making the time!

 "Want Less Fat and More Muscle? Eat Protein for Breakfast" and "Celebrity Nutrition Tips to Stay Lean and Muscular."

A Quick Fix is Like Using Duct Tape for Fitness

Duct tape is awesome, but it's not meant to last.  In a pinch, the strong stuff can fix things temporarily but doesn't quite do the trick long term.  If you want something repaired right, it takes the right tools and materials, agreed? Quick fixes are the same as placing duct tape all over your fitness.  Speaking personally, I don't want a short-cut but a permanent solution to staying fit.

Unfortunately duct tape fitness is the most popular route for most people and as the sticky starts wearing off, it reveals what still remains ... an unhealthy body. The tape removal is painful and frustrating, but somehow the roll gets pulled back out and the ducting process begins again.  Temporary happiness but what a yo-yo ride.

It's time to toss out the tape and get real with what it takes to fix things right. Our healthy lifestyle tool box should contain things like dumbbells and jump ropes along with lean proteins, good carbs, and healthy fats.  Other great add-ins are motivational sayings, music, and awesome fitness clothes.  Probably one of the best tools pulled out of the box is a fitness accountability journal.

There are no short-cuts to where we want and need to go.  Duct tape has no business in our fitness and lifetime journey of  being healthy.  We should not be covered in a sticky mess revealing yuck on the inside when the tape is pulled back.  Our society needs to stop embracing the quick fix as any type of healthy remedy because that is crap.  What needs to happen is building a strong toolbox we can carry for a lifetime and daily use of the contents.  Be well and Stay Healthy!

network will help you build the toolbox you need for a fit body and healthy life.  Start with these great reads!

             

Stop Enabling Yourself

What comes to mind when you think of enabling someone ... healthy or unhealthy?  The recent definition refers to providing help that perpetuates a problem rather than fixes it.  You know, the reasons and excuses we make to justify a person's behavior or actions even sacrificing our own health and well-being in doing so.  It can develop into such dysfunction where we actually believe we are helping a situation.   "The reality, though, is that enabling not only doesn't help, but it actively causes harm and makes the situation worse."  When an enabler steps in to help an addict for example, they take away their motivation and desire to get help or change. According to Psychology Today, "enablers help addicts dig themselves deeper into trouble."  

What does this have to do with fitness?  Well, it happens to pertain quite a bit to health and fitness.  Are you making excuses and justifications not to start a fitness program?  Not the right time?  My spouse is keeping me fat?  My friends sabotage me?   Lying to family and friends about a "fake" fitness program? What unhealthy beliefs do you create preventing you from getting fit and why are you enabling that?  This is my point and yes, I strongly disagree with enabling behavior.  It is time to stop enabling yourself.  Being a healthy and fit person will take breaking the cycle of enabling.

When you stop enabling unhealthy behavior, you will see an improvement in your mental game, motivation to exercise and eating right.  Continuing down a path of excuses will only make things worse and illness will eventually come knocking at your door.  We have only one body and playing around thinking our behavior will not come back to bite us in the backside is well, negligent.  Life is too short to entertain enabling behavior further and it is time to make a shift toward healthy decisions.  We can no longer hide behind our justifications that keep us digging a deeper unhealthy hole.  I know this is an in-your-face blog, but it is also what I call tough fitness love.  So, are you ready to stop enabling yourself and get serious about your health and fitness?

Don't miss out on my sport nutrition and fitness articles!  Newly published this week are "Eat Dark Chocolate to Improve Your Workouts" and "Why You Should Eat White Potatoes."   Take some time to peruse the site because it is chalk full of helpful fitness and nutrition info!

Complaining? How's that Working for You...

We all complain from time to time and that's called life, but what about when it interferes with our fitness?  What good does it do to constantly complain, be unhappy and bring on a full "Debbie or Dave Downer" attitude without being willing to change the situation?  It's like a leaky faucet we watch drip all over the place, complain about it but refuse to fix the darn thing.  Too many people are complaining and not doing, and seriously, how's that working for you?

Complaints only go so far and then the radio gets turned off.  Who wants to continually listen to a self-bashing session when the outcome is always the same. Getting fit and maintaining a healthy body starts by stopping the complaints and getting to work on fixing the problem.  The extra fat on the gut or butt isn't going to disappear on it's own no matter how much complaining comes out of your mouth.   What will help is putting the negative energy (complaints) into positive action.

Start by ditching the complaints, accepting who you are right now and apply strategies to make you feel better about yourself.  Get serious about your fitness by keeping a food and exercise journal.  Use it to chart your feelings as well and if you have a complaint, write it in the journal and move on.  Stop dwelling on the "wah wah" and steer your attention toward eating healthier.  Instead of sitting on the couch downing beers after work, go for a walk for example.  You will be amazed how small changes will eventually provide big results.

Stop complaining about not having the time.  Really?  We are all busy and there is someone busier than you working out or prepping healthy food right now. What's in your pantry?  Is it filled with processed boxed foods and sugar cereal? What's going on in the refrigerator?  Is it filled with salami, beer and cheez whiz?  You get my point and I'm stressing to please clean-up the food because a large percentage of your fitness success is determined by what you put in your face consistently.  When is the last time you exercised?  Time to dust the fitness shoes off and get moving.  You will burn some extra calories and feel great for accomplishing a great workout.  Exercise is also linked to stress relief and increased self-esteem.  Be willing to do what it takes, stop complaining and you know that old saying "sh*t or get off the pot" well it truly applies here.  Straight talk but all in fitness love.  Be well and Stay Healthy!

Head on over and read my new articles "When BCAAs Help the Most" and "Are Energy Drinks a Safe Pre-Workout Choice?".  Take some time to look around my page and find articles specific to what you like.  It is important to feel motivated and informed!