Monthly Archives: December 2010

22 Tips for a Great New Year!!

1.) Smile more…this is a lesson from Amy who always wears an infectious smile!!! (Thanks for that)

Smiles are infectious to you and others.  Wearing a smile, even when there is nothing to smile about can make you feel better.

2.) Smile at someone-bet they’ll smile back at you!

Refer to first point, this is one infection that is good to pass around to others as much as you can!

3.) Write out your to do list, before going to bed.

This is a great way to be organized and to keep thoughts of, “What do I need to do tomorrow?” out of your head while you are trying to fall asleep.

4.) Get a good night’s sleep every night – you will feel so much better the next day

Your body repairs and recuperates itself while sleeping.  It helps you stay healthy and energized.

5.) Ask someone what you can do to help them.

Be a true servant to your fellow people.  No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care…so care for others and express it by asking what they need.

6.) Eat your vegetables-not sometimes….everyday!

Yes, this is what your mom used to say all the time and it was with good reason!  Veggies really are you home doctor. Minerals, vitamins, anti-oxidants…eat many and plenty.

7.) Read more

Take the time to expand your mind and grow your thinking.  I heard that the biggest difference between who you are today and who you will be in 5 years is based on the books you read and the people you know.

8.) Live in the moment

Enjoy everything that life has to offer today.  You never know what will be gone tomorrow so suck it all in and live every moment to its fullest.

9.) Exercise hard

There is no sense in trying to relax while you exercise.  It really defeats the purpose!  When you are done, you have to feel like you have accomplished something, not just have gone through the paces.

10.) Have an attitude of gratitude… be grateful

Everything you have in life should be viewed as a blessing.  Be grateful for even the tough stuff, because it will make you stronger and better when you fight through it.

11.) Take your vitamins

While food is a great source of nutrition, supplementing with vitamins is often necessary.

12.) Don’t put things off

No matter what it is, deal with it at the earliest opportunity.  Nothing gets better with time except wine, so take care of things early to keep them from going bad.

13.) Avoid negative people

Back to good old advice from mom! She always said, “You are judged by the company you keep and they will have an impact on you and how you are viewed by others.” Negative people have the ability to suck the joy right out of you and that defeats everything else you have to be thankful and grateful for.

14.) Drink at least 2 litres of water everyday.

You are made up of so much of the good stuff, replenish it and cleanse yourself.  A spring fed lake has more abundant life in it than a bog.  You want to ensure your lake supports healthy life, not stale and stagnant stink.

15.) Be there for others

There is no greater measure of a person than what they will do for others not on an everyday basis, but when others reach out for you or need you.  Be there for them.  They have asked you to be their support…be it and honour them by helping.

16.) Don’t blame others

Blaming others has become a mantra for so many of the ills that plague our society.  Well, the truth is, YOU control everything that affects you.  The choices we make as individuals plays a great part in everything we are and everything we do.  Sure, bad things happen to good people and often at the hands of others, but how it affects us defines who we are and who has the greatest control in our lives.

17.) Give more than you promise

Be a giver and do so in abundance! Remember, what goes around comes around.  If you give more than is expected or than you said you would, it will be remembered, respected and reciprocated.

18.) Keep it simple

This is the KISS principal.  The harder you make things, the harder they are! Simple right, so don’t make little things complicated. Simple is always best.

19.) Learn from every mistake

We are human and we make mistakes.  Learning from them and knowing not to make the same mistakes again separates the incompetent from the competent.

20.) Forgive others

It is rare that anyone truly does anything to intentionally hurt us.  Forgiveness is compassion, carrying a grudge only leads to misery and hate.   This will eat you alive if you carry it, so let it go!

21.) Forgive yourself

If you are going to forgive others, you have to first forgive yourself.  Be you biggest critic, be your harshest judge, but forgive yourself to heal.

22.) Never give up

Winners never quit, quitters never win.  History is full of incredible examples of people who had every reason to quit and no one would have batted an eye at the decision, but think of how great life is because they never quit. Lincoln, Edison, Bell, Franklin…the list goes on and on. NEVER GIVE UP!!!

 

 

I’m doing everything right…but I’m not seeing results!!

This is one topic that I discuss daily with my clients and friends.

The call or email usually starting with something like, “I don’t know what is going on. I am doing everything perfect and I am not losing weight”

The reality is that can’t be true.

Once I ask a few simple questions the answer is always crystal clear.

What did you have for breakfast?  Nothing.

What did you have for lunch?  Fast food because that’s what everyone at work had.

OK, and you had 3 or 4 chocolates because it’s Christmas and they were there( or short bread or whatever seasonal treat it is).

What did you have for dinner?  You had salad with chicken.  Very good, but the 8pm cookies or chips or other crappy snack…you fill in the blanks.

What did you do on the weekend?  Great time with friends is wonderful, but really, you thought the alcohol you drank was going to get you to your goals when I’ve told you that alcohol is pure sugar???

