Monthly Archives: January 2012

It will be worth it

Posted on January 30, 2012 | 2 Comments

I know there are times that I rant about things or get on my soap box and preach to you all about what not to do.  I do this for a couple of reasons. One being, that I want / need you guys to be informed. Second reason is because, I have been where you are. When I ask you to listen (ok, sometimes I beg you / tell you) it is because I actually do know what I am talking about.

Some of my blog posts are meant to get you fired up.  They are meant to motivate you.  Some are to get you thinking or re-thinking about your fitness and food.

If you take nothing away from what I say this is what I want you to know.

If you get fit and healthy, I mean finally take control of your weight you will:

  • not feel uncomfortable and insecure all the time
  • be able to wear anything
  • be able to walk around and “not feel fat”
  • be able to wear a bathing suit without a cover up
  • be able to prove to yourself and everyone else that you are strong enough to do anything

If you don’t lose those extra pounds and keep putting weight on, this is what will happen or continue to happen:

  • you won’t fit into your jeans or any cute pants
  • you will never feel comfortable in a bathing suit
  • you will have a stomach that droops over your pants
  • you will feel self-conscious
  • you will continue to beat yourself up
  • you will not have the energy or the strength to live a long and energetic life
  • you will cut your life short.  That’s a big one!

This is what I know…it’s not theory. 

Those lists could’ve been much longer.  This is what I know, because that is where I was.  I’m not just giving you what I think.  I’ve been there.

Here is something else that you need to read to get your head in the game (yes, High School Musical reference).  It will be tough at times to eat right and show up to boot camp. It will require dedication and willpower.  It will require total effort. It will call for you to suck it up and stay strong

BUT, I promise that when you reach your goal…IT WILL BE WORTH IT!!

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How are your resolutions going?

Posted on January 24, 2012 | 1 Comment

Well , we are one week from the end of January.  The first month of 2012 is almost gone and what have you got to show for it?

How are you doing on your goals for this year so far?  Did you set your goals for the year?  It doesn’t matter if we are talking about finances, family of fitness…you need to set goals.  It’s no just enough to say I want to lose 30 pounds or I want to be a size 6.

When do you want to lose 30 pounds? After you gain 20?  If you’re a size 12 you might just be a little discouraged right now if you wanted to be in the size 6-slinky dress for Valentines Day.

Just like it’s not enough to say (wish) what you want, you need to be realistic about the time line and you need to put a date on your goals.  Here’s what I mean.

Goal

I will lose 30 pounds by December 31st, 2012.

(I’m going to use that as an example for the rest of this post…feel free to put your own number in there)

That’s a great goal and its got a realistic date for achievement.  Now that you’ve got the goal and the date and you’ve written it down, committed to it and even shared it with someone to be accountable to, you have to take action.

Big surprise! All the wishing, wanting, writing and dreaming will NEVER get you where you want to be.  You HAVE to take action, and that action needs to also be set in stone.

How are you going to lose 30 pounds? Are you going to wait until November 1st to go into panic mode and try to take some drastic measure?

Bench Mark Goals

You need to set mini-goals on your way to the ultimate goal.  30 pounds by December 31st = 2.75 pounds per month.  So every month for the next 11 months you need to drop 2.75 pounds.  That works out to be .68 pounds per week.

I will tell you right now…that is very attainable.  BUT, you have to do it right.  Last week I praised Mayor Ford for making the decision to tackle his weight.  One week later, 10 pounds gone! He has a very aggressive goal of 50 pounds in 6 months and after only one week, 10 pounds!  Time for celebration?

NO!!!

It is not time for celebration and that is where so many people go off the rails in their plans.  “This is easy!”  “I deserve a treat.”  “I don’t have to work so hard”  I’ll take tonight off of boot camp.  I guarantee thinking like this is the key to so many people’s failures.

You have not reached your goal.  30 pounds by December 31st is your goal.  Don’t make the mistake of easing off or destroying your good efforts.

Objectives

To reach your bench-mark goal (.68 pounds per week to attain 2.75 pounds per month) you need to set the objectives to meet and measure your plan.

