A Four Run Attempt at New Year’s Resolutions

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The other day I mentioned on Twitter that “trying something new” is  an excellent way to inspire your brain and body for New Year’s resolutions. Studies continue to show that the brain loves new adventure and learning, and the body demands it in order to stay healthy, fit and on top of your fitness goals. Need I say anything else?

I practice what I preach and decided on behalf of my New Year’s resolutions I would try something that I never really wanted to do- snowboarding! I am a skier and love the mountains, fresh air, ease of getting on and off of the chair lift and the beautiful scenery from the chair lift itself, but the rest of my family snowboards so I thought I should give it a whirl.

My first lesson and attempt at surfing the snow was today at Steven’s Pass. I was frustrated, angry, competitive, humbled (especially by the little 5 year olds whipping by me as I laid on my back), joyous, elated and content- in that order exactly. It also reminded me of how hard it is to have the guts to try something new, let alone feel successful at it your first attempt. Very much like New Year’s Fitness Resolutions.

I summed up these comparisons in my four runs down the Daisy chair today:

Run Attempt #1- I fell 37 times (yes I counted) and felt frustrated, angry and completely wanted to punch my instructor, get to the bottom of the run, turn in the board and rent some skis. I compare this to that first week of being at the gym, working with a trainer or getting a new workout program started. You’re sore, frustrated, angry because you don’t really enjoy what you’re doing and seriously just want to go back to your old comfortable ways and be content.

Run Attempt #2- I fell 6 times. I had lunch and regrouped my thoughts and told myself that this is an adventure and to give it everything I could. Similar to week 2 of your new fitness regime. Your getting the hang of things, remembering why it is you decided to do this and are looking at the positive changes you’re making in your life. The muscle soreness is getting a little better and your feeling pretty good by the end of this week.

Run Attempt #3- I fell 3 times. Yeah- things were connecting. I focused on one skill, and  hammered it into my head all the way down to the bottom. The falls were on purpose to avoid hitting others or to slow my uncontrolled, novice behaviors on the board. Similar to week 3 of a new fitness routine- positive mental changes continue as most begin to  sink their teeth into the exercise programming.  They learn not only what they are good at, but also what needs a little polishing. Of course their trainer tells them to focus on what they can do and do it well (and possibly adjusts their program to accomodate this).

Run Attempt #4- I fell once. Yes, just once and it was off the chair lift. My goal on this last run was to NOT fall off of the chair lift because I had every time before, but instead I had a beautiful experience all the way to the bottom. I was elated and completely content with my attempt, but also knew more practice would be needed to get off of the Daisy chair and onto my favorite skiing runs (precious Big Chief). I compare this to the 4th week of many New Year’s fitness resolutions. The goal may have been to lose a certain amount of weight, but instead the goal of weight loss is surpassed by the fact your waist is 2″ smaller and your pants are too big. BONUS!! It’s motivating, exciting to see the change and encourages you to continue the journey and add more weeks (runs) to your fabulous, new thing.

In essence, what I’m saying is it takes a bare bones minimum of 4 weeks of  commitment to anything to see some changes. It won’t happen overnight, and of course will be different for all of us due to individual differences in not only our physical state of body, but mental state of mind. For me, the mind is the key to most resolutions we make. We pre-contemplate, we contemplate, we take action and we succeed or don’t succeed depending on how strongly we want to see change or make attempt. Attempting  something new is the first part, committing to it is the second.

Make your four run attempt this New Years! Attempt, commit, change  and see the changes in your body, mind and soul. May blessings of health, wellness, attempts and commitments shower you and your loved ones.

Happy New Year- Amy

PS- For future reference, being a fitness pro does not mean that I’m good at every physical stunt known to man; practice and skill are required for all human performance movements indoor and out

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• 5 Keys to Successful New Year’s Resolutions (naturalbias.com)

Spot Reduction- The Three Secrets to Losing that Body Fat

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Looking for the best way to get rid of your saddle bags, muffin top and flabby arms?  I’ve got it for you right here, right now. The three things you must know in order to get the body of your dreams. The best part is there is no need to perform 8 minutes of a singular exercise to make it happen.

Better yet, you don’t have to purchase some obnoxious piece of equipment that inevitably ends up collecting a pile of dust bunnies under your bed. More good news- you don’t even need to spend a dime on diet foods, powders, potions, pills or fatten Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers wallets anymore.

Sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? Well, it’s the truth- it happens everyday to people with healthy, strong and aesthetically pleasing bodies. They know the 3 secrets to spot reduction and how to keep body fat at bay. Are you ready to soak them in, too?

Take a deep breath, get ready, here we go:

1. Move your ass- get off the couch and take a walk, go jogging, ride your bike and do something most days of the week that gets your ticker ticking at a level that screams exercise to you. Lift heavy things that work all your muscle groups a few times a week to make them stronger, which will torch more calories. Hire a trainer to help you put together a proper program for your current fitness level, or join a fitness boot camp or exercise camp that provides you with accountability and support to exercise. Exercise = weight loss, DUH!

1. Shut your mouth- put down the fork and leave the seconds to the rapidly growing teenage athletes in your home who need those extra calories. Eating proper portions of the right foods not only provides your body with critical vitamins, minerals and nutrients, but also keeps your body weight in balance because it supports your energy needs. Too much food (no matter what it is) leads to weight gain. By making simple adjustments in your daily food intake you can lose body fat weight and see those rippling muscles you’ve worked so hard to get (see number 1).  Less food = less ___________ (insert whatever loving name you have for your body part here)

1. Stop making excuses- we all have them, just like other body parts. The difference between those who have body fat issues and those who don’t is simple. Priority! Behavior change is inevitable if you are trying to lose body fat weight; you simply can’t continue doing what you are doing and you simply can’t keep making excuses for it either. Losing weight is a psychological process that takes time and energy on many levels, but it has to be done to spot reduce any appendage on the body. Excuses = no results, so STOP it!

Basically, I’m repackaging the same information I’ve been yelling from the top of my soap box for years. There is no magic way to make things disappear off of your body unless you would like to enlist the help of a plastic surgeon. Weight will come off gradually from all parts of your body that are carrying extra weight. We all have genetic potential to carry extra weight in certain places (thanks mom and dad), plus the aging process tends to shift things south and give the skin a less than plump appearance.

As a matter of fact, the majority of what my personal clients call “fat” is actually extra skin from losing weight after childbirth, or aging skin that’s lost elasticity. Sorry, no exercise will change that. However, exercise can change the appearance and give a little lift if the muscle underneath said skin is underused and no longer developed. Remember that butt muscle you used to have when you played sports? Maybe now it is a softer, flatter version of itself. I can fix that!

Most of you have heard of one or more of the three secrets to spot reduction. So the question now is what secret(s) do you need to put into play to give you the action figure body you want? I’ve got the answers: contact me to schedule a personal training appointment or sign up for a camp, go to http://www.dietgrader.com and sign up for a free week of nutrition enlightenment and get those portions and nutrients in balance. Oh yeah, almost forgot, please flush your excuses down the toilet with the rest of your crap. Excuses have no place in your spot reduction journey.

Lightheartedly- Amy

5 Reasons You Need Me

I like to think that my knowledge, experience and advice is always received with open arms, but I realize this is not always the case. Sometimes my words fall on deaf ears, as people aren’t even contemplating making a change in their life that would support some of the health and fitness advice I try to share. So sad

With the holidays approaching fast (9 days until Thanksgiving mind you) it becomes more apparent to me that I need to make a remarkable blog post to inspire, or at least scratch the surface in an effort to get individuals to contemplate  taking care of themselves during this time of the year. So to any of you that are listening, hear this- you need me, my advice and experience to keep you healthy through the holidays!!

5 Reasons You Need Health and Fitness Through the Holidays:

1. STRESS RELIEF- need a I say more? Over and over again research touts the effects of regular exercise and reducing the effects of stress. Nothing works better than a little walk after dealing with your drama queen family member, or a brisk effort activity to clear your head.

2. KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF- extra holiday cookies at lunch, a couple of cosmos at the company Christmas party or some really, rich and gooey spread you normally don’t indulge in can lead to a couple of extra pounds through the next 8 weeks. I don’t know about you, but most of the people I work with do NOT want this to happen so my advice is this: indulge a little, but expend a little more effort/intensity with your workouts, avoid missing any of your regular sessions and add one more day per week to burn some more calories and keep the weight off.

