No Excuses!

Excuses are nothing more than an option out of the life that we long to live. Making excuses is nothing more than a false reality that we create to make ourselves feel better or to gain the sympathy of others, which can cause damage to our character.

The solution?  Recognize excuses for what they are: Crap!  Once you are aware of the nature of excuses, you can take logical action to correct these damaging thinking patterns.

Super Shital

My name is Shital Desai and I’ve been training with Lisa 2-3 times a week since September 2011. I had reached my heaviest weight ever at that time and was not very motivated to eat right or exercise. Lisa really helped turn around my nutrition and fitness regimen, and I have lost 15 lbs so far! More importantly I feel healthier, stronger and happier since beginning my personal training sessions with Lisa.
When I initially met with Lisa before beginning my training, we went over my goals for fitness, weight and nutrition. She encouraged me to start an online nutrition log which she (still) keeps a close eye on. We meet for training 2-3 times a week, where she works with me on an individual basis –I HATE exercising, but LOVE meeting with Lisa, as she makes these training sessions fun and interactive. Every session is different, with new equipment and techniques being incorporated, so I never get bored. I always feel a strong sense of achievement at the end of each session, as she does push you to do your best. She also holds me accountable to exercise on my own, maintain healthy nutrition and generally lead an active lifestyle, without being condescending or judgmental at all. She will do this during face to face visits, text messages, email, online chat and phone calls! I’m really lucky to have found her as she’s been a truly positive influence on my health and fitness!

New Year Fitness Resolutions Ready! Set! GO?

The holidays are gone and people have made their New Year resolutions to get in shape. It’s hard to find the time to get a workout during the day. It’s also harder to get outside and exercise due to the cold and shorter days. Let me help you manage your time to get the most out of your busy day.

1-Plan

Since time is precious, create a fitness plan for the week. Erase added stress by hiring a personal trainer who can create your plan.  This strategy leaves no room for indecision and confusion.  You now have a plan and know exactly what you are doing from day to day and are in reasonable control of what and when you accomplish. This does not allow for wasting precious time.

2-Make It a Date

Set your exercise schedule at a time that will not be inconvenient or easily cancelled.  Not doing so, will find you skipping exercising.  Any excuse becomes a valid reason.  I block convenient times like early morning (5am or 6am) or at my lunch break at work or directly after work. This way I get my workouts in and not affect the rest of my busy day.   A regular regiment and staying consistent will result in better results.

What if the Gym is too far away? Try a workout at the convenience in your home. Bodyweight exercises are a great way to workout at home. You can do a whole body workout with just using your own body. Hire an online personal trainer that will provide a specialized exercise routine geared to your goals, equipment and time.  Another alternative is to exercise outside. Activities like running and biking is perfect for saving time by not driving to the gym.

3-Goals

Setting goals will help you achieve a sense of accomplishment during your time working out. It’s best to set mini goals to help motivate and push you through to the big goals.

What are your New Year Resolutions for getting in shape? Share them below. Let me know if I can help you achieve your goals. 

Tis' the Season to Relax (Ho Ho Ho)

Tis’ the Season to Relax  Ho…Ho…wait a minute.  Relax?!? Who, me?   I have to buy gifts, decorate the tree, make a guest list for  the work Christmas Party, reserve hotel rooms for incoming family and and…

 

On a more serious note, stress is a vital component for weight gain, poor health and depression.  Stress can cause physiological and psychological issues.  Women can experience several reasons for weight gain.  Here's our normal recipe:

Holiday Recipe for Disaster

Stress + Comfort Foods + Little or No Exercise + Family + Medication = Weight Gain

 

Instead, our psyche needs to be a Holiday Recipe for Success:

Relaxation + Exercise + Proper Nutrition (via portion size) = Weight Stability

Coffee...It's a Food Group!!!

Donald Hensrud, chair of preventive, occupational and aerospace medicine at the Mayo Clinic expresses that people have preconceived ideas about different foods, and the common perception about coffee drinking is that it’s bad for you. But for most people, the benefits outweigh the risks.

Studying coffee’s health effects is tricky because coffee comes in so many forms and strengths. The volume is not the issue.  The strength of the potent brown liquid is determined by the amount of caffeine in coffee.

Here are some of the benefits of coffee:

• Might help protect against heart arrhythmia, stroke and depression in women, and basal cell carcinoma
• Contains hundreds of antioxidants. Coffee is the main source of antioxidants for some coffee lovers.
• Improved cognition and alertness
• Decrease in depression risk & suicide risk
• Can potentially reduce the risk of liver disease.

So, go ahead and take advantage of your java with all of its health benefits!

However, as much as I crave a cup of joe, I have to consume sparingly because it sometimes produces acid reflux. Other side effects can include heart palpitations, indigestion, insomnia, and urinary tract problems in men. A side note; coffee doesn’t appear to increase blood pressure over the long haul, among people who don’t drink it often, it can cause blood pressure to spike temporarily. If you add cream and sugar to your coffee, your coffee habit could lead to weight gain.  So the old saying goes, “All things in moderation.”