  • I will lose .68 pounds this month by:
  • Eating 4 to 6 times per day
  • Each meal I eat will include a lean protein, a vegetable, a fibrous carb.
  • Each meal will not go beyond an intelligent portion
  • In between meals snacks will be small and intelligent
  • I will exercise a minimum of 30 minutes per day
  • I will sleep at least seven hours per night
  • I will not eat after 8 pm.I will drink 3 litres of water per day (divide that as well: 1 cup (250 ml) every hour.
  • I will NOT drink alcohol
Measurement

At the end of the week, before you get on the scale, look back at your daily journal.  What? You’re not keeping a food journal? You’re not checking off your accomplishments? OK, you need to journal what you are doing.  On the top of each page of your journal you need to write down your objectives (To Do List) and as you accomplish them, check them off.  You also need to write down what you eat…EVERYTHING!

I guarantee that if you look back at your week and your journal is not something you are proud of you will not be happy with your results.  In fact, if your journal isn’t good, don’t even get on the scale.

In fact, just stay away from the scale.  Look at yourself in the mirror and see if you have improved at all.  Think of how your clothes feel.  Yes, you will be able to tell after one simple week.

Reward

Meet your objectives? Reward yourself.  Meet your goals?  Then reward yourself.  Rewards don’t mean bingeing on crap. Don’t destroy your great accomplishments with bad rewards.  A facial, new book, a healthy dinner at a restaurant.  Mani / Pedi.  Find your hot button and use that as your reward.

Here is a great tip.  Include your family in your objectives and goal settings.  Make the journey for them as well.  Lets say your children know that if you hit your goals, there will be a family outing or movie night.  They’ll help remind you when you are about to do something that goes against your objective’s.

What happens when you find yourself ahead of schedule? Celebrate by changing your time line.  Move it from December 31st, 2012 to October 31st, 2012.  Don’t slow down your schedule or results by backing off.  That will lead to compromise and delay.  Let that happen long enough and complacency will set in and before you know it…you are right off track.

  1. Goal
  2. Benchmarks
  3. Objectives
  4. Measurement
  5. Reward

Stick to that, be honest to yourself and committed to your goal and you will win!

Then we can move onto to maintaining the new you forever!

Who loves ‘ya?

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Cut the Waist

Posted on January 19, 2012 | 2 Comments

I remember watching an interview with Toronto Mayor Rob Ford when he was running for office and thinking to myself, “He’s going to explode!”

His face was flushed, he was sweating and he was breathing very heavy.  For those of you who don’t know him, he had called himself 300 pounds of fun.  I thought to myself the first time I heard that, 350 maybe.

On Monday, Mayor Ford and his brother Doug kicked off a weight loss program and a very special challenge.  “Cut The Waist Toronto”.  This cut has nothing to do with the budget, over spending or the gravy train.  It has to do with challenging themselves, the Ford Brothers and Toronto, to lose weight and promote a healthier lifestyle.

The Mayor weighed in at 330 pounds and his Councillor brother tipped the Toledo at 275 pounds.  Between them, they account for more than a quarter tonne of fun!  Not to mention several thousands of dollars of future medical expenses.

What was even better about the announcement was that the Mayor during the press conference issued a challenge to all of Canada by throwing down the gauntlet and saying Toronto would lose more weight than anywhere else!

Congratulations to Mayor and Councilor Ford for your commitment.

Besides the fact they have committed to losing weight, I applaud them for how they are intending to do it:

  • They set their goals
  • They put a date on that goals
  • They have a support buddy
  • They announced their plans public
  • They have established accountability to their goals

All Carrie approved.

Both men have indicated that healthy eating and increased physical activity are in their plans.  Did you hear that?

Healthy eating

Physical Activity

No fad diets.  No gimmicky programs.  No diet centres.  No surgery, potions pills or lotions.

They are right in issuing the challenge to get Toronto healthy and to encourage everyone, everywhere else to do the same.  Obesity is an epidemic.  It is costing this country millions of dollars in related medical expenses.  It is shortening the lives of people in an age when we can live longer, healthier and more vibrant than ever before!

Diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, chronic pain and many other problems are preventable and treatable through proper diet and exercise.

But here is my caution…remember losing the weight is one challenge.   Keeping it off is a completely different challenge.  You need to educate yourself through the process to learn how to keep weight off.  You need to understand how and why you gained the weight in the first place.

I can’t wait to find out who will be the biggest loser. (No pun intended).

I wonder if we can get them to come out to Georgetown to get their butts kicked by Boot Camp?

 

 

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Challenge creates change

Posted on January 12, 2012 | Leave a comment

Results ALWAYS happen 1 step / 1 lap / 1 lunge past where most people give up so they never get to see the results they are looking for as fast as they want them.

I know how it feels when you just want to give up. When you are too tired to try.  When you are too busy to make the time.