3. IMPROVE MOOD/MINDSET- it’s hard for me to believe, but some people actually become depressed and upset with the holidays. Not having enough money, the stress of decorating, dealing with family, friends and coworkers in their jovial state can actually send some people right into crazy mode. Thankfully, exercise can help combat this and improve mood, mindset and keep stress at bay. So before you attack the nice Santa gleefully swinging his bell in front of Macy’s, go take a brisk walk, decompress and then drop a dollar into the donation pot

4. RELEASE THE KINKS- this time of year can bring increased incidence of lower and upper back, neck, hip and leg tightness. All of this is usually related to carrying extra loads on one side (hello, holiday shopping bags), less sleep from extra activities, stress-related tension and traveling in planes, trains and automobiles (great movie by the way). Regular flexibility training, performed at least 2-3 days per week,  will increase joint range of motion and decrease the incidence of developing those holiday related kinks. Try a yoga class or get with a personal trainer who can show you a few stretches to relieve those tight spots.

5. SUPPORT- fitness professionals want to help, encourage, motivate and keep you happy, healthy and prosperous through this holiday season. One of our job responsibilities is being your personal motivator and coach. We walk the talk, understand the demands that can be placed on people during this time of year and will adjust and modify your workout regimes to fit your time availability. If nothing else, we are there for accountability and reassurance. Consider us the resource to make your holidays fit and healthy.  On a personal note, I think some of my clients may think of me more as the Grinch who steals their ideas of second helpings of Christmas fudge and eggnog

Whatever your state of mind is this season, just remember I will be watching, observing and taking notes. After all, if it weren’t for all of your fabulous holiday mannerisms both in and out of the fitness facility I wouldn’t have any advice to offer. If nothing else, just remind yourself of the 5 reasons you need to know of me and my work.

Embrace this holiday season with smiles, cheer and a little sweat!

Gobble, Gobble, Jingle, Jingle, and a big BOOM to you and your loved ones.

Amy

PS- check out the FREE holiday events happening at FIT Launch

Stress Relief Tip- Be A Little Selfish

With the holidays around the corner, the economy and all the other day-to-day challenges it seems like stress can easily find its way into our daily lives. How we handle it, or rather don’t handle it, can lead to even more stress if we aren’t careful.

Here is a quick stress relief ritual you might want to incorporate into your sometimes chaotic life:

Enjoy ‘me‘ time- take 5 minutes every day to support some alone time. Look for a quiet room, burn a candle for relaxation, breathe deeply, and fill your mind with positive affirmations, thoughts, prayers or quotes that inspire you. This 5 minute break is sometimes all you need to break free of a stressful event or bring out a source of creativity for your work or other endeavors.

Here’s to being a little selfish,

Amy

Fitness Cliques- The Diet Groupies

I have to admit it..my brain thinks differently than others. When I want to know more about  a subject, such as fitness and nutrition, it involves three things: interest in the topic, a passion to learn everything I can about it, and then sharing my knowledge with others- like my clients, family and friends.

Hence the nutrition degree, plethora of fitness certifications and years of practicing what I preach. I strive to give and be the best with my work!

Trouble brews sometimes when fitness cliques interfere with my job of getting the real information out to my clients… One clique in particular just gives me a very uncomfortable rash in a place that’s hard to scratch- sarcasm implied here. It’s the diet groupies.

You know who they are. They are always on the latest diet, looking for a quick solution to lose the unwanted weight they’ve gained, and have generally lost weight on some stupid diet but gained it all back because they aren’t addressing the real issue at hand..no exercise and too big a spoonful in the mouth. Listen to me, please, diet is a four letter word.

I have never been, never will and will never tell my clients, family members or friends to go on a diet! It is a temporary solution to mask a deeper unresolved problem of poor nutritional habits. Eating is necessary, healthy and should be done frequently throughout the day. Additionally, you need carbs (no they aren’t an enemy, rather a very important source of fuel to feed your muscle and brain tissue), fats (in moderation and good sources) and protein to be balanced.

Your bodies need a constant, steady supply of fuel to support basic functions  like breathing, circulating, sleeping, brushing your teeth, using the toilet and getting in your car. Guess what? If you exercise, play sports or have a fairly active job, you’re going to need more fuel to support it. Trust me, if you don’t eat the right amount of calories you will suffer from lethargy, lack of concentration and poor performance with exercise and daily activities. Why the hell would you want to do that?

What about the alternative solution? You know the one that I, the fitness industry and every other knowledgeable professional will tell you..put down your fork, control your portions and eat to support you. BTW you’ll need plenty of nutrient dense foods. Sorry, you have to eat vegetables and fruit. Oh yeah, and hold the simple things like white flour and sugar, crappy things like trans fats and hydrogenated oils, too much alcohol or anything artificial or you can’t pronounce in the food label (unless it’s a foreign label).

