Reality check: the hardest part of losing weight is…ready for it…YOU! It is simple in theory, really. Consume less calories than you burn and eat nothing that you wouldn’t want your body to use to repair itself. Ask yourself, “Do you want my broken down muscles after a great workout to be built up by a Wendy’s hamburger and frosty, or a protein shake and an apple?” It is warming up outside and we need to take advantage of it. you are strong enough to decide you are going to AT LEAST go for a walk outside. You were strong enough to go through all those stomach aches and self induced heartburn from over eating because it was Christmas, because it was Thanksgiving, because it was New Years, because it was … Read entire article »

Do you consider yourself a friend, or an enemy? I am not talking about what people think about you, I am talking about YOU! Are you an enemy of yourself? Do you punch yourself in the face with negative comments that would bring you to tears of someone said those same things to you? While creating and maintaining a lifestyle of health and wellness, it is important to remember to get our “heads” in the game. If you spend 60 minutes at the gym thinking positive about yourself, excited that you made it and are burning calories, then go home only to discount yourself the other 23 hours, how much good did you do? Why not decide to accept how unhealthy and out of shape you are and move forward? Does … Read entire article »

…means there is a possiblilty of failing. Learn to eat the right foods so that your “diet” is a sustainable, achievable, successful endeavor. Hey Mom! Its Monday-Are you starting a new diet today? Is this the one diet to end all diets? If not, what is stopping you? Think about it- why have you failed before? What excuse is keeping you from eating in a way that promotes a healthy lifestyle, not just a few pounds lost? Why is it that you keep failing? Is there something more motivating than having a healthy, vibrant, HOT body? Furthermore, what is more important than living a long, healthy life? It is very simple: If you eat crappy foods, you will look and feel crappy. Simple, right? Remember, your body is not a rational creature. It … Read entire article »

Myth-buster: Exercise is the quickest way to lose weight. Hey Mom! Really, It’s all about the math… If you are now eating 3,000 calories a day, and you go on a 1,800-calorie diet, you’ll cut 1,200 calories. If you add 30 minutes of exercise (or 45-50 minutes from a camp session) you might burn another 250-600 calories, but you would have to have two or three sessions extra a week to match the weight loss from simple calorie-cutting. “Most people underestimate the calories they are eating and overestimate the calories they burn,” says James Hill, an obesity researcher at the University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center. That’s why exercise remains the single most important thing you can do to maintain weight loss, since it increases your energy burn and allows … Read entire article »

There is a lot of talk about “Going Green” lately. Basically, its a way for each person to make little changes to save the environment–even if you feel like no one else cares. Here are some ways to help that wont cost you a cent, but may save you some $: Turn off your computer when you are not using it. (At least put it in hibernation mode.) Recycle. Use that blue trash can. If in doubt, go blue! Carpool. You are going to the same place anyway! Take shorter showers. TURN OFF THE WATER WHEN BRUSHING YOUR TEETH! Wash clothes in cold water. Plant trees. (Okay, this might cost you money, but its worth it!) Fix dripping faucets. (a leaking faucet wastes 20 gallons of water a day.) These are some easy things we can all do. Have … Read entire article »

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.” – Vincent Lombardi So, got some news for you: Will power is a myth. But a will to change could be the missing ingredient in your weight loss journey. As a trainer, I know I need to eat well and stay in shape. As a triathlete, I know I need to say no to certain temptations in order to perform well. That being said, put a plate of brownies in front of me or stick some gummy worms in my pocket and consider them both gone in record time. I know my limits, and if certain items come within a few feet of me, I will devour them. So, … Read entire article »

Recently, a friend emailed me to ask what she could do to clear up some “brain fog” she has been experiencing. In her note she said she was “Healthy with no issues other than some extra weight.” DO NOT DELUDE YOURSELF! Make no mistake about it- If you are overweight you have health issues. According to Dr. Joel Fuhrman in his book “Eat to Live”, health complications directly related to being overweight include: Adult onset diabetes Hypertension Degenerative Arthritis Coronary Artery Disease Cancer Lipid Disorders Obstructive sleep apnea Gallstones Fatty Infiltration of the liver Restrictive lung disease Gastrointestinal disease ….and on and on.You cannot get around the fact that if your body is not functioning at its peak the cause could be and very likely is the result of being overweight. Magical thoughts and wishes do not make food healthy. There are NO … Read entire article »

Have you ever heard the phrase “Calories in, Calories Out” before? I am positive you have. Before I try and break it down, let me just say I am not a fan of calorie counting. I do not preach it to my clients nor do I do it for myself. I will be talking more about how I eat and how I teach my clients to eat in later posts. The following is my best attempt at explaining this cliche. Calories In: Basically, your body uses a number of calories to function for one day-its called you BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). Lets say its 1400 calories. That means your body needs that many calories to function all of its processes on any given day. Calories Out: On top of what you burn … Read entire article »

Are you just recently going back to the gym? I suggest focusing on the basics. After your cardio work, go find some space and do a few sets of Pushups (from your knees), Crunches, Back extensions (laying on your stomach, lifting your hands and feet up at the same time, holding it, then down is one), Lunges, and Squats. Go for a minute for each. Record how many of each you can do (with good form!) and try to break your record. Do 1 set, then the next day, maybe only do 2 or 3. Then the next time, go all the way through. Repeat. BUT FIRST….you have to commit. Commit not to the scale, but to your body. Then, and only then, can discipline take over and make working out a … Read entire article »