In this post I'm going to offer some brief tips on being successful not only for the upcoming 6-WEEK CHALLENGE but in your fitness life, as well. Changing seasons, chills in the air, new (or revised) motivations, and an empty house are all motivators for sculpting a new you...ultimately, though, I've found folks that embrace healthy and thoughtful reasons for change are the most successful. What I mean by that is simple: being fit is a lifestyle choice; it's not necessarily about looking the best in a bikini or speedo, it's about being the best you can be, physically and physiologically.
No 2 people are created equal, trust me. I grew up larger than your average child. I was big and bulky and I had 2 older brothers that reminded me of that constantly (did I mention they were both skinny, chiseled, b*st*rds???) But, you know, I embraced and accepted what I was and went with it. I didn't, don't, and will never have a 30" waist. Minus some serious reconstructive hip surgery I never will. That's okay. I'm stronger than you're average person...what I lack in quick-twitch muscle fiber I make up for in determination and work ethic. Turns out, my body responded--I have a simple strategy in place that's easy to follow and works...if you look at my 2-year old picture on this blog homepage and look at me now you will see that my strategies work for me. If you look at some of my clients "before-and-after" pictures you will see right away that it works for them. You have to embrace and acknowledge who you are and what you are before you can possible succeed. It's that simple!
In future posts I will discuss identifying your body type, different strategies in terms of eating, sleeping and exercising that might accomodate your goals. In the meantime, with our 6-WEEK CHALLENGE coming up, I wanted to post some brief, simple ideas you can employ. Good luck!
SIMPLE TIPS
1. Keep a food journal. I know, I know, you've heard this a thousand times...every weight-loss program recommends this. You know why? Because it works! The power of the pen is remarkable--writing down what you eat, what time you ate, how much you ate, etc., is a powerful tool to recognize your shortcomings and successes. Check out earlier posts for websites and food journal ideas
2. Sleep! Don't deprive...your body needs to regenerate and recuperate and you can't do that without sleep. The average person needs at least 5-6 hours for healthy tissue function. The average athlete/exercisor needs at least 8-9 hours for proper regeneration of broken-down tissues and cells. The body is a machine and sleep is the service shop!
3. Don't over-exercise! You won't win the challenge, or be successful in your fitness endeavors by working out 5 hours a day. Scientists will argue that optimal cellular and physiological changes occur within 40-70 minutes of total exercise. Anything more or less is either harmful or worthless. Keep that in mind!
4. Try new things...you know that saying (I've said it before on this blog) "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"? It's absolutely true. Your body will eventually stop responding to repeated stimuli, exercise included. This is why my training philosophy and classes are vastly different from one day to the next.
5. Consult with your friends, family, children, pets, whomever...people that have a support group or work out with some one are 300% more likely to succeed than those that work out alone. It's a proven fact! Having a support group in place is critical. That is why I've got a class set up, and a blog set up, is for folks to commingle and share ideas, thoughts, and stories. Please don't hesitate to share--you might just become someone's support group and not know it!
Until next time,
A
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