It’s quite a simple process, although any diet groupie will suggest otherwise. I’ve heard them all: low carb, high protein, fruitarian, raw foods, macrobiotic, low fat, pill-popping, super low calorie and fasting diets….plus many more! They all have their slogans, but they are all crap. Unless you are not a human being you will need a sound eating plan that includes proper percentages of carbs, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and possibly some accessory nutrients (think glucosamine).

How do you know what you need? I know, ask a professional like me. Please run from a trainer, friend, family member, or any other person for that matter, that tries to sell you on a diet program (you can actually grade them here).

Also, pills, potions and calories that are less than 1200 for a woman or 1500 for a man are completely unacceptable. Run to the hills, bury your head in your pillow or just tell them to buzz off if they suggest otherwise.

I’m a passionate person who loves her work. I’m also just as passionate about people who screw with my work, provide false information to my enthusiasts or try to sell them on something that isn’t a lifelong solution. Temporary is fine when it comes to living conditions, transportation or in-laws (wink, wink). However, it doesn’t apply to dieting or any other form of exercise.

Groupies generally want one thing to meet their idol/obsession. Whether it’s weight loss, rock stars, artists or entertainers it’s all the same. You may get what you want one time, but does that keep you satisfied for the rest of your life? Hell, no!

Be the individual who doesn’t follow the clique- change your stars and become the idol with the groupies. Lose weight by following the standards set forth by the experts who have studied nutrition, weight loss, exercise and all things  that support it. People like me, and all the others who walk the talk, live the life and understand what you need to make your weight loss goals permanent.

Let’s make our own clique- the permanent weight loss group. Wait, it already exists, it’s called the health and fitness industry. Are you ready to follow our advice yet?

Passionately- Amy

PS- the real solution to your dietary issues exists here http://www.dietgrader.com No, BS! Straight up what you need nutrition with a report card to boot.

PPS- It’s so important I’m offering a FREE one week trial! Use it!!

Do You Need a Nutrition Wake-Up Call?

“If you’ve put forth the effort to attain your weight loss goal through exercise alone you may have faced the same reality that nearly all others come to realize… Exercise alone is not enough!

50%-75% of the battle in attaining your weight-loss goal comes down to what you put in your mouth. You need to run for a very long time to burn the same number of calories you can consume in just a few minutes.”

Words right off the pages of our new website http://www.dietgrader.com

The site is up and ready for anybody needing a nutritional wake-up call, kick in the butt or just interested in learning more about their nutritional intake. It’s an amazing and useful site that we’ll be spending more and more time using within our business locally and globally as we reach out with the good word of health, fitness and wellness.

Check it out and see what kind of nutritional report card you get.

Here’s to your ample consumption of fruits and veggies..CHEERS!

Amy

Seeds of Compassion- Words of the Dalai Lama

I had an amazing opportunity to attend a speaking engagement with the Dalai Lama about a year ago. Unfortunately, I chose not to attend because I had already committed to something else. Thankfully, one of my fellow fitness professionals did go and brought me back some literature and my now, very worn out, “seeds of compassion” bracelet.

Although the bracelet is slowly fraying away, I still hold the words and information close to me. I have them posted on a bulletin board in the studio and look at them frequently. Especially when things aren’t going the way I envisioned them or I just need a little reminder that life isn’t always problematic.

Life is full, unpredictable and what you make of it. A healthy life is one that balances life, work, play and pleasure and allows for the natural ebb and flow of day to day circumstances.  Although the following words of the Dalai Lama were geared toward our interactions with children, I believe they apply to everyone at any point in their life. We all need to remember:

When we wake up to make a promise:

“With an open heart and joyful mind, I promise to practice compassion- to be kind to myself and to others and, especially, to be kind to every child whose life touches mine, from near or far, for today and always”

ALL DAY LONG REMEMBER TO:

Laugh

Listen

Learn

Love

Encourage

Respect

Be Kind & Consistent

Part of living a healthy, compassionate life is to be fulfilled both physically and mentally. You may have amazing work ethic when it comes to staying fit, but lack compassion or the ability to let go of things that in the long run, can make you sick.  I truly believe the 8 words above summarize it all and should be screamed out off of the rooftops for all to hear.

Think about it:  Do you practice planting the seeds of compassion? Are you taking care of the physical and mental you? What is is that you need to change or do to make it happen?

In health and compassion- Amy

PS- one of my other all time favorite quotes: “Live, Laugh and Love!” My next tattoo is going to have this in it!!