National Coffee Drinking Trends Study,The National Coffee Association of U.S.A. Inc., 2011

Jennifer LaRue Huget, Eat, Drink & Be Healthy Columnist, 11/15/2011

No, It's Not A Blessing.....

In 2008, the CDC stated that 34% of North American adults age 20 years and over were obese and 34% were overweight (and not obese).  People that means 68% of the adults age 20 years and over are overweight and risking their health not to mention a “happy” lifestyle.  Most alarming is that 18% of adolescents ages 12-19 year, 20% of children ages 6-11 years and 10% of children age 2-5 years old are obese!  These are our kids that we are raising to be obese.  If I may be brutally honest, are we setting up our kids to lead a life full of diseases caused by obesity? Not able to live a happy healthy life?  Are we causing them to be on medication the rest of their lives?  Do we set them up for failure? to be the butt of jokes? social ostracism?  Do we cause them to have Type II Diabetes?

No, it is not God’s blessing that your child can’t play or jump or swim. It is not God’s blessing that your child snores in his sleep. It is not God’s blessing that your child will probably have a heart attack soon.  You, my parent, need to do something and fast.

The way Americans eat is known around the world as the “North American” Diet with the end result not being the satisfaction of experiencing tantalizing tastes but the sure bet of becoming obesely unhealthy. 

Recently, I’ve had the blessing to be able to travel to the Middle East and Europe.  I love to indulge in their cultures.  I noticed that their diets are high in fat.  That is nutrient dense fat such as olive oil. The way food is prepared is not always fried as in our North American Diet.  The foods are prepared either raw or baked.  I do want to warn you that eating raw foods can be dangerous as bacteria housed in raw foods can cause sickness.  During my last trip to Morocco, I was pleased to see that desserts were always made of fruit!  Not fruit in pies or pastries, but as a fruit plate.  I was impressed that whole fruits such as oranges, bananas, apples, and grapes were brought out to end the meal.  Wow!  Impressive. 

I Hate to Exercise!!!

Sound familiar?  Have you heard that before? or Are you the one who is shouting this?  All the excuses can be pinpointed to one source, “Internal Motivators”.

What are Internal Motivators? Internal is defined as “situated inside”.   By inside, I mean within your mind.  I often communicate with my clients that in order to achieve a goal, that goal has to be owned by you.  You have to want it not just for one day but throughout the entire goal achieving process.  My role in goal setting, as a personal trainer, is to help with the process of setting realistic goals followed by mastering those goals and then reaching  for the next goal on the ladder of success.  I remember when my late husband would lovingly communicate with me that my breakfast consisting of a diet coke and M&M’s was not good by any means for any reason.  I didn’t care.  My breakfast tasted so yummy.  My “Ah Hah” moment took place when I saw myself in the mirror and thought, “Oh My Head!  Is that really you standing in the mirror?  You say you want to lose weight and get in shape, but look at you.  What caused you to be in such a state?”  As I stood there disgusted with what I’ve let myself turn into, I did a quick inventory of what led to this.  I realized that my actions did not line up with my wants.  I had started each day with failure.  I quickly spiraled further away from what I wanted to be.  I decided at that moment to begin my day with success and strive to be successful in everything I did throughout the day!  I don’t drink diet colas and eat M&M’s for breakfast any more.  I know both still taste delicious.    

Motivator is an incentive, a move to action, and is always positive.  This is why I urge my clients to set small goals while focusing on the big picture.  Again, my job is to guide my clients in setting realistic goals.  If these are not achieved, I ask my clients to ponder why not?  What can they change to meet those goals?  Most importantly, I ask, “Are you really going to change to meet those goals?”  Forgiveness is an imperative part in goal setting.  For example, if you miss a workout on Monday that doesn’t mean your whole week is shot.  Forgive yourself! Forget it! Start over!  You get a new chance!  Tomorrow…

 Internal Motivators: 

Stop thinking of exercise as a chore.  Think of the small achievable goals.  Celebrate the goals you have accomplished.  Success is a pleasant experience.

Exercise can be a pleasant experience.  Do something you like.  Take a brisk walk or run with the dog.  Play with your kids at the park.  Listen to audible books on your iPod while walking or ellipticalling or treadmilling.  Go dancing.  Hire a personal trainer, like me, who encourages and motivates you to attain.

Plan how to fit exercise into already busy schedule such as make it an appointment in your calendar.  Exercise while watching TV.  Make commercials useful, do crunches, push ups, leg raises, etc. during commercials.  Park in a space further away from the office building door, grocery store, mall and so on.

Recognize that exercise isn’t just learning how to use your body to perform a swing or swim a lap, it also entails learning how to use your mind to drive yourself into action and continue to equate yourself as someone whose identity is connected with exercise.

No Excuses!  Just Results!