BUT, I also know how amazing it feels to pull it together and push past those feelings.  To give it your all with exercise and proper nutrition.

You know what I’m talking about.  When you come to boot camp and you push beyond the tired and give me, “Three more, two more, one more. You did it!!”

You feel strong and proud!!

How do you feel when you stop halfway thru an exercise?  When you walk when you know you can run?  When you give into those cravings when you think you are hungry?

We all need to be reminded that the MAGIC doesn’t happen on the 1st mile, it happens when you go the EXTRA mile for yourself and for others.

Anybody who knows anything about weight training or dieting will tell you that you get most of your results from those last 2-3 reps you don’t want to do, or from those last few weeks that you really don’t want to diet.

But here’s the catch.

Most people quit on themselves and their goals and dreams, right when it gets tough.

Unfortunately, they then never get to experience the MAGIC that would have taken place for them. That same magic that could have transformed them from ordinary to extraordinary.

I’ve said it over and over again, but I’ll repeat it here one more time…you don’t have to be 50% or 100% better than everyone else when you diet or exercise.

You only need to be 5% better.  5% is it. 5% is all it takes to be extraordinary.  To be better than the average.  To accomplish more than the norm.

That’s it.

  • Push past your desire to stop.  Do a little bit more today.
  • Do one more rep. Run a bit faster on that lap.
  • Drink one more glass of water.
  • Eat that salad
  • Show up to boot camp even on those days you are tired (I promise you will leave feeling more energetic).
  • Motivate one more person to exercise with you.

Are YOU ready to give 5% more today?

I saw this the other day:

I exercise because I can. When I get tired, I remember those that can’t exercise and what they would give to have this simple gift that I take for granted, and I work harder for them.

Powerful.

Focus on that when you think you can’t do one more rep or go the distance.

I know you can tough it out; CHALLENGE CREATES CHANGE.  Make that your mantra when you want to give up.

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My 2012 Predictions

Posted on January 10, 2012 | 3 Comments

I PREDICT that if you reach into your pocket on any day in 2012 and pull out a card or piece of paper with all your realistic body and fitness goals written on it in precise detail, the odds are in your favor of you’ll achieve every one of those goals before the end of the year.

I PREDICT that if you focus your thoughts on your goals and how you are going to achieve them, all day long, you will reach your goals so fast in 2012, it will make your head spin. #truth

I PREDICT that if you focus your thoughts on health woes and body fat problems and if you think about what you don’t want, all day long, your problems will get worse than ever this year.

I PREDICT that if you can tell me all the reasons why achieving your health and fitness goals are important to you, you will be motivated from within to stick with them when the going gets tough.

I PREDICT that at times, the going is going to get tough. But you need to tough it out.

I PREDICT that the way you see yourself in your mind’s eye today will be an exact reflection of what you see in the mirror at the end of the year.

I PREDICT that if you have a setback that seems to get in the way of you reaching your health and fitness goals and you tell yourself “this is temporary; this too shall pass”, then it won’t set you back and it will pass. Don’t be a victim to excuses.

I PREDICT that if you believe the way your body looks today is out of your control and you feel helpless or powerless to change, you won’t even make much of an effort this year.

I PREDICT that if you accept complete responsibility for the way your body looks today and you believe that you have the power to change, that you will take action and keep taking action, even through the tough times.

I PREDICT that if you’re unhappy with your physical condition and you say, “it’s not my fault” or you blame it on genetics, hormones or age, then your body will look pretty much the same at the end of 2012 as it did on New Year’s day.

I PREDICT that the more you seek “miracle pills” or “quick fixes,” the more likely you are to be a failure a year from now.  That’s the cold hard truth.

I PREDICT that you will be tempted by many quick fixes in 2012. You’re smarter than that–don’t fall for it.

I PREDICT that if you hang out with losers (not weight) and negative people (food pushers) this year, you will become just like them.

I PREDICT that if you hang out with winners (boot campers) and positive people this year, you will become just like them.

I PREDICT that you will run into more negative people and losers this year than positive people and winners. Choose wisely who you want to be like. There is a reason there are more negative people…it’s easy.

I PREDICT that if you recruit just one friend or support partner that stands behind you and the lifestyle changes you want to make in 2012, you will double your chances for success. If you surround yourself with numerous support buddies, you will become unstoppable.

So how does your future look this year? It’s totally up to you!! Just know that I am here to help.

The past is the past and you can’t change it, but by changing your thoughts, attitudes and ACTION in the present moment, the future is yours to create.

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