I am not asking or telling you to be perfect with your eating habits.  I am asking that you actually try and most importantly be honest with yourself.

You can’t wing it.  You need a plan.  You need goals and you need to respect those goals.  You can’t tell me you’ve been doing everything perfectly and when we look at what perfect is…well, it’s not.

It’s simple when you lay it all out for yourself.

When you go grocery shopping, don’t buy junk.  Don’t buy junk and tell yourself that your kids or other family members “need it”.  They need what you need.  Healthy foods!!

Pack your lunch and snacks with healthy choices that help you towards your goals.

Plan what you will have for dinners.  This goes back to the first point of grocery shopping, buy the food you need to make healthy meals….taa daaa!!

This time of year there are lots of sugary, high fat foods around.  You don’t need it and you wont die if you don’t eat it…..read that again…it’s ok to pass on the crap that doesn’t help you.

If fat loss is your goal, then eating foods that are not supportive is simply not an option.

It doesn’t have to be complicated, so stop making it that way and stop with the excuses why you need to have 4 shortbread cookies! The second one tastes the same as the first.

I don’t care if it is the holidays and I don’t care if your friend baked it.  I also don’t care if it is your fav-our-ite kind of chocolate.

If you actually want to get beyond this point in your life you have to stop making excuses!

What I care about is your success and helping you get where you want to be!!

 

Boot Camper of the Month!!

What does it actually take to lose weight?  Yes, the right food and the right exercise but also, and most importantly, the right mindset.

If you go into a new fitness program with the, “been there-done that” attitude, you will never achieve total success.

A number of you have been on the diet roller coaster and have tried every new fitness craze out there, but have you been able to keep the weight off?

Getting clear with your goals is really important and seems to be always overlooked.

When you join boot camp and tell me that you want to “lose weight and tone up” that is just fluff.  There is nothing to that statement and there is nothing to hold you accountable.

Meet Jen.  Jen joined boot camp in the summer and has been diligent at showing up to class giving 110% at every workout.  But she was missing a few key essentials.

Jen booked an appointment with me to have a personalized meal plan done and she has followed it to the letter.

When I asked her specific questions; she had the specific answers.

She knew the amount of weight she wanted to loose.  She knew the size of pant she wanted to be in and she had a timeline.  Goals set, time line determined! She has an upcoming trip that she wants to be in tiptop shape for!

She had specifics.

In the month since Jen has lost over 10 inches.  10 inches!!

She is still moving forward.

She is following her food plan, she is showing up for her workouts, she is still committed because she wants to reach her goal.

But 10 inches for her isn’t good enough.  She wants to achieve her specific goal.

I want to give a huge shout out to Jen!!  Way to go!!!  You are a great role model!  You have a busy, busy life and you still manage to eat the right food and show up to class.

I applaud you for committing to your health and sticking with it.

Jen used the magic formula that I ramble on and on about.  The same magical message that I think many people might miss. Because of its special magical powers, I feel compelled to give it to you all againg, are you ready , because here it is…

Set your realistic goals, with attainable timelines.  Commit to those goals by eating the right foods, in the right amounts at the right times.  Do the right exercise for your goals which is sensible and designed for your needs……Taaadaaaaaaa!!!  Secret revealed yet again!

The difference between most people’s results and Jen’s results are; Jen has listened and when she was tempted with food or offers to go out and blow off boot camp -she stayed the course, considered her goals, measured what was the offers and food would do to her goals and look….10 inches later she is almost at her goal!

10 inches people, that’s a lot.

Again, way to go Jen!  I am so super proud of you.  You are a testament that even busy people can make and eat the right food and find an hour a day to show up at boot camp!

Now it’s your turn everyone.  Make a commitment to yourself; set a specific goal (not a fluffy goal)**.  Specific – what pant size are you in now???? If I could give you a new pair of pants, what size would they be?? And don’t say…”well, I’m a 14/16 now and I would be happy with size 12″ NO YOU WOULDN’T!  I bet if you would get down to a size 7/8 you would be doing cartwheels!!!  Don’t settle for easy!

Set your goal, do it now! Post your goal on the blog and that will start your accountability.  Everyone that reads your goal you can be held accountable to.  You put that much commitment into yourself, you bet you’ll hold yourself even more accountable.

Ok, last thing…please do not use this holiday season as an excuse to go off the wagon (food or alcohol).  Smarten up people.  That was my public safety message for this weekend!!

Everyone show Jen some love!  Leave her a comment on the blog!!  I am sooooo proud of you!!  You have joined the ranks of a bunch of really great people who have committed to themselves and changed their lives…Amy, Katrina, Mel and more.

SO, who’s next????

** (A fluffy goal). ie ” I want to lose weight.  I want to get in shape.  I want to feel better.”  Everyone who is overweight wants to lose weight, round is a shape, why do you want to feel better?